The SNU President Fellowship supports teaching and instructional staff from major universities in developing countries to pursue a PhD at Seoul National University. Recipients study in person in Seoul.
The scholarship is administered by the SNU Office of Global Affairs and is offered for both spring and fall admission cycles. Applicants may pursue any research area, while exceptional work in engineering, medicine, public health, agriculture, development studies, and Korean studies receives priority.
Benefits & funding
- Full tuition for six semesters.
- A monthly living stipend of KRW 1,500,000 to KRW 2,000,000 for three to four years.
- One round-trip economy airfare under the university travel system.
- Evening Korean-language training during regular semesters.
- National health-insurance support and child-care support, with the amount depending on the recipient’s circumstances.
Eligibility
- The applicant must be a current teaching or instructional staff member at a major university in a developing country and must not hold a PhD.
- The applicant must hold a master’s degree or higher from an accredited institution. An expected master’s graduate may qualify after at least six months of employment teaching courses or conducting academic research.
- Recognized roles include professor, associate professor, assistant professor, research professor, lecturer, instructor, teaching assistant, and research assistant; equivalent roles may be accepted when the employment certificate proves the required duties.
- The applicant must be newly admitted to an SNU PhD program for the relevant semester.
- The published rules state no separate nationality, residence, gender, or age requirement.
Can you apply?
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Education required
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Application process
- 1Apply online for SNU international graduate admission during the stated admissions window and select the scholarship-application checkbox for SPF.
- 2Prepare the SPF form and study plan, proof of university employment, bachelor’s and master’s transcripts and graduation documents, and the required institutional recommendation.
- 3Submit scanned PDF copies through the designated link and send the original documents to the SNU Office of Global Affairs by the document deadline.
- 4Complete document screening, SNU admission review, and the SPF selection interview if shortlisted.
Program timeline
July 6–9, 2026
Online SNU admission and SPF application for Spring 2027.
Scanned and original SPF application documents due.
July 31, 2026
SNU admission results announced.
November 20, 2026 after 17:00 KST
Shortlisted SPF applicants notified by email.
November 2026
SPF interview and final selection.
December 2026, date to be announced
PhD enrollment begins; the official call does not publish an exact start date.
Spring 2027