Why Study at the Graduate School of Korean Studies, the Academy of Korean Studies?

 

As an educational institute established and funded by the Korean government with the aim of promoting Korean studies, we provide international students with excellent educational and living environments as follows:

 

○      Tuition fees are fully waived  for the whole coursework period for all international students.

○      78.9%  of international students benefit from the Government Grant, a monthly stipend of 800,000 KRW (equivalent to $600)   for a year, renewable upon evaluation.

○      A 5:1 student-faculty ratio enables close one-to-one guidance by professors.

○      Korean language courses are offered free of charge   to assist international students with academic writing, presentations, and discussions.

○      Various programs such as tutoring, writing clinic, cultural activities and airfare subsidy for attending oversea s conferences, etc. support students’ academic performance.

 

Currently, approximately 200 students are enrolled in our Master’s or doctoral degree programs,  including 103 international students from 31 countries,  in the fields of humanities and social sciences pertinent to Korea.

 

SUBJECT AREAS

 

○     Korean History

○     Diplomatics and Bibliography

○     Philosophy

○     Korean Linguistics · Korean Literature

○     Anthropology · Folklore

○     Religious Studies

○     Musicology

○     Art History

○     Cultural Informatics · Human Geography

○     Political Science

○     Sociology

○     Education

○     Korean Cultural Studies(Only available for a Master’s degree program)

 

   

The Program

 

○      Coursework period is 2 years for a Master’s degree program and 3 years for a doctoral degree program.

○      An academic year consists of two semesters and courses are provided for 15 weeks per semester. A spring semester begins in March, and a fall semester in September.

○      Most courses are taught in Korean, while courses in Korean Cultural Studies are provided in in English.

○      Students earn 3 credits per each course. In order to graduate, students of a Master’s degree program should comp lete 24 credits, and a doctoral degree program 36 credits, other than mandatory Korean language courses which are non-credit. Both Master’s degree and doctoral degree students should write a thesis.

 

 

Entry Requirement

 

○      A keen interest in Korean studies, coupled with an undergraduate degree (for a Master’s degree program) or a gra duate degree (for a doctoral degree program)

○      English language proficiency equivalent to or higher than TOEFL iBT 80, IELTS Academic Module 6.5, or TEPS 301 for applicants  for Korean Cultural Studies

○      Korean language proficiency equivalent to or higher than TOPIK(Test of Proficiency in Korean) level 4 for applicants  except for Korean Cultural Studies

 

 

Application Deadline

 

We seek for applications twice a year. Application for 2025 spring semester is open  from 13 Sep to 27 Sep 2024. Applications for  2025 fall semester  will be sought  from 14 Mar to 28 Mar 2025 .

 

 

How to Apply

 

To apply, visit studyinkorea.go.kr  and complete the online application form. A soft copy or a scanned copy of the following documents should be uploaded on the application website:

○     Personal Statement

○     Research Plan

○      A graduation certificate and official transcripts

○      A score report of TOFEL iBT, IELTS Academic Module, or TEPS (if applicable)

○      A TOPIK certificate (if applicable)

 

In addition, a letter of recommendation should be sent directly from the recommender by email at admission_intl@aks.ac.kr.

 

 

Selection Process

 

A. 1 st   Process  :  Document Screening

  ○  Document screening is held for applicants who meet all the application requirement.

  ○  Overall evaluation of applicants' research plan, academic ability, language proficiency, a nd academic background (shown in personal statement and a recommendation letter) takes place.

B. 2 nd   Process :  A Video Interview

  ○  A video interview via Zoom is held to those who have passed the document screening.

  ○  Interview schedule will be informed individually. Applicants who do not participate in the interview are automatically disqualified.

 

 

Contact Us

 

If you have any queries about the program or the application process, please contact us at admission_intl@aks.ac.kr or +82-31-730-8183.