Graduate School of Korean Studies
Admission Guide for International Students
THE ACADEMY OF KOREAN STUDIES
1. About the Graduate School of Korean Studies
The Graduate School of Korean Studies (GKS) is a subsidiary of the
Academy of Korean Studies, dedicated to research related to humanities and social sciences in the field of Korean Studies. The Graduate School's mission is to
explore the essence of Korean culture and its impact on the future of Korea while cultivating superior scholars who will contribute to the development and
globalization of Korean Studies.
Since its establishment in March, 1980, GKS has provided research-oriented education via mentoring system. As a result, graduates of GKS are recognized for their academic excellence, playing pivotal roles among educational and research institutions of Korean Studies around the world today. Currently, approximately 200 students, including about 80 students from 17 foreign countries, study at GKS.
As the world's leading graduate school of Korean Studies, the Graduate School of Korean Studies has raised the global profile and reputation of Korean Studies by leading the way in the promotion of Korean Studies both nationally and internationally.
2. Key Attributes
▣ The only research-oriented graduate school specializing in Korean Studies in the world
▣ A highly selective student body with a 3:1 student-faculty ratio
▣ Collaborative lectures to promote interdisciplinary research
▣ One-on-one, individualized learning between students and professors
▣ Students' publication of articles in an accredited academic journal or
participation in research projects may count as credits for their course works.
▣ Fieldwork courses: Great opportunity for understanding Korean society
▣ The Program of International Korean Studies offers lectures in English.
▣ Intensive Korean language courses available for international students
▣ Student exchange programs with overseas universities
▣ Full-time study
▣ Affordable tuition and various financial aids
▣ On-campus housing for every international student
3. Program Overview
The Graduate School of Korean Studies offers 16 majors for M.A. and 14 majors for Ph.D. programs.
Number of years required to complete coursework
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(1) M.A. Program: 2 years (2) Ph.D. Program: 3 years
Each year consists of two semesters.
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(1) First (Spring) semester: March 1 to August 31
(2) Second (Fall) semester: September 1 to the last day of February of the following year.
Each semester is 15 weeks long.
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Most lectures are conducted in Korean, but several lectures a semester are
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offered in English.
M.A. thesis or Ph.D. dissertation must be written in Korean. In special cases,
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the Graduate School Committee may allow writing them in English.
In order to improve their research skill, international students are expected to
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improve their Korean language proficiency. All newly admitted foreign students must take the Korean language test on the scheduled date, and according to its results, they may have to take different number of Korean language classes offered by GKS, in order to complete their coursework.
4. Financial Aid
Full Tuition Waiver: All international students are provided with a full tuition
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waiver. However, violation of the university code will cause withdrawal of this tuition waiver.
Government Grant: The Government Grant provides selected students with a
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monthly stipend of KRW 750,000 and one round-trip airfare.
After enrollment the grant recipient must maintain average grade point of
※
3.7/4.3. (For the first two semesters, the recipient must maintain GPA of 3.3/4.3 instead of 3.7/4.3.) Failure in doing so will result in cancelation of the grant.
Other financial aid opportunities: Limited number of RA/TA positions is available.
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5. Majors Offered
6. Number of Students to be Admitted
Number of international students to be admitted each semester is not fixed.
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7. Eligibility
All applicants must meet one of the two conditions below.
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1. Neither the applicant nor his or her parents possess Korean nationality.
2. The applicant has completed more than 16 years of education outside of Korea that is compatible with Korea's elementary, middle, high school and college education.
Programs Divisions Majors
Master's programs
Humanities Korean History/Archaeology, Paleography, Philosophy, Korean Language/Korean Literature
Culture and Arts Anthropology, Folklore, Religious Studies, Musicology, Art History, Cultural Informatics
Social Sciences Political Science, Economics, Sociology, Ethics, Education
International
Korean Studies Korean Studies
Total 4 divisions 16 departments
Doctoral programs
Humanities Korean History/Archaeology, Paleography, Philosophy, Korean Language/Korean Literature
Culture and Arts Anthropology, Folklore, Religious Studies, Musicology, Art History
Social Sciences Political Science, Economics, Sociology, Ethics, Education
Total 3 divisions 14 departments
Master's Program
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Applicants for the Master's program must have a Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) or be expected to receive a Bachelor's degree before enrollment at GKS.
An applicant's undergraduate major does not necessarily have to be related to the
※
major that he or she is applying for at GKS.
Doctoral Program
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Applicants for the Doctoral program must have an M.A. degree (or equivalent) or be expected to receive an M.A. degree before enrollment at GKS.
An applicant's major in M.A. degree must be same or closely related to the
※
major that he or she is applying for at GKS.
If the applicant already holds a doctoral degree, he or she cannot apply for
※
the doctoral program in the similar field.
8. Selection Process
Applicants who have submitted all required documents will have a phone
▣
interview, and the interview result will be considered at the application documents review.
At the application documents review, the Graduate Admission Committee makes
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a comprehensive evaluation of the application form, statement of purpose, personal statement, recommendation letters, language proficiency, previous academic achievement, academic willingness, etc.
9. Application Procedure and Schedule
Spring semester Fall semester Remarks
Application Deadline Oct. 31 Apr. 30 Applications are accepted year round.
Notification Dec. 15 Jun. 15 Notification on the GKS web site and via mail
Orientation and
registration Feb. 13 Aug. 13 Please refer to the notification letter for detailed schedule.
