How can I improve my profile for the GKS
Hi everyone! I’m from Brazil and I’m planning to apply for the GKS Graduate Scholarship, and I’d really appreciate some advice from people who have applied before or are familiar with the selection process.
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from the Federal University, and I’m interested in pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Administration or Public Policy in South Korea.
Here’s a little about my background and extracurricular experiences:
- 🎓 Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration – UFLA GPA 84/100
- 🏛️ I currently work at the City Hall of my municipality, gaining practical experience in the public sector.
- 📊 I participated in a municipal strategic planning project, which gave me experience with public-sector planning and management.
- 🎭 I participated in a project that helped local artists understand cultural funding opportunities and subsidies available through cultural policies and laws.
- 💼 I was part of a Business Junior Enterprise for 3 years, gaining experience in administration, projects, teamwork, and leadership.
- 🇧🇷 I participated in a volunteer project in partnership with the Brazilian Ministry of Defense.
- 📚 I also have academic/research experience related to public policies and cultural policy.
- 🇰🇷 I’m currently taking a Korean language course and studying Korean because I want to start preparing for life and studies in Korea.
I’m a recent graduate, so I don’t have many years of professional experience yet. My goal is to continue developing in the field of public administration and public policy, and I believe studying in Korea would give me a valuable international perspective that I could bring back to my work and future career in the public sector.
For those who have experience with GKS:
What do you think are the strongest parts of my profile, and what should I focus on improving before applying?
Should I prioritize improving my Korean, gaining more professional experience, doing more research, getting involved in volunteering/extracurricular activities, or focusing more on my application essays and study plan?
I’d really appreciate honest feedback, especially from current or former GKS scholars. 🇧🇷🇰🇷