Master's in Korea for Vietnamese Bachelor's Graduates: Language Requirements, When to Apply, Tuition, GKS and University Scholarships, and the Apostille Change From September 2026

For Vietnamese bachelor's degree holders aiming for a master's program at a Korean graduate school (du học thạc sĩ Hàn Quốc), there are decisions to make in order: whether to study in Korean or English, when to apply and how to pay for tuition. This year there is one more. With the Apostille Convention entering into force for Vietnam on September 11, 2026, the way degree certificates are authenticated is changing.

This article walks through master's application preparation in order: language, timing, costs, scholarships, visa documents and part-time work. Amounts are given in Vietnamese dong first, with Korean won in parentheses (Hana Bank base exchange rate on November 3, 2026, VND 100 = KRW 5.21).

Language requirements: Korean track and English track

Language requirements for international student admission to master's programs vary by university and department. The requirements confirmed in 2027 academic year guidelines and university notices are as follows.

TOEFL iBT tests taken on or after January 21, 2026, are scored on a 1–6 scale. Korea University treats 3.5, and Kyung Hee University 4.0, as equivalent to 71 and 80, respectively. Check with the university how other schools and part-time work permit reviews convert these scores.

When choosing an English-taught program, check whether the department selects students separately on English scores and whether at least half of the credits required for graduation are earned through English-taught courses. KAIST uses English as the language of instruction for international students and does not require TOPIK. Instead, it requires one of TOEFL iBT 83 (4.5 for tests taken on or after January 21, 2026), IELTS 6.5, TOEIC 720 or TEPS 326 (check the guidelines for exemption conditions).

TOPIK Level 4 means more than clearing a threshold. Several universities set TOPIK Level 4 as one of the conditions for scholarships (see the scholarship section below). Government scholarship recipients must also obtain TOPIK Level 3 (Level 4 or higher, depending on the department) before entering the degree program, and the scholarship is canceled if they fail to obtain it and cannot enroll.

When to apply: fall 2027 and spring 2028

Korean graduate schools admit students in March and September. Applications for March (spring) 2027 admission have mostly closed.

• Korea University. Accepted applications once, from September 1 to 10, 2026. Because this round selected students for both spring 2027 and fall 2027 admission, applications to Korea University's general graduate school for fall 2027 have also closed.
• Pusan National University. The early round (September 14–18) has ended. Departments that did not select students in the early round are scheduled to recruit in the spring (first-half) intake, so check the admissions office's notices.
• Kyung Hee University. General applications closed on October 2, and only science and engineering programs at the Global Campus have a rolling (additional) application period, from December 11 to 18.
• Yonsei University. Closed in mid-October.
• Wonkwang University. Accepts applications for international student admission for the first semester of the 2027 academic year in a first round from November 30 to December 4, 2026, and a second round from January 4 to 7, 2027.

For those starting preparation now, September (fall) 2027 admission is realistic.

• Yonsei University. Accepts international graduate applications for fall 2027 from April 6 to 13 and announces final results on June 4 (the university's schedule lists the year as '2026' due to a labeling error). The admission guidelines will be released in March 2027.
• KAIST. Accepts international graduate applications for fall 2027 from January 7 to February 5, 2027.
• Spring 2028. If the 2026 schedule repeats, most universities will accept applications in September–October 2027.

The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) graduate program is usually announced in February, with applications accepted in February–March. The 2027 guidelines have not been released yet.

As application deadlines approach, applicants must prepare degree and transcript authentication, language scores, a research plan and recommendation letters all at once. Because the method of authenticating degree certificates is changing (see the visa documents section below), start on that first.

Tuition: ranges by field

Master's tuition varies widely by field and university. Published tuition and admission fees are as follows. None of the three universities specifies in its table whether amounts are per semester or per year, so check with the university.

For Korea University, the year labels in the page title and in the table differ, so the applicable year cannot be determined, and Wonkwang University's amounts may change for the 2027 academic year. A master's program usually runs four semesters, so build a budget that adds up the admission fee, total tuition and living costs.

