I'm Going to Korea
The final results came out while I was asleep. I woke up without an alarm, found my name behind asterisks, and suddenly the life I had been waiting for became real.
#gks
10 stories
"Early June." They Said Early June.
The university stage ended April 30th. It is now June 11th in Korea. NIIED has said nothing. My best friend is waiting. The flights keep getting more expensive. And someone finally emailed them — this week, they said. This week.
I Slept Through the Email That Changed Everything
The email came at 2 a.m. I was asleep. Some things don't wait for you to be ready.
Twenty-One Universities Have Said Something. Mine Hasn't.
The group chat keeps updating. The list keeps growing. I keep refreshing a page that has nothing new to show me. Two days left.
Not Yet — The Interview I Had Been Preparing For All Week
I filled twelve pages with possible questions. I practiced until I almost lost my voice. And then the director said two words that brought my soul back into my body.
The Email — First Round Results and What Comes Next
I said I would write here when April came. April came. This is what happened at 4am when I finally opened the email I was afraid to open.
The Waiting Game — What Happens After You Send Everything
Eight months of work, two packages, one prayer at a DHL counter. And then: nothing to do but wait. This is what that actually feels like.
How I Organized My GKS Documents Without Losing My Mind (Almost)
The checklist alone will scare you. Then the forms, the copies, the permissions. Here is the honest guide to GKS documents I wish I had found before I started.
What the GKS Scholarship Application Actually Costs — From Mexico
Apostilles, certified translations, DHL to Korea, two full sets of documents — I spent around $842 USD just to submit my GKS application. Honest breakdown with real numbers.
What Nobody Tells You About the GKS Application
Eight months of rewriting essays, 80 universities to research, and a lot of uncertainty. Here is the honest version of what applying to the GKS scholarship actually looks like.