[News Terms] Science and Engineering Graduate Students' Stipend Payment 'Stipend'

Research Life Scholarship Provides 800,000 KRW Monthly for Master's, 1,100,000 KRW for Doctoral Students
Implemented from Next Year "Revolutionary Support for All Full-Time Graduate Students"

'Stipend' refers to a scholarship paid at a fixed monthly amount to create an environment where graduate students can fully concentrate on their studies and research, essentially guaranteeing basic living expenses. In Korea, it is also called the 'Graduate Student Research Living Scholarship.'

It is a common system in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany, where schools provide living expenses support to graduate students. Through stipends, students are encouraged to pursue science and engineering fields, ensuring both their academic progress and livelihood.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the 12th "Public Livelihood Discussion" held under the theme "Daejeon, the Science Capital Innovating the Republic of Korea" on the 16th at the ICC Hotel in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The Ministry of Science and ICT has introduced and implemented this system since September 2019 at the four major science and technology institutes: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), and Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST). The standard amounts are 700,000 KRW for master's students and 1,000,000 KRW for doctoral students. Although there are variations among the institutes, the minimum amounts currently paid range from 650,000 to 800,000 KRW for master's and 1,000,000 to 1,170,000 KRW for doctoral students.

However, most science and engineering graduate students conducting studies and research at general universities, which far outnumber the science and technology institutes, do not receive adequate support. The government assesses that the scale of support varies depending on the conditions and circumstances of individual laboratories and the extent of participation in research projects, resulting in less favorable conditions for research immersion.

On the 16th, President Yoon Suk-yeol announced, "We will provide all full-time science and engineering graduate students participating in national research and development (R&D) with a minimum monthly stipend of 800,000 KRW for master's students and 1,100,000 KRW for doctoral students without exception." The government plans to increase the scholarship budget by about 130 billion KRW and establish a comprehensive science scholarship system covering the entire academic cycle from undergraduate to master's and doctoral programs, introducing the 'Graduate Student Research Living Scholarship (stipend).'

At the twelfth public discussion on livelihood held at Hotel ICC in Daejeon on the morning of the same day, President Yoon said, "We will provide full support so that science and engineering students can focus on their studies and research without worrying about tuition or living expenses," adding, "We will officially launch the long-awaited stipend system, a 20-year aspiration of the science and technology community."

To this end, the government plans to strengthen the 'pooling system,' which centrally manages labor costs of national R&D projects by principal investigator or institution, allowing student researchers to receive labor costs even if they do not participate in the projects. Through this, a fixed amount will be guaranteed to graduate students, with additional payments made depending on laboratory conditions. The stipend system will be gradually implemented starting next year.

A senior official from the Presidential Office stated, "Unlike the existing scholarship system that awarded a very small number of students through competition, this is a groundbreaking measure to support almost all full-time graduate students."