Seoul National University (SNU) in South Korea is one of the most prestigious universities in Asia, and every year it offers fully funded scholarships to international students β including Nigerians. Tuition covered. Monthly allowance. Airfare. Health insurance. All of it. And right now, the 2027 intake application window is almost here.
The problem is that most Nigerians either do not know this scholarship exists or they hear about it too late. This guide is here to change that. We are going to walk you through every single step β which scholarship to apply for, which documents to prepare, where to submit, and what links to use β so that by the time you finish reading this, you have no excuse not to apply.
The people winning these scholarships are not smarter than you. They just applied.
Which SNU Scholarships Are Available to Nigerians?
SNU offers four scholarship programmes under its graduate admission: the SNU President Fellowship (SPF), the Graduate Scholarship for Excellent Foreign Students (GSFS), the Overseas Koreans Scholarship, and the Korean Government Scholarship Programme (KGSP/GKS). As a Nigerian, the two that directly apply to you are the SPF and the GSFS. Let us break them down.
GSFS β Graduate Scholarship for Excellent Foreign Students
This is open to any non-Korean applicant from an eligible country who applies and gets accepted into a participating SNU college. Nigeria is on the eligible countries list. It covers full tuition for up to 4 semesters and a monthly living allowance of at least 500,000 KRW β roughly β¦600,000 per month depending on exchange rates. About 20 scholarships are awarded each semester. This is the most accessible option for Nigerian students, researchers, and working professionals.
SPF β SNU President Fellowship Programme
This one is specifically designed for faculty members at universities in developing countries β including Nigerian universities β who do not yet hold a PhD and want to pursue a doctorate at SNU. If you are currently lecturing at any Nigerian university without a PhD, this scholarship was made for you. It covers full tuition for up to 6 semesters, a monthly allowance of 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 KRW (roughly β¦1.8 million to β¦2.4 million per month), a round-trip economy airfare, evening Korean language classes, and national health insurance reimbursement. Only about 8 people are selected per semester, so the competition is smaller but the eligibility requirement is more specific.
The Overseas Koreans Scholarship is only for people of Korean descent living abroad β this does not apply to Nigerians. You can ignore it.
The Most Important Thing You Must Know Before Applying
Both the GSFS and the SPF are NOT applied for separately. There is no separate scholarship portal. There is no separate scholarship form. You apply for the scholarship at the same time you apply for SNU graduate admission. During your online admission application, there is a checkbox that says "Application for Scholarship." You tick that box and SNU will automatically consider you for the scholarship based on the documents you already submitted for admission. If you miss that checkbox, you will not be considered β no matter how strong your application is.
Step One β Decide What You Want to Study and Find the Right Department
Before anything else, you need to know which Master's or PhD programme you are applying for. Go to the SNU graduate programmes page and find the college and department that matches your academic background and career goals. Be specific about what you want to research or study β vague applications do not win scholarships.
This step is especially important for GSFS applicants because the scholarship is only available in designated participating colleges, and the list of eligible colleges changes every semester. Before you apply, check which colleges are currently participating by visiting the official SNU scholarship finder here: https://oga.snu.ac.kr/scholarship-finder
Step Two β Confirm Your Eligibility
For the GSFS, you must be a non-Korean citizen from an eligible country (Nigeria qualifies), you must be applying to a participating SNU college, and you must not currently be residing in South Korea. Your academic record must reflect strong performance because SNU is selecting the best.
For the SPF, all of the above applies β but you must additionally be a current faculty member at a Nigerian university who does not yet hold a PhD, and you must be applying for a PhD programme at SNU. Priority is given to faculty members from universities in Africa, Asia, and South America.
Step Three β Gather All Your Documents Before the Window Opens
The application window is only three days β July 7 to July 9. This means you cannot start gathering documents when the portal opens. You must have everything ready before July 7. Getting certified transcripts from Nigerian universities, obtaining recommendation letters, and preparing a strong statement of purpose all take time. Start today.
The documents you need to prepare are as follows. You will need your completed SNU online application form which you download and print from the portal. You will need your official academic transcripts for all degrees you have obtained, certified and translated into English if they are not already. You will need your degree certificates and diplomas. You will need a Statement of Purpose explaining why you want to study at SNU, why you chose that specific programme, and what your research goals are. You will need two letters of recommendation from professors or supervisors who can speak to your academic ability. You will need a valid international passport that remains valid throughout your programme. You will need proof of English proficiency such as IELTS or TOEFL or University taught proof β check your specific department's requirement. PhD applicants will need a research proposal explaining what they intend to study. You will need a medical certificate of health from a recognised medical facility. You will need recent passport-sized photographs. SPF applicants will additionally need an employment certificate proving their faculty position at a Nigerian university.
All documents must be uploaded in PDF format. Poor quality scans will hurt your application. Make sure everything is clear, legible, and properly labelled.
Step Four β Complete the Online Application on the SNU Portal
When the window opens on July 7, 2026, go to the official SNU Graduate Admissions portal here: https://en.snu.ac.kr/admission/graduate/application
Fill in your personal and academic details, upload all your documents, and when you reach the scholarship section, tick the box that says "Application for Scholarship." Do not skip this. Submit before July 9 at the closing time. Do not wait until the last day β portal traffic is always high at deadlines and you do not want to lose your application to a technical problem.
Step Five β Where to Submit Physical Documents (SPF Applicants Only)
If you are applying for the SPF scholarship, there is one extra step that GSFS applicants do not have. After you complete your online application, you are required to send physical supporting documents β particularly your university employment certificate and academic credentials β directly to the SNU Office of Global Affairs (OGA). This is how SNU verifies that you are indeed a faculty member at a Nigerian university.
The address for physical document submission is the SNU Office of Global Affairs, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 08826. However, before you send anything, contact the OGA directly to confirm the exact submission deadline and any specific packaging requirements. You can reach them by email at intlscholarship@snu.ac.kr or by phone at +82-2-880-2519. Send your documents via DHL or FedEx and keep your tracking number.
Step Six β What Happens After You Submit
For GSFS applicants, your college or department at SNU will review your admission documents and select scholarship recipients from among the admitted students. There is no separate interview for GSFS. The selection is based entirely on the strength of your application documents β your transcripts, your statement of purpose, your recommendation letters, and your research proposal.
For SPF applicants, after SNU announces admission results, shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview before the final scholarship decision is communicated. Prepare for this interview by knowing your research proposal inside out and being ready to explain clearly why you want to pursue your PhD at SNU specifically.
Most departments announce admission and scholarship decisions by August each year. Check your email consistently and make sure the email address you used for your application is one you check daily.
All the Official Links You Need
The official SNU Graduate Scholarships page with full programme details is here: https://en.snu.ac.kr/admission/graduate/scholarships/before_application
The graduate admissions application portal where you submit everything is here: https://en.snu.ac.kr/admission/graduate/application
To check which colleges are participating in the GSFS this semester: https://oga.snu.ac.kr/scholarship-finder
To download application forms and required document templates: https://en.snu.ac.kr/admission/overview/download
For questions and direct contact with SNU scholarship office: intlscholarship@snu.ac.kr or call +82-2-880-2519.
Stop Waiting β The Window Is Almost Here
July 7 to July 9. Three days. That is all the time SNU gives you to submit. The Nigerians who will miss this are not the unqualified ones β they are the ones who read this article, said they would start tomorrow, and woke up to find the portal closed.
You now have the links. You have the steps. You know exactly what to prepare and where to send it. The only thing left is for you to move. South Korea is waiting, and Seoul National University has a fully funded seat that could have your name on it. Go and claim it. π
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