2026 AKS Hanmun Fellowship in Korea

Are you passionate about Korean studies and classical texts? The applications are now open for the 2026 AKS Hanmun (Classical Chinese) Fellowship! Hosted by the Academy of Korean Studies (AKS), this fellowship is designed for international scholars who wish to build or advance their skills in Hanmun, engage in lectures, on-site tours, recitations, and research, all in the heart of Korea. It’s a prime chance to connect with Korea’s scholarly resources, historic archives, and instructors, while becoming part of a global network of Korean Studies scholars.

🎓 Fellowship Summary

• Location: Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea (at the Academy of Korean Studies)

• Target Group: Undergraduates, Master’s and Doctoral students majoring in Korean Studies at universities outside Korea (including those who are candidates for master’s or doctoral degrees).

• Fields / Focus: Classical Chinese texts / Hanmun, Korean Studies (with emphasis on reading and understanding original texts, recitations, research, and exposure to historical sources)

• Value & Coverage:

  • Monthly living stipend: ₩750,000 KRW per month

  • Round-trip economy airfare (reimbursed, subject to AKS budgetary limits)

  • Accommodation: Guesthouse at AKS campus provided

  • Accident / health insurance coverage

• Program Period:

  • Basic Course (13th): March 3 – June 19, 2026

  • Advanced Course (14th): September 1 – December 18, 2026

• Application Deadline: Friday, 17 October 2025, 17:00 KST (UTC+9)

• Start Date: March 3, 2026 (Basic Course) or September 1, 2026 (Advanced Course)

  
  

📚 Fellowship Overview

• Structure / Curriculum / Activities:

  • Lectures, recitations, individual/freely chosen research, and on-site tours to historical sites and archives.

  • For the Basic Course, the curriculum includes Gyemongpyeon (“The Book of Teaching Children”), Mencius, Samguksagi (The Chronicles of the Three States), Collected Commentaries of Elementary Learning, etc.

  • For the Advanced Course, included are Analects of Confucius, Mencius, Samguk Yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms), and prose reading etc.

  • Obligations include submitting a final study report 15 days before the end of the semester.

🎁 Benefits

• Financial / Material Support:

  • Monthly stipend of ₩750,000 KRW for living expenses.

  • Round-trip airfare (economy class), reimbursed, but capped by the budget guidelines of AKS for international flights.

  • Free accommodation in guesthouse on AKS premises.

  • Accident (or insurance) cover.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

• Must be non-Korean nationals, currently enrolled (or candidates) in undergrad, master’s, or doctoral programs at overseas (outside Korea) universities, majoring in Korean Studies. Graduates are not eligible.

• Must have advanced Korean language skills. Instruction is in Korean.

• For the Advanced Course (탐구반): must have completed a basic Hanmun course (or hold proof via transcript or AKS certificate).

• All application documents must be in Korean or English. If not, a notarized translation into Korean or English is required.

📝 Application Procedure

• Application Period: 15 September 2025, 10:00 KST → 17 October 2025, 17:00 KST (UTC+9)

• How to Apply: Online via the AKS website. Use the application form (available via download from the AKS site) and attach all required documents.

• Required Documents:

  1. For all applicants:

     • Application form

     • Certificate of enrollment (or completion) from your current university

     • Letter of reference from an academic advisor, explaining why studying Hanmun is essential for you

     • If you have taken TOPIK (Korean proficiency test), submit the score report

  2. Additional documents for Advanced Course applicants (choose one):

     • Transcript/certificate demonstrating that you completed a Hanmun/Hanja (Chinese Character) course (either at university or from other programs)

     • Or AKS Hanmun Fellowship Certificate of Completion (from previous basic course)

• Interview: Video interview if you pass the document screening.

  • Notification of document screening results: 28 October 2025

  • Interview dates: 4-6 November 2025 (arranged individually, considering applicants’ time zones)

• Selection Notification: 12 November 2025 via e-mail.

ℹ️ Extra Information

• There will be an online info session (webinar) on Friday, 26 September 2025, 17:00 KST (UTC+9). It will cover the application process and what to expect, plus current fellows will share their experiences.

• No double funding: If you receive funding from another source that covers similar living expenses, you may not get living support from AKS simultaneously.

• Must submit a study report 15 days before the end of the semester.