The Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development has announced the opening of applications for the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Scholarship Fellowship Programme, offering fully funded Master’s degree opportunities at leading universities in South Korea.
Launched in partnership with KOICA, the programme aims to strengthen the Maldives’ human resource capacity by equipping graduates with specialised skills in areas vital to national development. Successful applicants will pursue Master’s degrees across five distinguished Korean universities.
Available fields of study include Gender Equality at Ewha Womans University, Smart City Management and Technology at Hanyang University, Global Education Leadership at the Korea National University of Education, Tax and Fiscal Policy at Korea University, and Public Management and Administrative Reform at Seoul National University.
To be eligible, applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline and be under the age of 35 as of 1 April 2026. Proficiency in English is required, with a minimum TOEFL score of 570 or an IELTS overall score of six, alongside meeting the individual language requirements of the host universities.
The Ministry clarified that those currently repaying study loans are still eligible to apply, provided they are up to date with payments and meet all other conditions set by the Ministry and the respective universities.
A maximum of four candidates will be nominated for each programme. Final selections will be made by the course organisers after reviewing all applications.
Applicants must complete the online application process by 2:00 pm on 17 November and submit hard copies of the required documents by 12:00 pm on 18 November.
