Public Policy and Development Policy, PhD
KDI School Spring 2027 application guideline for international applicants ↗Checked 15 September 2026
Official sources. Waegook does not guarantee admission, funding or a visa.
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What you pay
Dormitory is extra: ₩200,000 a month.
Meals is extra: ₩540,000 a month.
Books and study materials is extra: ₩100,000 a month.
Insurance and other costs is extra: ₩160,000 a month.
per application · official
whole program · official
per month · estimate
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Official figures from the source page on the date checked. Estimates are Waegook's. Unknown is shown as not published, never as zero.
A scholarship below can remove the tuition line.
What can I study?
- Ph.D. in Public Policy (PP)
- Ph.D. in Development Policy (DP)
Published by KDI School of Public Policy and Management. Which of these a scholarship covers is decided by the school.
What do I need?
- Online application and statement of purpose Apply
- A passport-size photo, JPG under 3MB
- Passport copy, valid until at least December 2030
- The online survey, done first in the application system
- Two recommendation letters, academic or professional, sent online by your recommenders before 24:00 KST on the closing day
- English score report, unless you are exempt
- Bachelor's and master's degree certificates
- Bachelor's and master's transcripts showing the final CGPA
- If you have work experience: an employment certificate, on KDI's form for your current job
- Dissertation research proposal on KDI's template, as a PDF made from a word processor, not a scan
- Optional: a writing sample in English
- Optional: a GRE score from the last five years
- Current Residence Card (ARC), if you are currently residing in Korea
- If you are a foreign national of Korean descent, submit your official birth certificate and valid passports for both parents.
IF YOU ARE ADMITTED, YOUR PAPERS MUST ARRIVE BY POST BY 27 NOVEMBER 2026, including a degree certificate with an apostille or Korean consular legalisation. Papers still in transit do not count, and the offer is withdrawn.
Legalisation is done in the country that awarded the degree, wherever you live now, and can take months. Start early.
A self-written recommendation disqualifies you, and both letters must be in before the deadline.
There is no application fee.
You do not have to authenticate anything to apply. That comes after admission.
Documents in other languages need certified English translations.
From the official guide. The school decides what it accepts, not Waegook.
All requirements
- A bachelor's degree of at least three years and a master's degree, both awarded by 31 August 2026. Only graduates of Korean or Japanese universities may apply before graduating
- You and both parents are foreign nationals, or you are of Korean descent and send KDI's proofs. Dual Korean nationals cannot apply
- An English score from the last two years, unless you are a national of, or took your degree in, one of the majority English-speaking countries KDI lists. No other proof of English is accepted
- You may apply to only one programme per admissions cycle
- Full-time students may not work in any form
- If you already held a Korean government scholarship at this degree level, you cannot hold another here and must pay your own way
- Interviews are online, on Zoom, at times the school sets
- Admission and scholarship cannot be deferred
- PhD students start in the spring term only
- Graduation needs 36 credits, qualifying and oral exams, and a dissertation defence
- Stipend support is not guaranteed after the fourth year
- You should already have a clear research topic.
- Every admitted student is considered for a KDI School scholarship. Awards come with the final results and include full tuition and a monthly stipend
From the official page. The provider decides, not Waegook.
Helpers for this
People in Trusted Help who list "University application". Waegook has reviewed their account information. Please still agree fees in writing first. The application itself always goes through the school or the embassy.
Where this comes from
- KDI School of Public Policy and Management ↗Checked 14 September 2026
- KDI School of Public Policy and Management ↗Checked 14 September 2026
- KDI School MPP tuition and scholarship ↗Supports: the master's tuition · Checked 11 September 2026
- KDI School 2026 tuition decision (Korean) ↗Supports: the 2026 rates · Checked 11 September 2026
- KDI School PhD programme ↗Supports: the PhD tuition · Checked 11 September 2026
- KDI School admissions FAQ, application fee ↗Supports: the application fee · Checked 11 September 2026
- KDI School admissions FAQ, living costs ↗Supports: the living costs · Checked 11 September 2026
- KDI School visa and immigration ↗Supports: the visa · Checked 11 September 2026
Each page above supports the part of this entry named beside it.
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Public Policy and Development Policy, PhD, KDI School of Public Policy and Management. An admin checks the official page before anything changes.