Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles

The Korean Honor Scholarship(khs)

  The Korean Honor Scholarship (KHS) Committee extends an invitation to Korean and Korean-American undergraduate and graduate students to compete for the 2025 Korean Honor Scholarship.

          This Scholarship was first established in 1981 with a gift of $1million donated by the government of the Republic of Korea to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the opening of diplomatic relations between Korea and the United States.  Over the next several years, an additional $1.9 million were added to the fund by the Korean Government and now the fund totals $2.9 million.  This scholarship is awarded to outstanding Korean heritage students to encourage high achievement of academic performance and the development of leadership qualities for their future professional careers.

         The Korean Honor Scholarship Committee has awarded 3,468 scholarships to outstanding Korean and Korean-American students over the past 43years.  To be eligible for consideration, applicants must be attending college or university in the United States. In addition to academic achievement, the Scholarship Committee also considers an Personal Statement, a letter of recommendation, awards, honors, performances and extracurricular activities when making selections.  

1. The Korean Honor Scholarship Committee and Selection Committees

□ The Korean Honor Scholarship Committee

○  Chairman  Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the U.S.A.

○  Members  Minister, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea.

            Regional Consul Generals (in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, 

Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Atlanta, Houston, 

and Honolulu) 

□ Selection Committees

○ Regional Selection Committees: Regional Consular Offices

○ Central Selection Committee:  Korean Embassy in Washington D.C. 

2. Important Dates for Year 2025 Contest

○ Application period: April 21 ~ June 20, 2025, *Valid only if received by the end of the period

  ○ First round evaluation at regional consular offices: June 23 ~ July 2, 2025

  ○ Final round evaluation by Central Selection Committee: July 24, 2025

  ○ Scholarship Award presentation: after September 29, 2024

3. Amount of Scholarship: Best Honor Scholarship - $ 5,000 (2 student or so) 

Excellent Honor Scholarship - $3,000 (4 students or so)

                        Honor Scholarship - $1,500 (63 students or so)

4. Allocation of Awards 

   Will be subject to change according to the number of applications in each category and 

the amount of funds available.

*Best and Excellent Honor Scholarship is included in the total award number

5. Qualifications

• (1)At the time of application, an applicant must be a full time 4-year college or graduate student in the U.S. who can submit transcripts for the previous one academic year (Fall, 2024 ~ Spring*, 2025). Especially student who gets graduate admission should submit the relating documents.  

* If not available, Spring 2024 is also accepted if the reason for not being available is submitted with the evidence). 

※ In case the applicant submits GPA transcript, the average grade point for the previous year should be 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 basis (It’s not applied to P/F transcript).

(2) Any students whose parents are Korean (either one or both) or any legally adopted Korean-American students are welcome to apply.

(3) Scholarship will be awarded once in undergraduate and graduate level respectively. 

   (Past beneficiary in graduate level must not apply for this scholarship, Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s program students are awarded once)

6. Required Documents

• (2)Application form: available at http://overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-en/brd/m_4513/list.do 

(or search for ”‘Korean Honor Scholarship” in any search engines)

  (2) Official school transcript, including the 2024-2025 academic year

※ If the GPA in the transcript is not based on a 4.0 basis, the applicant must convert all the GPA grades into those of a 4.0 basis. Submit both the converted grades record and the official original school transcript. (It’s not applied to P/F transcript) 

(3) A letter of recommendation from a professor at the applicant's institution (Sealed recommendation letter is preferred)

  (4) A Personal Statement in English by the applicant: up to 500 words (12points, single spaced)

    ※ Applicants must write under the following guideline : 

Submit a one-page narrative in English that provides a vivid picture of yourself as an individual detailing your personal history, family and education backgrounds, professional and cultural opportunities that you have explored, impacts of these experiences on your personal growth, strengths and skills, and career goals. It should demonstrate your achievements and potential as a student scholar with Korean heritage in the U.S. as well as your career aspirations in alignment with the mission of the Korean Honor Scholarship. 

 (5) Résumé (including records of awards, publication, extracurricular and volunteer activities, leadership, etc.). Related evidence or documents should be submitted

※ Graduate students(undergraduate students if available) should list research publications and presentations in their résumé. 

(6) Applicants of music or art field only: either one of the followings

○  Art applicants must submit a USB drive that contains 10 still image files (jpeg, each smaller than 1MB) and/or up to 3 video art pieces(for video art or film-making applicants). Submit your best and most current original artwork created within the last 3 years. Document each image with the following set of information and include a print copy in the package: 1) Name of the Applicant, 2) Title of the Artwork, 3) Medium, 4) Dimension or Length of the Video/Film, 5) Year of Creation.

○  Music student must submit a USB drive that a 20-minute long his/her own performance is recorded in. (Video or cassette tape will NOT be accepted.)

 ※ USB must be submitted by one of the following recording types:

 Windows Media Player, QuickTime Player, and GOM Player.

(7) Adoptee and Students with Disabilities only: Documents to prove disability or adopted (such as copy of applicant's driver's license, or birth certificate etc. by related organization, other supporting documents)

(8) Only for Korean-American students who did not graduate middle and/or high school in Korea: every items of the followings (if applicable)

-  School transcript for the Korean language course(s) taken at a high school in the U.S.A. and foreign countries except Korea (B+ or higher)

      -  SAT II Korean test score (700 point or higher)

-  "Certificate of Proficiency in Korean (Grade 5 or 6)", available by taking TOPIK (Test of 

Proficiency in Korean) administered by National Institute for International Education or Korea Institute of Curriculum & Evaluation .(http://www.topik.go.kr).

  -  NEWL/Korean Test Score by American Council for International Education.

7. Selection Criteria and Process

□ Selection Criteria 

​○ Each Committees will comprehensively consider the submitted documents such as GPA, Recommendation letter, Personal Statement, Resume etc.

□ Scholarship for regular students (AC, AG, KC, KG)

          ○ Submit applications to the regional consular office near your college or university.

※ Applicants from the Washington D.C. area (DC, MD, VA, WV) may submit the application directly to the Office of Education Minister Counselor at the Embassy of                  Korea, Washington, D.C. 

 → First round evaluation at regional consular offices

 → Final evaluation at Central Selection Committee

 → Approval by the Korean Honor Scholarship (KHS) Committee Chairman

→ Finalized

□ Scholarships for Specials (SM, SA, SD, AS)

○ Submit applications directly to the Office of Education Minister Counselor at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Washington, D.C.

→ Evaluation at Central Selection Committee → Approval by the Korean Honor Scholarship Committee Chairman → Finalized

8. Other Information

   ○ Applications will NOT be returned.

   ○ Unqualified applicants will NOT be reviewed and the evaluation process is confidential.

   ○ Applications must be submitted to the regional consular office CLOSEST TO YOUR 

  HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION

   ○ For further information or any inquiries, please contact the Office of Education Minister           

          Counselor at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Washington, D.C. or the regional  

          Consular Offices closest to your college or university.