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The hardest parts of the application, step by step

Study Plan and personal statement writing, the document & apostille process, and GPA conversion — without the confusion.

Essay Writing

Study Plan & Personal Statement

Two separate required documents. Repeating content across them is the top reason for rejection.

PS

Personal Statement — "Who you are"

Past & present, narrative. Suggested flow:

  • Open with a real, non-cliché moment
  • Personal & educational background (not a CV copy)
  • A turning point / formative experience
  • A genuine tie to Korea + why this field
  • An achievement that shows character
  • Who you want to become / why you
SP

Study Plan — "What you'll do"

Future-focused, concrete, timelined. Three phases:

  • Before arrival (~150–200 words): Korean/TOPIK goal, field prep
  • In Korea (main part, ~400–500 words): semester courses, lab/advisor, thesis topic
  • After graduation (~200–250 words): concrete career + return/contribution plan
iEvery sentence should be concrete enough to defend for 5 minutes in the interview.

Official length & format

GKS-U (undergrad): Personal Statement within 2 pages, Study Plan within 3; single spacing, Times New Roman, 11pt. GKS-G (graduate): 17,000-character limit per document. Language: Korean or English. Some embassies add limits — verify locally.

✓ Do

  • Name real universities, departments, courses and professors
  • Break the Study Plan into semester-by-semester steps
  • Back every claim with concrete evidence
  • Keep the two documents clearly distinct
  • Show your tie to Korea through real engagement
  • Give a concrete post-graduation plan
  • Respect length/format limits; proofread carefully

✕ Don't

  • Repeat the same content across both documents
  • Shallow culture motivation ("because I love K-pop")
  • Vague "contribute to my country" lines
  • Mention other scholarships (a "backup" signal)
  • Turn the statement into a CV/transcript copy
  • Skip the post-graduation section
  • Copy templates/sample essays (risk of cancellation)
Documents

The document & apostille process, step by step

The wrong order can void a document. There are two paths depending on your country.

Hague member Apostille path

1
Gather documents

Diploma, transcript, citizenship/family documents (you + parents).

2
Certified translation if needed

If not in Korean/English, translate first, then legalize.

3
Obtain the apostille

A single apostille from the competent authority. Türkiye is a member.

4
Submit as originals

Not photocopies; legalized originals or certified true copies.

Non-Hague Consular legalization

1
Notarization

Documents are notarized (translate first if needed).

2
Ministry verification

E.g. Ministry of Education verification.

3
Foreign Affairs authentication

Authentication by the country's MFA.

4
Korean Embassy legalization

Final step. The chain can take 4–8+ weeks — start 2–3 months ahead.

Grades

How to convert / prove your GPA

Meeting any one of three routes is enough — but how you prove it is critical.

%

1. Percentage

80%+ on a 100-scale. Can be high in "60-to-pass" systems — then use the ranking route.

#

2. Class ranking

Top 20% of your class. The safest proof for 20-point systems (France/Italy).

GPA

3. CGPA threshold

2.64/4.0 · 2.80/4.3 · 2.91/4.5 · 3.23/5.0. Use your own scale's threshold directly.

How to prove it

1
Ask your university registrar

Request an official, stamped/signed "GPA Conversion" or "Class Rank" certificate.

2
The document must clearly state

The grading system and pass mark; an official conversion to a GKS scale or your class rank; letterhead + seal + signature.

3
WES/Scholaro alone isn't enough

If you used these tools, have the university officially confirm the output — otherwise it's invalid.

4
If borderline, submit both

Both the CGPA conversion and top-20% ranking — meeting either suffices.