The KOICA-UOS Master’s Degree Program in Urban Development is delivered in English by the International School of Urban Sciences at the University of Seoul with KOICA support. It prepares government officials to plan territorial and urban development and manage infrastructure projects.
The most recent published cohort ran from August 2025 through December 2026, with the degree scheduled for February 2027. The official program page describes a 17-month, in-person course in Seoul.
Benefits & funding
- Full tuition for the regular program.
- Round-trip economy airfare.
- University dormitory or equivalent accommodation.
- A monthly living allowance.
- Overseas travel insurance and related support stated by KOICA.
Eligibility
- Citizenship in a KOICA-designated scholarship target country for the relevant cycle; KOICA states that the list can change annually and is provided through its overseas offices or Korean embassies.
- Employment as a government official and official nomination by the applicant’s government.
- At least two years of experience in the field of study.
- A completed bachelor’s degree or equivalent university-level qualification.
- Sufficient spoken and written English for English-medium coursework and a thesis.
- Good physical and mental health.
- No previous participation in a KOICA scholarship or another Korean government degree scholarship, subject to the detailed KOICA rules for the cycle.
- Being under 40 was a preference, not a hard requirement, for the 2025 cohort.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
Ghana · Nigeria · Rwanda · Morocco · Mozambique · Senegal · Algeria · Egypt · Uganda · Cameroon · Côte d'Ivoire · Kenya
+ 81 more
Tanzania · Tunisia · DR Congo · Gabon · Gambia · Niger · Lesotho · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Mauritius · Burkina Faso · Benin · Burundi · Sierra Leone · Angola · Zambia · Central African Republic · Zimbabwe · Togo · South Sudan · Liberia · Mali · Mauritania · São Tomé and Príncipe · Comoros · South Africa · Botswana · Guatemala · Dominican Republic · Bolivia · Ecuador · El Salvador · Colombia · Paraguay · Peru · Suriname · Honduras · Jamaica · Costa Rica · Guyana · Grenada · Dominica · Belize · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Nepal · Timor-Leste · Laos · Mongolia · Bangladesh · Vietnam · Sri Lanka · India · Indonesia · Cambodia · Pakistan · Philippines · Thailand · Fiji · Nauru · Niue · Marshall Islands · Vanuatu · Samoa · Solomon Islands · Kiribati · Tonga · Tuvalu · Papua New Guinea · Palau · Azerbaijan · Uzbekistan · Ukraine · Jordan · Iraq · Kyrgyzstan · Tajikistan · Georgia · Kazakhstan · Turkmenistan
Education required
Bachelor
Experience required
≥ 2 yrs
Appears to have an age limit “under 40”
confirm in the requirements
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Application process
- 1Submit the KOICA application package to the relevant KOICA country office or Korean embassy and complete its screening and interview.
- 2If nominated through the KOICA round, submit the University of Seoul online application and supporting documents.
- 3Complete the university document screening.
- 4Complete the required local medical examination.
- 5Attend the University of Seoul online interview and submit original documents when requested.
- 6Receive the decision through the KOICA country office or Korean embassy and complete the visa and arrival steps.
Program timeline
KOICA round for the most recent published cohort.
November 2024–January 2025
University application system opened.
February 3, 2025
University application deadline.
March 4, 2025
University document screening completed.
March 19, 2025
Local medical check-up completed.
April 17, 2025
Online interviews.
April 21–30, 2025
Admission notifications began.
May 2025
Program started.
August 2025
Program ends.
December 2026
Master’s diploma scheduled to be awarded.
February 2027