A national scholarship is money you receive just by applying, as long as your grades and income meet the criteria -- but the National Work-Study Scholarship is money you actually have to work for. The two are easy to confuse because the names sound alike, but work-study pays an hourly wage for hours actually worked at an on-campus or off-campus institution. Figuring out how much you can earn ultimately comes down to knowing the hourly wage and the monthly hour caps.

On-campus and off-campus work start with different hourly wages

For 2026, the National Work-Study Scholarship sets a different hourly wage depending on where you work. On-campus work pays 10,320 won per hour, while off-campus work pays 12,790 won per hour. Even for the same student, on-campus work -- in a school administrative office or library, for example -- pays a different rate than off-campus work at a local government office, public institution, or partner company, so the first thing to check when you're assigned a workplace is which category you fall into, since that determines your total earnings.

Monthly hour caps during the semester -- 35 hours on-campus, 50 hours off-campus

During the semester, the maximum monthly hours are capped at 35 for on-campus work and 50 for off-campus work. This cap exists to keep work assignments from interfering with schoolwork, and any hours worked beyond the cap in a given month aren't counted toward the scholarship. Even if a student works at multiple sites at once, the school's work-study office adjusts assignments at the scheduling stage so that combined hours don't exceed the cap.

Break periods run on an entirely different set of rules

Work during school breaks is calculated differently than during the semester. The cap during breaks is a maximum of 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, and all break-period work is treated as off-campus work, so the 12,790-won hourly wage applies uniformly. A student who worked on-campus during the semester is treated as doing off-campus work once break begins, which changes the applicable wage -- worth checking ahead of time if you're planning to join an intensive break work-study program. Actual operating methods and the number of students placed during breaks can vary by university, so check your school's specific work-study announcement.

Eligibility -- income bracket and GPA requirements

Like the national scholarship, the National Work-Study Scholarship also looks at income bracket and the previous semester's GPA. The income bracket is reported to target students in bracket 8-9 or below, and the GPA requirement is a C grade or higher (70 out of 100) from the previous semester. New students, transfer students, and returning students are all eligible, but incoming freshmen who have no previous-semester GPA are often given an exception from the GPA requirement for their first semester -- also worth confirming separately in each semester's announcement. Because the exact income cutoff and GPA standard can change from one semester's announcement to the next, always verify your eligibility against the current semester's official announcement on the Korea Student Aid Foundation website before applying.

Can you receive this alongside a national scholarship?

Work-study is a separate program from the National Scholarship (Type I/II), with a different purpose, so many students receive both. A national scholarship reduces the burden of tuition, while work-study creates income, in the nature of living expenses, in exchange for labor. That said, detailed restrictions on receiving both can vary by school or program type, so if you're planning to apply for both, it's safer to check your specific case with your school's scholarship office.

What happens if you're injured on the job, or if you don't end up receiving it

Injuries do happen to work-study students, whether on-campus or off. Even with work-study status, if the arrangement has the substance of an employment relationship, you need to check whether workers' compensation applies -- and as with other government-backed programs, like the Didimssiat savings account where the government matches monthly deposits, the specific rules vary by program type and placement institution. Before starting work, ask both the safety manager at your assigned institution and your school's work-study office whether workers' compensation coverage applies.

Work-study is also money you have to earn, so falling short on attendance or hours worked means you're paid that much less. In this respect, it differs in character from a loan like the income-contingent student loan, which you have to repay later. Work-study doesn't need to be repaid, but you only receive what you actually worked for; a student loan gives you a lump sum up front, but repayment kicks in once your post-graduation income crosses a threshold. It's worth understanding that difference and choosing the program that fits your situation.

Placement and pay -- the practical details to track

Being selected as a work-study student doesn't mean you can immediately start working wherever you'd like. Typically, the school's work-study office assigns your placement based on on-campus demand and your class schedule, and for off-campus placements, you're assigned to a local government office, public institution, or company that has an agreement with your school. If you have a preferred field, many programs let you note it when you apply, before the semester starts, so it's worth not leaving that field blank -- and since your placement determines which wage bracket (on-campus vs. off-campus) actually applies, check which one you were assigned as soon as you get the notice. Once you start working, it's also worth confirming for yourself that your logged hours match what you were actually paid for. If a workplace has you working beyond the hour cap, or if payment is delayed, raise it with your school's work-study office first; if it isn't resolved, you can escalate it through the student grievance channel.

Checklist

1. Confirm on the Korea Student Aid Foundation website whether you meet the income bracket (8-9 or below) and previous-semester GPA (C or higher) requirements.
2. Check whether your placement is on-campus or off-campus to calculate your applicable wage (10,320 won / 12,790 won).
3. During the semester, confirm the monthly cap (35 hours on-campus, 50 hours off-campus); during breaks, confirm the 8-hours-a-day, 40-hours-a-week cap (all treated as off-campus).
4. Check with your school's scholarship office whether you can receive this alongside a national scholarship or other program.
5. Before starting work, confirm whether workers' compensation applies with both your placement institution and your school.