Taekwang Group Ilju Academic and Cultural Foundation, Recruiting 29th Overseas PhD Scholarship Students

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] Taekwang Group Ilju Academic and Cultural Foundation announced on the 7th that it will select overseas doctoral scholarship students who are entering overseas graduate school doctoral programs to support tuition, living expenses, and more.

The eligible applicants are new students who have received admission approval for doctoral programs (including integrated master's and doctoral programs) from prestigious overseas graduate schools, with about 10 students to be selected. Starting this year, the support period has been extended to 8 semesters within 5 years, and the Ilju Foundation scholarship can be extended for up to one additional year while receiving school support. The scholarship amounts to a total of $120,000 (USD) per person, covering university tuition, living expenses, research funds, and other costs. The Ilju Foundation will provide a total of 1 billion KRW this year for the 'Overseas Doctoral Scholarship Project,' including the selection of scholarship students. Since selecting 3 students in 1991, the Ilju Foundation has selected 200 overseas doctoral scholarship students unconditionally over 30 years, supporting a total of 25 billion KRW.

The application period is three weeks from April 6 to 23, and successful candidates will be announced in June after first and second document screenings and interviews. Required documents include the scholarship application form, admission approval letter, letters of recommendation, etc. Applications can be submitted through the Ilju Foundation website.

Following the will of the late Lee Im-yong, former chairman of Taekwang Group and founder of the Ilju Foundation, who aimed to nurture outstanding talents to lead future society, the foundation gives preference to researchers in pure academic fields during the screening process. Selection criteria prioritize academic capability and passion regardless of university, major, or age.

Currently, more than 160 overseas doctoral graduates produced by the Ilju Foundation, excluding current students, are engaged in various activities at domestic and international universities, research institutes, major domestic companies, and foreign corporations. Those selected as overseas doctoral scholarship students can participate in alumni exchange meetings and various networks. Academic research meetings among graduates are held more than twice a year, and year-end gatherings for information exchange and fellowship have been continuously held. Additionally, the Ilju Foundation provides support funds to activate regional meetings among overseas students and has prepared various measures for human networking and communication.

An Ilju Foundation official said, "We have collected opinions from scholarship students and improved payment regulations so that students receiving support from schools and laboratories can receive more benefits," adding, "In a situation where applications for doctoral programs in humanities or basic sciences are insufficient, this will be a great opportunity for pure academic majors to focus on research without worrying about tuition and living expenses."