2025/26 Korea-U.S. Trade Professionals Scholarship

The University of Missouri Asian Affairs Center is coordinating a scholarship of up to $128,000 to select individuals who are employees of Korean organizations of trade-related industries. This scholarship will be available to Korean professionals who require educational assistance and those who have significant potential to help promote and enhance the global competency of the Republic of Korea in international trade and related industries. The University of Missouri is a public, nonprofit educational organization founded in 1839.

Scholarship details

  • Awards will be $32,000 for six months (for a maximum of two years for degree programs).
  • Payments on the award can be made to the scholarship recipient or to the recipient’s educational institution in the United States.
  • Funds may be used for educational tuition and fees, education-related expenses and living expenses during the academic year of the scholarship.

Eligibility

  1. Must be a citizen of the Republic of Korea.
  2. Must be an employee of an organization related to international trade in the Republic of Korea.
  3. Must have a college GPA of 2.5 or higher (on the 4.0 scale).
  4. Must score 80 or higher on TOEFL or 6.5 or higher on IELTS.
  5. Must have been admitted to a program or school that is currently ranked in the top 50 in the U.S.
  6. Must have worked at least five years or more in organizations related to international trade.

Required application materials

  1. Description of career goals and current challenges or obstacles that applicant must overcome to obtain educational and professional goals.
  2. Statement of purpose submitted to graduate school.
  3. Work plan of how newly acquired knowledge will be used in the field of (international) trade after the study.
  4. Copy of official admission letter from graduate school.
  5. Official copy of university transcript(s).
  6. Résumé or CV.
  7. One recommendation letter from the head of applicant’s employer (e.g., CEO or president).
  8. PDF copy of TOEFL or IELTS (submit later, by March 31, 2025).
  9. PDF copy of I-20 or DS-2019 issued by a U.S. higher education institution (top 50 program; submit later, by March 31, 2025).
  10. PDF copy of passport identification page.

Scholarship recipients must submit their diploma upon completion of their academic programs in the United States.

Application details

Deadline: Oct. 31, 2024

Submit application materials to:
Dr. Seungkwon You
University of Missouri
Asian Affairs Center
N49 Memorial Union
Columbia, MO 65211 USA

Email Dr. You at youse@missouri.edu with any questions. The initial scholarship recipients will be notified by email by Nov. 15, 2024. The final recipients will be notified by email by May 1, 2025, after the initial scholarship recipients present their English scores and copy of I-20/DS-2019.