2027 Korea Foundation Support for Establishment of Professorship: Funding for Universities Worldwide to Expand Korean Studies and Korean Language Education

Overview

The Support for Establishment of Professorship program, organized by the Korea Foundation, provides institutional financial support to universities outside the Republic of Korea that intend to establish a new professorship in Korean Studies or Korean Language. The initiative helps institutions build sustainable academic positions rather than temporary funding arrangements, contributing to long-term regional development in Korean Studies and language education.

Supported position models include:

• Tenure-Track Position: The Korea Foundation covers up to 70% of the professor's salary and eligible employee benefits based on the university's existing salary scale, with the expectation that the institution will maintain the position long-term.
• Endowed Chair Position: The Foundation provides an annual endowment during the grant period, requiring the recipient university to provide a 50% dollar-for-dollar matching contribution.

The grant period spans three to five years, with project commencement expected during either the 2027-28 or 2028-29 academic year.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are universities located outside the Republic of Korea that plan to create a new professorship. Individual researchers cannot apply independently. Key institutional expectations and criteria include:

Appropriate academic infrastructure, such as existing Korean Studies courses, library collections, relevant faculty, and previous academic activities.
Long-term institutional commitment and a strategic plan to sustain the professorship after the grant period concludes.
The appointed professor must spend more than 50% of their teaching and research on Korea, use Korean-language primary sources, publish findings primarily in English, and hold proficiency in the Korean language.

How to Apply

Applications and required supplementary documentation must be submitted in either Korean or English through the Korea Foundation Online Application System. Applicants are advised to use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge for optimal compatibility.

Required application materials typically include:

• Completed online application form detailing current institutional Korean Studies activities and resources.
• Curriculum for B.A. or M.A. programs in Korean Studies or Korean Language (if applicable).
• University professor salary scale information.
• Curriculum vitae of the prospective professor (if a candidate is already identified) and the project director.
• A formal letter from the faculty Dean endorsing the establishment of the professorship.

Deadline

The application period closes on September 11, 2026, at 18:00 Korea Standard Time (KST). Results are scheduled to be announced in December 2026.