How one unique scholarship program is cultivating global interest in Korea

The Hansae Yes24 Foundation in Korea offers unique scholarships to international students based on their interest in Korean culture. Scholars from Vietnam, Uzbekistan and China share their experiences and future plans.

From second left: Le Thi Hong Ngoc, Djamalova Shakhnoza and Song Chen, students receiving scholarships from the Hansae Yes24 Foundation, pose for a photo during the scholarship ceremony held in November 2023. [HANSAE YES24 FOUNDATION]

Foundations offering scholarships to international students assess various factors such as one's GPA or academic field, but the Hansae Yes24 Foundation's program mainly looks for one thing: interest in Korean culture.

Some scholarships come with many qualifications, such as being enrolled at select universities, being nationals of certain countries or studying in specific fields like science and engineering.

However, for the Hansae Yes24 Foundation's scholarship for international students, if students are enrolled in a master's program and eligible to legally stay in Korea, interest in Korean culture is the only other qualification they need to meet.

Since 2005, the Hansae Yes24 Group has offered the scholarship to around 120 master's students of 29 nationalities.

Scholars are given 2 million won ($1,475) per semester and receive the scholarship until they finish their degree.

Applications are open in the first and second half of each year, and the foundation is currently accepting applications until April 15.

The Korea JoongAng Daily reached out to students receiving the scholarship — Le Thi Hong Ngoc, Djamalova Shakhnoza and Song Chen — via email interview to discuss how they prepared and the benefits of being selected as a scholar.

Le is a Vietnamese master's student enrolled in Sungshin Women's University's Department of Music Therapy, Djamalova is an Uzbekistan student studying at Kongju National University's Department of Korean Education and Song is a Chinese master's student attending Korea University, studying Global Korean Language and Culture Studies.

The following are excerpts from the interview, edited for length and clarity.

The foundation focuses on the applicant's interest in Korean culture when selecting students. How did you develop such an interest, and what past experiences do you think made you stand out as an applicant?

Song: I attended an elementary school that was a sister school to a school in Korea and participated in many cultural exchange activities, even learning Korean for a year. Becoming friends with Korean students, I naturally became interested in the language and culture, dreaming of bridging relationships between Korea and China. That's why I came to study in Korea. I then participated in many extracurricular activities about Korean culture, learned taekwondo and traveled around promoting Korean culture in China and other countries.

Djamalova: I was someone who pulled all-nighters to watch Korean dramas, which made me interested in Korea. I started to learn Korean because I wanted to go to Korea and see the country for myself.

When I was in Uzbekistan, I went to a teacher to learn Korean. I thought I could become fluent if I learned enough Korean, but I still wasn't able to accurately deliver what I wanted to say, or be good enough to teach it to others. I want to teach my knowledge and experience to students in Uzbekistan interested in Korea and its culture, so I started to major in Korean language education.

Le: When I was in Vietnam, I majored in Korean studies and experienced Korean culture for a long time. I even had the opportunity to translate for Korean companies during their business trips to Vietnam. I also majored in psychology at university and I wanted to go to Korea to study it in more depth. Korea and Vietnam have a lot in common, and I thought studying in Korea would help my career.

The interview is a key part of the scholarship selection process. How did you prepare, and is there any advice you would like to give to potential interviewees?

Song: I prepared for the interview by writing down answers to some questions I thought I might be asked. Luckily, many of the questions were ones I prepared for. Expressing your interest in Korea and telling the interviewers about who you are as a person, alongside fluently in Korean, is something that helps.

Le: I've worked with Korean people in the past, and I think I have a good understanding of Korean culture and its people. So the interview questions weren't that hard. But if I could give some tips, showing your interest in Korean culture and your passion is key. It's also important to prepare yourself so you can give logical answers.

Being a foreigner, it's sometimes not easy to get the necessary information. How did you get to know about the foundation's scholarship?

Djamalova: Yes, it wasn't easy. For me, I learned about the foundation through the government's Study in Korea website. Then I got curious about a lot of things like who made the foundation and why, so I looked up a lot of information on social media and YouTube.

Song: I learned about it through Xiaohongshu, which is a Chinese platform, when I was searching for scholarships. I then followed the foundation on Instagram about two years ago and applied for it last year after seeing the application notice on their Instagram.

Le: It's really competitive to get scholarships in Korea, but luckily I was able to get information about the scholarship from my friend. Then I went to the foundation's website to learn about things like who's eligible and how I can apply.

There are also many programs and events that scholars can attend. What are some events that you liked, and are there any other events you want the foundation to arrange?

Le: I recently attended the foundation's 10th anniversary ceremony. I learned about the history of the foundation and other support programs it had. Things like the International Cultural Exchange Exhibition, which supports Asean artists, and how the foundation published the "Collection of Southeast Asian Literature" by translating modern Southeast Asian literature, which was really interesting.

Djamalova: I wish there was a casual international exchange party for the foundation's international students, allowing us to discuss Korean culture and network.

Song: We are given the opportunity to attend many events, like the recent 10th anniversary ceremony. But I also think programs that offer career-related support will be helpful.

Some international students stay in Korea after graduation, while some go back to their home countries. What plans do you have after graduation?

Song: I was recently accepted into Lotte Group's international student internship program and want to gain more experience and participate in various activities in Korea. Later, I aim to get a job in Korea after graduation.

Djamalova: I want to do a Ph.D. and then plan to go back to Uzbekistan. I want to establish a university in Uzbekistan and operate a dual-degree program that allows students to study in Korea and Uzbekistan. We could teach students interested in Korean history, culture, K-pop, K-dramas and Korea's economy in Uzbekistan for two years, and allow those students to go study in Korea and experience things.

Le: After finishing my master's program, I want to do a Ph.D. The field I'm studying requires lifelong learning. I always think I need to do more, and after my Ph.D., I want to work in Korea for about three years and then go back to Vietnam to achieve my bigger dreams.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]