Application fees are about VND 2.44 million (KRW 127,000) at Korea University, about VND 1.44 million (KRW 75,000) at Pusan National University, about VND 3.21 million (KRW 167,000) at Kyung Hee University and about VND 1.92 million (KRW 100,000) at Wonkwang University. One-year costs by program can be compared in the 2027 Korea study cost guide.

Scholarships: GKS, university scholarships for international students and TOPIK discounts

GKS for Graduate Degrees (GKS-G). The program is run by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED). The master's conditions in the 2026 guidelines are as follows.

• Duration. Three years in total: one year of Korean language training plus two years of degree study. Those with TOPIK Level 5–6 go straight into the degree program without Korean language training.
• Age. Under 40 (born on or after September 1, 1986). This cutoff date applies to the 2026 round.
• Grades. Applicants must meet one of the following: an overall grade of 80 or higher out of 100 in their previous degree, a ranking within the top 20%, or a CGPA of 2.64/4.0, 2.80/4.3, 2.91/4.5 or 3.23/5.0 or higher.
• Eligibility restrictions. Anyone who has previously received a Korean government scholarship cannot apply. However, former GKS exchange students (non-degree) and former IRTS Korean language program scholars can apply. Graduates (or expected graduates) of Korean high schools or universities and dual citizens also cannot apply. Applying to both the embassy track and the university track leads to exclusion from evaluation, but those who failed the first round of the embassy track can apply to the university track.
• Benefits. The scholarship covers round-trip airfare, tuition of up to about VND 96 million (KRW 5,000,000; the guidelines do not specify per semester or per year, and the university covers the admission fee) and a Korean language training fee of about VND 99.8 million (KRW 5,200,000). The living allowance is about VND 276.4 million (KRW 14,400,000) a year during Korean language training and about VND 317.9 million (KRW 16,560,000) a year during the degree program. Dividing the degree program amount by 12 gives about VND 26.5 million (about KRW 1,380,000) a month, and the amount may vary depending on budget conditions.

The guidelines allocate selection quotas by country, but this is not a scholarship exclusive to any particular nationality.

University scholarships for international students and TOPIK discounts. Conditions and duration vary by university.

• Korea University. Offers scholarships covering 60% of tuition in the humanities and social sciences and 65% in the natural sciences and engineering. Recipients are chosen by relative evaluation among applicants who meet all of the following: grades at their previous school (such as 3.5 or higher out of 4.5), language (such as TOPIK Level 4 or higher, or TOEFL iBT 82 or IELTS 6.0) and a department recommendation. The scholarship applies only to the first semester after admission; after that, recipients are selected anew each semester.
• Pusan National University. From among students with TOPIK Level 4, TOEFL iBT 80, IELTS 5.5 or similar, the student affairs office selects recipients every semester (January–February and July–August) and cuts that semester's 'Tuition II' (as labeled in the guideline) by half.
• Wonkwang University. Gives international freshmen admitted outside the regular quota a basic scholarship of 30% of tuition for master's semesters 1 through 4. Those with TOPIK Level 4 or higher (Level 3 for arts and physical education) or, in English-taught classes, IELTS 6.5 or higher receive an additional 20% reduction as a language proficiency scholarship.

There are also lab research allowances and Brain Korea 21 (BK21) research scholarships. Graduate students selected as BK21 participants receive a research scholarship. Amounts vary according to each BK21 program unit's rules: some pay master's students about VND 19.2 million (KRW 1,000,000) a month, while others have lower-paying categories. Scholarships as a whole are covered in the 2027 Korea study scholarship map, and assistantship structures in the Korea master's tuition and assistantship guide.

Visa documents: degree authentication and the blocked-deposit balance certificate

The student visa for master's programs is D-2-3. The basic documents are as follows.

• A standard admission letter issued by the university president or dean. GKS scholars submit an invitation letter from the president of NIIED instead.
• Proof of the highest level of education completed. For incoming master's students, this is the bachelor's graduation certificate, and as a rule the original is reviewed.
• Proof of finances. Applicants must show a balance equal to one year of tuition and living expenses. Vietnamese nationals submit a blocked-deposit study-fund bank balance certificate issued by a bank. It must be issued within 30 days of the application date, and the balance must be maintained throughout the permitted period of stay.

