KGSP- GRADUATE, From engineering to teaching languages, is this possible?

with bachelor degree in engineering to kgsp

Hello,

Please help me with this concern.

I am preparing to apply for a master degree in teaching korean as a foreign language. I meet all the requirement that Kgsp ask for, but I have a bachelor degree in engineering. My concern is if I will even be taken into consideration with my previous background. I have searched for somebody else's experience doing this big change of field, but I couldn't find any. Also, I've been reading universities list, and only one mention that they require a background related to the major, but the others don't mention anything about it.

My interest came because I've been studying korean in an organization since my second year of engineering. I was always the best student, so eventually, I got a full scholarship to go to study in a Korean university for 3 months to improve korean language and culture, that was a couple of years ago. I also got a third place in a korean speaking contest in all my country. I had a topik 5, that just expired, unfortunately, I won't be able to renovate it before the deadline for kgsp application due to the current situation.

I have a diploma in teaching spanish as a foreign language, that took me 1 year to completed after graduated. And I have been in other countries for working holiday programs for more than a year. Also I have taken some MOOC courses related to teaching. (I'm not sure if this is valuable for a scholarship application).

Not many spanish speakers are interested in korean language as they considere it an almost impossible language to learn, so I believe I was one of the few in my country that achieved a topik 5. Could it be useful to present such things as achievements?

I would highly appreciate an advice on whether I have any chance to be considered as a candidate or not, please. Thank you so much.

Yes, your previous degree will be considered alongside other elements in your application. However, whether or not the change of career focus will be convincing shall depend upon the training and skills development that you have been undertaking in relation to your new career. There is no rule that says you will be disqualified from applying for the scholarship just because you completed a different degree from the career you eventually ended up in.

From what I have read of your transitional career undertaking, you more than qualify as a scholarship candidate. Most specially since you have passed the TOPIK test at a high level. You should retake the test and get a new certificate though, just to prove your language proficiency as not deteriorated and instead, improved or remains the same.

The diploma in Spanish teaching will help. It shows that you truly are serious about your new career. However, being enrolled in formal Hangul classes will be a heavier consideration for the reviewers. When paired with a new TOPIK test, you should further strengthen your consideration. In fact, successful TOPIK takers already have a higher consideration measure in the eyes of the reviewer. It practically moves the applicant to the front of the application process.

You need not worry about your application. You qualify for consideration. However, I cannot assure you of admittance into the scholarship program. That is still something that you will have to battle out with other applicants for. You must also consider how many applicants will be accepted from your country of origin as the GKS scholarship has limited slots available per country. So, the stronger you can make your application documents and supporting documents, the more chances you will have of getting the scholarship. It will not matter if you apply via embassy or uni track, all the applicants have equal chances and opportunities to prove their worth as a scholarship candidate.

Thank you so much. I will take the advice to improve my application. Sadly, I can't retake the exam before the application deadline, the test is hold after in my country.

Is it considered if I put somewhere in my application that I was a topik 5 holder? probably they could ask for my interview to be in Korean right?