Gyeonggi-do Youth Life Scholarship: Supporting Economically Disadvantaged Students

Gyeonggi-do province is currently accepting applications for its ‘Gyeonggi-do Youth Life Scholarship,’ offering annual scholarships ranging from 1 million to 1.5 million won to support economically disadvantaged youth. The application period runs until March 27th.

Who is Eligible?

This year’s scholarship aims to assist a total of 7,441 young people. Eligible applicants include those receiving National Basic Livelihood Security, youths from legally designated single-parent families, and working youth enrolled in school-type lifelong education institutions within Gyeonggi-do province [1].

Scholarship Amounts

The scholarship amount varies based on the student’s educational level:

• Middle School Students (born between 2011 and 2013): 1 million won
• High School Students (born between 2008 and 2010): 1.5 million won

The scholarship will be distributed in two installments, in April and September.

How to Apply

Applications can be submitted online through the Gyeonggi Civil Service 24 website from March 16th to March 27th. For those who experience difficulties with online applications, assistance is available at the Administrative Welfare Center in their respective district.

Funding and Commitment to Education

The scholarship program is funded by lottery funds, with a total project cost of 9.4 billion won for this year. Kim Jae-hoon, Director of the Provincial Future and Lifelong Education Bureau, emphasized Gyeonggi-do’s long-standing commitment to supporting economically disadvantaged youth in continuing their education and stabilizing their lives, noting that the province has provided living scholarships since 2004 [1]. He affirmed the province’s dedication to reducing educational costs and ensuring equal educational opportunities.

Understanding the National Basic Livelihood Security System

The National Basic Livelihood Security system aims to provide a safety net for individuals and families struggling with financial hardship. Recent expansions to the system, effective this year, include raising the eligibility criteria from 30% to 35% of the standard median income, which is expected to benefit approximately 210,000 additional people [2]. The minimum benefit amount has also been increased. The system operates on the principle of empowering recipients to improve their lives through self-reliance, supplementing their income, assets, and work capacity [3].

Benefits of the Basic Livelihood Security System

The Basic Livelihood Security system provides a range of benefits tailored to individual and family needs, including:

• Livelihood Benefits: Support for basic living expenses.
• Medical Benefits: Assistance with healthcare costs.
• Housing Benefits: Aid with housing expenses.
• Education Benefits: Support for educational costs [4].