10. Required Documents
Application Form (Download)
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Personal Statement
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Statement of Purpose
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Degree Certificate & Graduation Certificate of Bachelor's and/or M.A. Degree
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in original copy
Applicants for the doctoral program must submit certificates of both M.A. and
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B.A. degree.
Applicants who have graduated from universities in the People's Republic of
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China must also submit an English academic degree certificate accreditation from the China Academic Degree & Graduate Education Development Center (http://www.cdgdc.edu.cn/).
Official Transcripts of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies in original copy
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Applicants for Doctoral program must attach the abstract of their M.A. thesis.
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Two Letters of Recommendation (Download)
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One of the letters should be written by a professor of the applicant's
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undergraduate/graduate school.
Recommendation letters must be sent directly by the recommenders.
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▣ Certificate of Korean Language Proficiency (Download)
Applicants for the International Korean Studies are exempt.
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Korean (S-TOPIK) and English (TOEFL, IELTS or TEPS) language
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proficiency test transcript, if available
Applicants for the International Korean Studies whose first language is not
※
English are required to submit English language proficiency test transcript.
Three passport-sized photos
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Application Fee: US $50 or KRW 50,000
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Korean language
proficiency test Feb. 15 Aug. 15
Semester begins Mar. 1 Sept. 1
*KRW: account no. 270937-04-000487 (Kookmin Bank)
*USD: account no. 270968-08-100314 (Kookmin Bank) (Account holder: Academy of Korean Studies)
Kookmin Bank swift code: CZNBKRSEXXX
11. Important Notes for Applicants
Application form, letters of recommendation, certificate of Korean language
▣
proficiency must be in the format downloadable at GKS website.
Application form, personal statement, and statement of purpose may be
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submitted by online applications at GKS application website
(http://portal.aks.ac.kr/Entrance/login.jsp). Other required documents must be submitted by registered mail.
Personal statement and statement of purpose must be written in Korean.
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(Applicants for the International Korean Studies may write in English.)
Any certificates that are not written in Korean or English must be translated
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and notarized in Korean or English before being submitted.
Applications with any missing document would not be accepted and reviewed.
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Submitted documents and the application fee will not be returned.
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All statements in the application must be true. If any false statement in the
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documents are discovered, admission may be revoked.
Language test scores must be less than 2 years old on the date of application.
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12. Research(Non-Degree) Program A. Eligibility
The applicant must possess a Bachelor's Degree, or equivalent.
B. Program Overview
▣ Researchers must pay the tuition, and the research period can not be longer than a year.
▣ Research program certificate will be issued to the researchers who have successfully completed the program.
▣ Researchers must register for at least one course each semester and must research under the guidance of an academic adviser at GKS.
▣ Researchers have access to GKS facilities including library and dormitory.
C. Application Procedure and Required Documents
Application timetable, required documents, and ways of application for the Research (Non-degree) program are same as those for the Degree Program.
13. Facilities
▣ Graduate School building
GKS building has lecture rooms, graduate students study rooms (open 24
◦
hours), an Internet PC room, and a language lab.
▣ Jangseogak Library
Janseogak library, specialized in Korean Studies, has some 350,000 books and
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rare materials related to Korean Studies, antiquarian books (some 100,000 books and 500,000 antique documents), and the Master's theses and doctoral dissertations.
▣ Siseupjae
Siseupjae includes the Guesthouse for Korean Studies scholars (from home
◦
and abroad) and a dormitory for graduate students. The dormitary has only double rooms (2 students in a room), and the residential fee is KRW 463,500 per semester.) Siseupjae also has meeting rooms, a communal kitchen, a laundry room, and a fitness center.
▣ Others
Cafeteria, convenient store, soccer field, and a table tennis room are available
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to students.
14. Transportation
Indeogwon Station of 4(blue) line At the Exit #2, take bus #303 or #1550-3.
▣ →
Seohyeon Station of Bundang line At the Exit #2, take the bus #220 (toward
▣ →
Unjungdong) Final stop (Academy of Korean Studies)→
Sunae Station of Bundang line From the Exit #2 or 3, walk about 60 meters
▣ →
toward the South Take the bus #220 (toward Unjungdong) in front of the→ Bundang Downdown BD Final stop (Academy of Korean Studies)→
Seoul Station Bus #9003 (toward Unjungdong) Final stop (Academy of
▣ → →
Korean Studies)
Jamshil Station Bus #9005 (toward Unjungdong) Final stop (Academy of
▣ → →
Korean Studies)
Gangnam Station Bus #9004 (toward Unjungdong) Final stop (Academy of
▣ → →
Korean Studies)
Moran Station of Bundang line Bus #340 Final Stop (Academy of Korean
▣ → →
Studies)
Yatap Station of Bundang line Bus #350 Final Stop (Academy of Korean
▣ → →
Studies)
Ori Station of Bundang line Bus #370 or #380 Final Stop (Academy of Korean
▣ → →
Studies)
15. Contact Information
Address : THE ACADEMY OF KOREAN STUDIES The Graduate School of Korean Studies
110 Haogogaegil(Unjung-dong), Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 463-791, Republic of Korea
Tel : +82-31-709-8111(Ex 213 214), +82-31-708-5310～ Fax : +82-31-709-9946
E-mail : [email protected] Website : http://www.aks.ac.kr
