2018 KF Fellowship for Graduate Studies for European Region

For the official website, please click here.

2018 Korea Foundation Fellowship

For Graduate Studies for European Region

Program Outline
KF Fellowship for Graduate Studies(GS) program is aimed to foster a new generation of Korean Studies scholars by providing scholarship support to students who are currently enrolled in an MA or PhD program in Korean Studies.
Applicant Eligibility
-MA or PhD students currently enrolled in a European graduate program (as of 2018 Fall semester) on a Korea-related topic in the humanities, social sciences, arts or cultural studies
-Must be a registered student at the university of the enrolled program
-Has foreign citizenship (Korean citizens must have permanent residency status in a country outside Korea)
*Excluded programs: natural science, medicine, engineering, MBA, law school, graduate school of translation and interpretation

※ KF Criteria for Fellowship Eligibility

MA course  PhD course
MA, MSt, MPhil, MLit etc. PhD, DPhil
Number of Available Fellowships
Approx. 12
Grant Period
1 year (September 1, 2018 to August 31, 2019)
Grant Amount
– MA Students:     9,000 euro per year

– PhD Students: 15,000 euro per year

Application Schedule
– Application submission period: March 16 – April 16, 2018 (KST 18:00)

* Reference letters should be submitted by April 20, 2018.

– Notification of acceptance: (late) July 2018

※Notification date is subject to change without prior notice.

Required Documents
1. Online Application
2. Supplemental materials (uploaded to online application)

a) Research Proposal (must not exceed 3 pages)
1) Download and fill out the Foundation’s Research Proposal form (attached) and then upload the completed form to the Online Application.

※ Applicants who are applying for a second/third fellowship period should describe the progress made during the previous fellowship period

b) Transcript
1) Master level: Academic transcript of undergraduate degree

※  Applicants who are applying for a second fellowship period are only required to submit the academic transcripts of the previous fellowship period.

2) Doctoral level: Academic transcripts of Master’s degree and undergraduate degree

※  Applicants who are applying for a second/third fellowship period are only required to submit the academic transcripts of the Doctoral courses.

c) Curriculum Vitae: Including information about educational experience, professional experience, and fellowships and grants received in the past and a list of research accomplishments and publications. (free form)

d) Three (3) Letters of Reference
1) Dissertation supervisor: 1 copy
2) A professor who is qualified to assess your research proposal: 1 copy
3) An individual who is able to verify your Korean language competency: 1 copy
※ After an applicant files an online application, the KF’s Online Application System will automatically send an email to the recommender provided by him or her. The email will request that the recommender write a letter of reference and upload it onto the KF Online Application System. Therefore, applicants should inform their recommenders of this before beginning the application process.

※ Applicants who are applying for a second/third fellowship period are only required to submit one reference by the dissertation supervisor.

How to apply
  Click on the “Apply” button at the bottom of this program announcement and complete the online application form.
※ The “Apply” button is only activated during the application period from March  16, 2018 to 18:00, April 16, 2018(KST).
※ The application form and all other required documentation must be submitted in Korean or English

To apply, you must go to the official website. Click here.

Important Reminders on Application Process
MA students are eligible for funding for the GS program for up to two years. PhD students are eligible for funding for the GS program for up to three years.

-Preference will be given to students who have citizenship or permanent residency in the European country where their university is located or elsewhere in Europe.

-Applicants must reside in the country of the university at which they are registered.

-Applicants proficient enough in Korean to be able to use Korean primary sources for their study and research are especially encouraged to apply.

-Fellowship recipients may not hold concurrent fellowships from either the Foundation or any other third-party institution. However, if the Foundation Grant amount is below the officially stated tuition, additional scholarships, bursaries, or other support may be partially permissible.

-Fellowship recipients must enroll in the program applied to at the semester indicated on the application. Admission may not be deferred to the following year.

-Fellowship recipients may not take a break from their universities during the grant period, and a partial refund of the grant will be required if they do.

Responsibilities of Fellowship Recipients
1. Submission of a report

Fellowship recipients are required to submit a report within one month of the end of the fellowship period, detailing the progress made during this period. The report must be drafted and submitted using the KF’s report form.

2. Further reporting requirements

Fellowship recipients, upon obtaining their degree, are required to submit a copy of their MA thesis or PhD dissertation to the Foundation.

※The Korea Foundation will monitor research progress annually for three years following the conclusion of the fellowship period. Fellows who do not fulfill their responsibilities will not be eligible for future support from the Korea Foundation.

Further Inquiries
Ms. Suyon Lee

Director of KF Berlin office

Contact information: sylee@kf.or.kr / +49-30-2606-5458

Regarding KF Application Portal system: helpdesk@kf.or.kr

Posted on March 16, 2018.