The Connect: North Korea Scholarship

The University of Edinburgh is privileged to offer scholarships to support displaced North Koreans who are accepted on a full-time basis for a 12 month postgraduate programme of study in the UK, in partnership with Connect: North Korea.

Before this scholarship opens, we encourage you to apply for support via the Connect: North Korea, who can provide guidance and advice for the application process.

Connect: North Korea

Connect: North Korea (CNK) is a UK-based organisation with a global aim – to enable every person who leaves North Korea to heal, grow, and live the life they choose.

 

Up to two scholarships will be awarded as part of Connect: North Korea’s ‘Enabling Freedom Network’ programme. The Enabling Freedom Network exists to remove barriers to education and support the emergence of a cohort of North Koreans ready and able to drive social change in their local communities.

 

The scheme is open to North Korean applicants seeking to study any full-time 12 month taught postgraduate degree taught on-campus in Edinburgh, regardless of where in the world they currently reside, and who would benefit from a programme of extracurricular services to enable academic success.  

 

Applications for students commencing their studies in September 2025. 

 

You can browse our postgraduate degrees here: ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/degrees/. Please note in your application to study that you intend to also apply to the Connect: North Korea Scholarship. The scholarship can only be awarded to candidates holding offers to study at Edinburgh, but you may apply to this scholarship at any time after submitting your application to study.

The Scholarship includes:

  • your tuition fees, and
  • a stipend of £15,000 per annum to help with your living expenses.

You will also receive help from Connect: North Korea in organising and funding your study-related expenses before you come to Edinburgh.

Once you are in Edinburgh, you will have access to a range of extra-curricular services and support programmes, including the option to join the Scholars’ Network.

The Scholarship is tenable for one year.


To be considered for this scholarship, you must:

  • Currently, or have previously, held North Korean citizenship.
  • Have left North Korea and reside in another country.
  • Hold an offer to study a full-time 12 month postgraduate taught programme at the University of Edinburgh.
  • Not hold another postgraduate degree.

We will assess applications using the following:

  • What you tell us in your application statement – we want to know about your academic interests, your experience of working for the benefit of the community, and your approach to leadership and social change.
  • Academic merit – evidence of high academic achievement is an advantage.
  • Other factors - We may consider any other personal or academic circumstances that could have influenced or impacted applicants in their education to date. Further information on widening access at the University of Edinburgh can be found here.

The deadline for applying for the Scholarship has now passed.


We will aim to let you know the outcome of your application by the end of May 2025. 


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