Yongsan-gu Awards Scholarships to 400 Elementary, Middle, and High School Students

For elementary (133), middle (134), and high school students (133) registered in Yongsan-gu... Support of 300,000 to 500,000 KRW per person... Total amount 160 million KRW... Applications must be submitted by June 17 to the local community service center or the school currently attending

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Yongsan-gu (District Mayor Seong Chang-hyun) will select 400 Dream Tree Scholarship students in 2020.

The candidates are elementary (133), middle (134), and high school students (133) registered as residents of Yongsan-gu.

The scholarship students are divided into ▲General (176, children of those in financial difficulty) ▲Community Service (46, those who have contributed to community development) ▲Academic Excellence (76, students whose entrance or previous semester grades are within the top 10% of their grade level) ▲Arts and Sports Talent (92, those with outstanding talents in music, art, sports, etc., who have won awards within the past year or are recognized by the school principal with other proof) ▲Others (10, such as winners of the Yongsan-gu Association President’s Boxing Competition).

The scholarship amount ranges from 300,000 KRW (elementary students) to 500,000 KRW (high school students) per person, totaling 160 million KRW.

Students (or parents) wishing to apply for the scholarship should submit their applications by June 17 to the local community service center in their jurisdiction (for General and Community Service categories) or to their current school (for Academic Excellence and Arts and Sports Talent categories). However, students attending schools outside the district in the Academic Excellence and Arts and Sports Talent categories may apply to the community service center in their residential area with a recommendation from their school principal.

Application forms, self-introduction letters, recommendation letters, and supporting documents are required. Related forms are posted on the district website under announcements/notices or on the district education comprehensive portal.

Those receiving tuition support under individual laws such as the National Basic Livelihood Security Act, or those who have received or are scheduled to receive scholarships from other institutions this year, are excluded from selection.

The district plans to hold the Scholarship Fund Management Committee meeting in June and distribute scholarships in early July.

To promote equal educational opportunities and nurture future talents, the district enacted the “Yongsan-gu Scholarship Fund Establishment and Operation Ordinance” in 2010 and completed raising 10 billion KRW in funds over nine years (2011?2019).

The funding sources include district contributions (8.8 billion KRW), special support project funds for the Seoul Combined Heat and Power Plant surrounding area (687 million KRW), and the Sanghuiwon Scholarship Fund (500 million KRW), among others.

The scholarships are funded by interest income from the fund. When scholarships were first awarded in 2013, the total amount was 104.2 million KRW, which increased to 158.3 million KRW in 2019. The number of recipients also rose from 265 in 2013 to 396 in 2019.

Mayor Seong Chang-hyun said, “Up to last year, 2,155 students have benefited from the Dream Tree Scholarship,” adding, “The district will do its best to provide equal educational opportunities to all students without discrimination.”