What Yonsei University Samsung Global Hope Scholarship for Developing Countries actually covers.
The Samsung Global Hope Scholarship, administered through Yonsei University's prestigious Underwood International College (UIC), is a transformative programme that provides full financial support to international students from developing countries — including a wide range of African nations on the OECD DAC List of ODA Recipients — who are pursuing undergraduate studies at one of South Korea's oldest and most distinguished universities.
The scholarship was established by Samsung with the explicit aim of identifying future leaders from the developing world and equipping them with a globally competitive undergraduate education in an international, English-language academic environment. UIC's curriculum is modelled on the American liberal arts tradition, requiring students to gain broad competencies across disciplines before specialising in their chosen field. This approach is particularly valuable for African students who seek both intellectual breadth and deep expertise to tackle the complex, multi-dimensional development challenges facing their home countries.
The Samsung Global Hope Scholarship covers full tuition for the entire undergraduate programme, a semester allowance of KRW 3,900,000 (approximately USD 3,000), housing support, and access to Samsung career mentoring programmes and internship networks. Recipients are encouraged to maintain a strong GPA and engage actively with the campus community and leadership development activities facilitated by Samsung and Yonsei.
Eligible applicants must be citizens of countries on the DAC List of ODA Recipients — a list that includes the vast majority of African nations including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Senegal, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and many others. Applications are typically due in January each year for spring semester admission.
Who can apply.
Open to undergraduate applicants seeking to study in South Korea. Eligible nationalities are listed below.
46 more eligible countries — full list available on the official application page.
Every academic discipline is accepted.
This programme does not restrict by field. Research proposals across humanities, sciences, engineering, agriculture, and medicine are all accepted.
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Other scholarships worth a parallel application.
Same eligibility window or destination. Many strong applicants apply to three or four programmes per cycle.