Attention University Students! National Scholarship 'Up to 400,000 KRW' Increase... Application Required by June 23rd (Mandatory for Currently Enrolled Students to Apply in This Period!)
Parents with university student children, and university students facing difficulties in funding their studies, here is some good news! The Ministry of Education and the Korea Student Aid Foundation have announced that the National Scholarship amount will be increased by up to 400,000 KRW starting from the 2025 academic year's second semester!
The eligibility criteria will also be expanded so that more students can reduce their tuition burden and focus on their studies. The first application period for the second semester National Scholarship has begun, so be sure to apply. Especially, currently enrolled students are required to apply in the first period, so please check the details carefully!
Attention University Students! 2025 Academic Year 2nd Semester 1st National Scholarship Application Period Begins
The Ministry of Education and the Korea Student Aid Foundation are accepting applications for the 2025 academic year's second semester 1st National Scholarship.
- Application Period: Until 6 PM on Sunday, June 23rd
- Eligibility: All university students, including currently enrolled students, students returning from leave, new students, transfer students, and re-admitted students. (※ However, currently enrolled students are required to apply in the first period, so they must apply during this period.)
The National Scholarship is an 'income-linked scholarship' supported by the government for university students whose monthly recognized income is below a certain level and who meet the academic performance criteria. Its purpose is to support everyone so they have the opportunity for higher education.
Up to 400,000 KRW Increase! More Generous National Scholarship Benefits
The government has significantly expanded National Scholarship support to alleviate the tuition burden on university students' households in 2025.
- Support Tier Expansion: Expanded from the existing student aid tier 8 or below to tier 9 or below. (More students will be able to receive benefits.)
- Increase in Supported Students: The number of students supported by work-study scholarships will also be expanded from 140,000 to 200,000.
- Establishment of Housing Stability Scholarship: A 'Housing Stability Scholarship' has also been newly established to alleviate housing costs for basic livelihood support and quasi-poor university students.
Notably, starting from the 2025 academic year's second semester, the National Scholarship amount will be increased by up to 400,000 KRW. (The amounts below are based on annual support unit prices, and half of the annual increase will be applied in the second semester.)
- National Scholarship Type I and Multi-child Scholarship for 3 or More Children (Annual Support Unit Price Increase):
- Tier 1-3: 300,000 KRW (Multi-child 400,000 KRW) increase
- Tier 4-6: 200,000 KRW (Multi-child 250,000 KRW) increase
- Tier 7-8: 100,000 KRW (Multi-child 150,000 KRW) increase
- Actual Increase When Receiving Support in the 2025 Academic Year's 2nd Semester:
- National Scholarship Type I: Tier 1-3 150,000 KRW, Tier 4-6 100,000 KRW, Tier 7-8 50,000 KRW increase
- Multi-child Scholarship: Tier 1-3 200,000 KRW, Tier 4-6 125,000 KRW, Tier 7-8 75,000 KRW increase
This support expansion is planned to be applied to approximately 1 million people (around 50% of all currently enrolled university students) falling under student aid tiers 1-8 (including tier 9 in the future), and for this purpose, an additional 115.7 billion KRW has been increased and reflected in the supplementary budget.
How to Apply & Tips: Don't Be Late! (Mandatory for Currently Enrolled Students)
Applying for the National Scholarship is very important, so be sure to check the following and apply by the deadline!
- How to Apply:
- Korea Student Aid Foundation website http://www.kosaf.go.kr/
- Korea Student Aid Foundation mobile app
- Integrated Application: During this first integrated application period for the second semester, you can apply for other scholarships such as the Housing Stability Scholarship and National Work-Study Scholarship along with the National Scholarship.
- Customized Consultation: If you need detailed consultation regarding the National Scholarship application, you can receive phone consultation (1599-2000) or visit a Korea Student Aid Foundation center (Youth Entrepreneurship Center · Regional Center) in your area for one-on-one customized consultation.
Concluding Remarks
The first application period for the 2025 academic year's second semester National Scholarship is open until 6 PM on June 23rd! The increase in the National Scholarship amount by up to 400,000 KRW and the expansion of eligibility to tier 9 or below are welcome news that will help alleviate the burden of funding studies.
Especially for currently enrolled students, the first application is mandatory, so please be sure to apply by the deadline to receive the enhanced National Scholarship benefits. This will be of practical help for university students' academic and daily lives.
What are your thoughts upon hearing the news of the National Scholarship expansion? What policy do you think is most important for alleviating the tuition burden on university students? Let's discuss it together in the comments!