LiNK US Scholarship Programs

Eligibility Requirements

Born in North Korea or have at least one North Korea-born parent
Currently residing in the US with legal status or a ROK-resettled North Korean with South Korean citizenship and a valid student visa
Plan to be enrolled in full-time or part-time undergraduate study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, vocational/technical school, or any other post-secondary or post-graduate program in the United States for the 2025 - 2026 academic year

Selection Criteria

Scholarship recipients will be selected based on both merit and need as determined by the following factors: demonstrated leadership on the North Korea issue, community participation, career/education goals, and financial need. Please keep in mind that you will be required to answer 3 short essay questions in the application.

Award Amounts

Scholarship award amounts are fixed and determined by the type of academic program you're enrolled in at the time of selection.

Vocational Program / Junior College – $500
Undergraduate Program – $2,000
Graduate / PhD Program – $10,000

Please note that these amounts are final and cannot be adjusted based on individual circumstances.
Scholarship awards will be sent directly to your academic institution to help cover your tuition costs.

Timeline

February to March

Application period

April to May

Selection process

June to July

Scholarship award notification & fall disbursement

January 2025

Spring disbursement

The application deadline is March 28, 2025 11:59 pm PDT (March 29, 2025 3:59 pm KST).

Required Documents

There are several documents you will be required to submit along with your application. We recommend having the following documents prepared prior to starting the application:

Verification of enrollment
If you cannot immediately provide proof of enrollment, please submit it as soon as it becomes available. Scholarship payments will not be disbursed until this has been provided.
If you are a United States resident and submitted a Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application, please submit your Student Aid Report (SAR).
If you cannot immediately provide your Student Aid Report, please submit it as soon as it becomes available.
At least one letter of recommendation from any professional or academic reference (i.e. teacher, professor, supervisor, etc.)
Most recent transcript
Other optional documents including diplomas, certificates, awards, etc.

Please note:

Award recipients will need to verify their background and legal status in the United States and may be subject to a background check prior to scholarship disbursement.

Please note: This scholarship may be renewed on an annual basis by completing the scholarship application in full. Renewal applications will be reviewed alongside first-time applicants. Applicants cannot apply for LiNK's Changemaker Scholarship at the same time.

My tuition is fully covered already, but I need additional help with living expenses. Does this scholarship only cover tuition or can it also go towards other living expenses?

All scholarship awards will be sent directly to your academic institution, which means it will cover whatever balance is on your student account. If that includes on-campus housing and other living expenses, then it can cover it.

We recommend reaching out to your school's financial aid office to see whether overflowing funds from a scholarship applied to your student account would be returned back to you in the form of a check/direct deposit, or sent back to the scholarship provider. If they would return overflowing scholarship funds applied to your account directly to you, it’s up to your discretion how you want to use those overflow scholarship funds.

What happens after I submit my application?

We’ll reach out to you once we’ve reviewed your application. If you are selected as a scholarship candidate, we will schedule a virtual interview with you.

Where is the funding for this scholarship coming from?

The Bao Sei Scholarship is funded by a grant from the Bao Sei Foundation, as well as by LiNK and its supporters.

How do you determine financial need?

This will be determined based on all of the information provided in the application.

Is eligibility limited to certain areas of study?

Nope! Anyone can apply. The scholarship is not only limited to people who are in traditional colleges and universities, but those who are attending trade schools and other types of academic institutions will also be considered.

How will I be notified?

All notifications will be sent via email. If your email address has changed since you submitted your application, please notify us. You can contact us at usprograms@libertyinnorthkorea.org.

What are the publicity requirements? Will my name and face be made public?

Your name and face will not be made public without your explicit consent.

Does the application have to be filled out in one go?

No. There is an option to save your progress and resume later. Feel free to save your progress and come back.

Can I re-apply for the scholarship next year?

Yes. The scholarship may be renewed annually for each new academic year. Please note that whether you are a previous scholarship recipient or not, you will be required to submit the application again. Renewal is not automatic or guaranteed.

Renewal applications will be reviewed alongside first-time applicants, meaning ALL applicants will be assessed based on the information provided in the applications, and the award amount may change each year for renewal applicants.

I have additional questions. Who can I reach out to?

You can contact us at usprograms@libertyinnorthkorea.org.