Republic of Korea, popularly known as South Korea is gradually making its mark on the world as an education centre with an increased number of students enrolling every year. From less than 15000 students two decades back to approximately 152 thousand international students last year, the South Korean education system is slowly witnessing a growth.
According to official data released by the Ministry of External Affairs, approximately 1,364 Indians are studying in Korea since 2022 and while the numbers are minimal at best when compared to other top education destinations such as Australia, USA and UK, it does give an indication of increased Indians choosing South Korea when compared to previous years figure.
The increased popularity of South Korea’s culture and language through various entertainment portals such as K dramas and K pop may also have played a role in shaping this upward trend. Since 2018 onwards Indians consuming Korean content and familiarizing themselves with the country saw a rise.
Moreover, in a bid to attract international students, the South Korean government also provides lucrative scholarship opportunities in almost all fields of studies.
Scholarships and Korean culture a major incentive for students
“During my search for countries with the best scholarships and research facilities, I stumbled upon South Korea. I got a 100% scholarship in Sungkyunkwan University with a fixed monthly stipend so I decided to take admission here as opposed to other countries,” said Muskan Zakirhusen Sande, a Masters in Physics student, who moved to South Korea in February 2022. Sande says that when she got into the university of her choice, she learnt Korean language by watching K dramas and is also a fan of their dance style.
South Korea’s lucrative scholarships also prompted Dr Shahkar Falak, a student at Inje University to pursue a PhD in Nanoscience and Engineering. “South Korea provides 80-100% scholarships along with 800-1000$ of monthly stipend,” Falak told FPJ.
Indian Students in South Korea | Muskan Sande
Sayantani Majumder, currently enrolled in a language school and planning to pursue masters in Intermediate Arts in South Korea, says that K pop helped her find out about the scholarships available at South Korean universities. “I found out about the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) scholarship through a K pop song during quarantine. I liked the song and because I searched it on social media, the algorithm was showing me videos related to Korea and one fine day I stumbled upon a video that talked about GKS scholarship,” she told FPJ, adding that she believes countries like USA and Canada are already very saturated with the high demand and influx of foreign students.
GKS provides Indian students with an opportunity to pursue graduation in Korea for free. Qualified students will also get a monthly allowance of Rs 56,000 along with insurance and return flight ticket all covered.
Indian Students in traditional Korean culture | Muskan Sande
For Khushboo Sihag, however, BTS, a popular band of South Korea, was the only reason for moving to Korea. “I was so fascinated by them that I decided to stay in Korea,” Sihag said. She is also currently studying a language course in the country.
Fayaz Shifa, a student at Sogang University says that she moved to Korea because of its culture and language. “Scholarships offered in Korean universities were also a major factor for me,” Shifa added and said that she is also a big BTS fan.
Korea big for students interested in science and technology
South Korea is also a popular destination for students who are interested in the fields of science, research and technology, because of its fame in the world as a leading hub of digital advancements and high technology.
Indian students with Korean students | Muskan Sande
Dr Shweta Borkar, majoring in Plasma medicine from Kwangwoon University said, “I selected South Korea for my higher studies due to the opportunity of experiencing advanced research and technology.” She added that the cost of education at national universities was also more economical when compared to other countries.
Another student, Ravindra Patil is pursuing nanotechnology at Kyung Hee University and says that Korea is better in the nanotech field.
Government's plan
The South Korean government also hopes to attract more Indian students in the coming years and will soon look into several academic collaborations with the country according to Minister Lim Sang Woo.
Indian students with Korean students | Muskan Sande
The Ministry of Education in Korea has introduced the Study Korea 300K Project in Seoul, with the goal of transforming the experience for international students, as per media reports. This initiative seeks to establish Korea as a leading force in global education, with a specific focus on attracting 300,000 international students by 2027. Lim also mentioned to a media house that as part of a five-year plan, South Korea is revamping its visa policies and permanent residency regulations in response to a declining birth rate and an increasing elderly population, which is driving the need for international workers and students.
