The KAIST Scholarship covers three main things for admitted international students.
- Full tuition for the standard length of your program
- A monthly living stipend
- Health insurance
It does not cover every cost of studying abroad. Flights, visas, your entrance fee and some minor campus fees usually sit outside the scholarship package. This page explains what is included, what is not and how the package differs between undergraduate and graduate students.
KAIST Scholarship Benefits Overview
| Benefit | Undergraduate | Master’s | PhD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition coverage | Full up to 8 semesters | Full up to 4 semesters | Full up to 8 semesters |
| Monthly stipend | KRW 350000 | Roughly KRW 350000–400000 base varies by lab | Roughly KRW 400000–500000 base varies by lab |
| Extra research or TA funding | Not applicable | Possible depends on lab | Common depends on lab |
| Health insurance | Included | Included | Included |
| Entrance fee | Not included | Not included | Not included |
| Flights and visa costs | Not included | Not included | Not included |
KAIST Scholarship Tuition Coverage
Tuition is the biggest part of the scholarship. Here is how coverage works by level:
- Undergraduate full tuition waiver for up to 8 semesters which is the standard length of KAIST’s 4 year undergraduate program
- Master’s full tuition waiver generally for up to 4 semesters, the standard length of a KAIST master’s program
- Master’s PhD Integrated full tuition waiver generally for a longer combined period commonly reported as up to 10 semesters
- PhD full tuition waiver generally for up to 8 semesters
These semester counts match the standard length of each program. If you take longer than the standard length to finish check with your department about whether tuition coverage extends or whether you would need to cover any extra semesters yourself.
KAIST Scholarship Monthly Stipend
This is the part where you need to be careful because different sources quote different numbers. Here is what is consistent and what is not.
Undergraduate stipend: Multiple sources consistently report KRW 350000 per month for undergraduate scholarship recipients paid throughout the 8 semesters of tuition coverage.
Graduate stipend: Graduate figures vary much more and for a real reason. KAIST does not pay every graduate student the same flat amount. Reported base stipends range from around KRW 350000 to 400000 per month for master’s students and around KRW 400000 to 500000 per month for PhD students.
On top of this base amount, many graduate students also receive extra funding through research or teaching assistant work in their lab which can add significantly more than the base stipend. How much extra funding you get depends on your department, your advisor and how much you take part in research.
Because of this do not treat any single graduate stipend number as guaranteed. Your actual monthly income as a graduate student depends on your specific lab and research involvement not just the base KAIST Scholarship amount.
Is the stipend enough to live on?
For undergraduates, KRW 350000 a month is commonly described as covering somewhere around 60 to 70 percent of basic living costs when combined with on-campus housing and careful budgeting. Total monthly living costs, rent, food, transport, and personal expenses, are commonly reported in the range of KRW 400000 to 650000. This means many students budget for a gap between the stipend and their real monthly costs and some take on campus part time work such as tutoring or research assistant roles to help cover it.
Health Insurance Coverage
Both undergraduate and graduate KAIST Scholarship recipients receive National Health Insurance coverage while enrolled. This is a standard part of the scholarship package at every level, not an extra add on.
If you want additional coverage beyond the standard national plan, such as dental or vision care that is generally available at your own cost rather than included in the scholarship.
Is the KAIST Scholarship Really Fully Funded
KAIST’s own scholarship structure covers tuition, a stipend and health insurance. That is the honest scope of fully funded here. It is not a promise that every single expense of studying in Korea is covered.
Costs that generally sit outside the scholarship package:
- Flights to and from Korea
- Visa application costs
- Entrance fee a one-time fee KAIST bills separately from tuition
- Minor mandatory campus fees such as a student union fee
- The gap if any, between your stipend and your actual monthly living costs
- Optional extras like dental or vision insurance, personal travel or equipment beyond what your program provides
Budget for these separately. They are normal parts of studying abroad not signs that something is wrong with your scholarship.
Are There Extra Scholarships Beyond the Standard KAIST Scholarship
Yes at the graduate level. KAIST offers a few additional more competitive scholarship programs for qualifying applicants:
- KAIST Global Presidential Scholarship KGPS for eligible master’s and Master’s PhD Integrated applicants commonly reported to include full tuition plus a higher fixed monthly amount around KRW 1000000 for four regular semesters
- Presidential or Prestige Scholarship for eligible Master’s PhD Integrated and PhD applicants commonly reported to include full tuition plus a monthly amount around KRW 300000 for up to eight semesters
You do not apply to these separately. You are considered for them through the same graduate scholarship selection process used for the standard KAIST Scholarship. Since these are more competitive and details can shift between cycles confirm current terms on KAIST’s official Financial Support pages before assuming you qualify.
Do Benefits Depend on Maintaining Good Grades
Yes. Getting the scholarship and keeping the scholarship are two different things.
- Getting it depends on your admission application and selecting KAIST Scholarship as your financial resource
- Keeping it depends on maintaining satisfactory academic performance each semester. For undergraduates, this is commonly reported as needing to stay above a set GPA threshold on KAIST’s own grading scale after your freshman year. Graduate continuation requirements are also tied to satisfactory academic standing though KAIST does not publish one fixed universal number for every graduate program
If your grades fall below the required standard, your continued funding can be affected. Confirm the exact current threshold on KAIST’s official scholarship terms rather than relying on any single third party number including the ones in this guide.
What the Scholarship Does Not Cover
To make sure this is clear in one place:
- Flights to and from Korea
- Visa fees and related travel documents
- The one time entrance fee
- Minor mandatory campus fees like a student union fee
- Any gap between your stipend and your real monthly living costs
- Optional insurance add ons like dental or vision
- General personal spending, travel or equipment beyond what your program supplies