The Ministry of Justice standard is 'an amount equivalent to one year of tuition and living expenses,' with no fixed figure. The balance requirements stated in university guidelines are about VND 307.1 million (KRW 16,000,000) or more at Pusan National University and Wonkwang University, and about VND 383.9 million (KRW 20,000,000) or more at Kyung Hee University. For bank balance certificates issued in currencies other than won (such as dong), Kyung Hee University requires withdrawals to be frozen until after the admission date. This is a university requirement, separate from the manual's Vietnam blocked-deposit rule. Applicants who submit an application for a research assistant living allowance of about VND 19.2 million (KRW 1,000,000) or more per month, or proof of an external scholarship, do not need to submit a bank balance certificate to Kyung Hee University.

Degree authentication shifts to the apostille. The bachelor's graduation certificate must carry an apostille or consular legalization by a Korean consul. Vietnam deposited its instrument of accession to the Apostille Convention on December 31, 2025, and the convention entered into force for Vietnam on September 11, 2026. According to the status table of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), Korea did not raise an objection to Vietnam's accession.

Kyung Hee University has reflected this change in its 2027 academic year guidelines. Its handling is as follows.

• Vietnamese documents whose consular legalization was completed by September 10, 2026, are accepted as admission review documents.
• Documents newly issued, authenticated or supplemented on or after September 11 must carry an apostille.
• At the visa stage after acceptance, the Ministry of Justice or a diplomatic mission may additionally request apostilled documents.

Transitional arrangements may differ by university, so check both the guidelines of the university you are applying to and the guidance of the Korean diplomatic missions in Vietnam. Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs directs applicants to look up the country's apostille-issuing authorities, required documents and fees on its apostille information site (apostille.lanhsuvietnam.gov.vn). Check with this site and your home university which authority handles degree certificates and transcripts.

E-visa. Master's students admitted to IEQAS-certified universities can obtain an e-visa through the Korea Visa Portal (visa.go.kr), regardless of nationality. Vietnamese students going to non-certified general universities apply for a visa at a diplomatic mission. Check whether the university is certified before applying. The first master's visa is single-entry, with a period of stay of up to two years. The application process is explained in the D-2 student visa application guide after admission.

Part-time work and research allowances for master's students

Master's students can apply for a part-time work permit right after arriving in Korea. Permitted hours depend on whether they meet the language requirement.

• Requirement not met: 15 hours per week on weekdays during the semester
• Requirement met: 30 hours per week on weekdays during the semester
• Those who meet the requirement have no limit on hours on weekends and during vacations.

The Korean language requirement for master's students is TOPIK Level 4 or higher (or completion of KIIP Level 4, a KIIP pre-assessment score of 81 or higher, or completion of King Sejong Institute Intermediate 2). Students admitted with TOPIK Level 3 can work only up to 15 hours per week on weekdays during the semester. English-track students can meet the requirement with English scores such as TOEFL iBT 71, IELTS 5.5 or CEFR B2. If the previous semester's average falls below C (2.0), the permit may be restricted, and up to two workplaces are allowed at the same time.

Research allowances received for taking part in study-related research at one's own university or its industry-academic cooperation foundation do not require a part-time work permit. Those also considering a doctorate should see the Ph.D. in Korea guide as well.

Pre-application checklist

• I have confirmed whether the department I am applying to is on a Korean track or an English track, and what its language requirement is.
• I have noted the application schedule for fall 2027 (Yonsei University in April, KAIST in January–February) or spring 2028.
• I have planned to obtain apostilles in Vietnam for my bachelor's graduation certificate and transcript, and checked the university's transitional arrangements in its guidelines.
• I have calculated four semesters of tuition, the admission fee and living costs in dong.
• I have compared the conditions for TOPIK Level 4 discounts, university basic scholarships and the GKS 2027 guidelines (expected in February).
• I have chosen the bank that will issue the blocked-deposit study-fund bank balance certificate within 30 days before the visa application date.

--- University information is based on each university's 2027 academic year guidelines and notices (accessed November 6, 2026), GKS on the 2026 guidelines, the apostille on the HCCH status table, and visa and employment rules on the Ministry of Justice's visa and stay services manual (October and November 2026 editions).