Utilizing the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) Program
Up to Five Student Refugees to Be Selected and Supported
The government has decided to provide scholarships to student refugees designated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) who have been accepted to domestic universities.
On January 15, the Ministry of Education announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on cooperation for government-invited scholarships to support student refugees, together with the Ministry of Justice and the UNHCR, at the Mugunghwa Hall of the Government Complex Seoul.
The student refugee program is a system that selects students living in refugee camps or similar situations who demonstrate academic motivation and meet eligibility requirements, providing them with opportunities for higher education. This program is already being actively implemented overseas, with countries such as Germany, Canada, Australia, and Japan taking an active role in protecting and supporting the self-reliance of student refugees through higher education.
The government also pledged to operate the student refugee program to the international community at the 2nd Global Refugee Forum (GRF).
The Ministry of Education stated, "Based on this MOU, the newly established refugee track within the government-invited foreign scholarship program (Global Korea Scholarship, GKS) is expected to serve as a concrete step in fulfilling Korea's commitment to refugee protection."
The purpose of this MOU is to provide opportunities for higher education to refugees with outstanding academic abilities. Through this, the government aims to expand educational access for refugees, support their self-reliance, and realize humanitarian values as a responsible member of the international community.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Education will establish and operate a refugee track within the international organization track of the government-invited foreign scholarship program. Among students recommended by the UNHCR, up to five student refugees will be selected as scholarship recipients after screening by their desired universities and the National Institute for International Education. In this process, the Ministry of Justice will be responsible for immigration and residency management, including determining refugee status for the selected students.
Choi Eunok, Vice Minister of Education, said, "With this agreement, we expect that by participating in supporting capable student refugees, Korea will contribute to strengthening a cooperative model for shared growth with the world."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
