The Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development has officially announced the opening of applications for the esteemed Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Scholarship Fellowship Programme.
This initiative, a collaborative effort between the Maldives government and KOICA, offers fully-funded Masters degree opportunities across five leading Korean universities, aiming to cultivate specialised skills in key development areas.
Prospective students can apply for Masters Degree Programmes in Gender Equality at Ewha Women's University, Smart City Management and Technology at Hanyang University, Global Education Leadership at Korea National University of Education, Tax and Fiscal Policy at Korea University, and Public Management and Administrative Reform at Seoul National University.
Eligibility criteria require applicants to possess a bachelors degree in a relevant field and be under 35 years of age by 1 April of next year. A strong command of English is mandatory, evidenced by a TOEFL score of 570 or higher, or an IELTS overall score of at least six, in addition to meeting individual university English proficiency standards.
The Ministry further clarified that individuals currently repaying a study loan regularly are eligible, provided they meet all other stipulated requirements from both the Ministry and the host universities.
The Ministry will nominate a maximum of four applicants for each programme, with the final selection resting with the respective course organisers after a thorough review of applications.
Aspiring students have been advised to submit their online applications by 2:00 pm on 17 November, with hard copies of all necessary documents due by 12:00 pm the following day.