Sejong Korea Scholars Program

The application period for the spring 2026 course is closed.

Follow SPICE on Facebook, X, and Instagram and join our email list to receive announcements for the next application period.

The Sejong Korea Scholars Program (SKSP) is a college-level online course on modern Korean history and society, with an emphasis on U.S.–Korea relations, sponsored by the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education. The SKSP selects 20–25 exceptional high school students (grades 10–12) from throughout the United States to participate each spring from February through early June. 

The program provides a broad, multi-disciplinary overview of Korean history and U.S.–Korea relations. Top scholars and experts from Stanford University and beyond provide online lectures and engage students in live discussion sessions.  

Students attend about 12 real-time, “virtual classrooms,” most held on Wednesday evenings. Coursework includes weekly reading and writing assignments, as well as an independent research project, culminating in a formal, academic paper. Final research projects will be shared with peers, and students are also asked to share with their local schools or communities.  

Students should expect to devote approximately 4 to 6 hours per week to complete the lectures, discussions, readings, assignments, and independent research. Since this is a distance-learning course, however, students can structure most of the work around their individual schedules. The SKSP is not a language course and is taught completely in English.

Students who successfully complete the course earn Stanford Continuing Studies Program credit.

In this rigorous program, students can develop expertise on Korea and U.S.–Korea relations that may have a significant impact on their choices of study and future careers. 

For more information, please see the Frequently Asked Questions or e-mail the instructor, Dr. Tanya Lee (tanyalee@stanford.edu).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
 

SKSP in the News

• "Whole Over Sum: My Sejong Korea Scholars Program Experience." September 2, 2025.
• "The Endurance of History: A Reflection on the Importance of the Sejong Korea Scholars Program." August 26, 2025.
• "Roots to Flowers: A Reflection on the Sejong Korea Scholars Program." October 1, 2024.
• "Sejong Korea Scholars Program: An Influential Force in My Life." October 17, 2023.
• "New Roots: Discovering the Intricacies of Korean Culture Through the Sejong Korea Scholars Program." October 11, 2022.
• "Academic Exploration: My Studies in the Sejong Korea Scholars Program and Korean Peninsula." March 8, 2022.
• "Highlights from the 2021 Sejong Korea Scholars Program." June 29, 2021.
• "My Experience with the Sejong Korea Scholars Program in the Midst of a Global Pandemic." September 15, 2020.
• "Coming Full Circle: The Sejong Korea Scholars Program and Stanford." September 8, 2020.
• "Conference at Stanford examines why Korea matters to American education." July 25, 2016.
• "Students honored at the 2014 Hana-Stanford Conference on Korea for U.S. secondary school teachers." August 1, 2014.
• "Sejong Korean Scholars Program honors U.S. high school students." July 25, 2013.
• "Sejong Korean Scholars Program, Stanford University: Unprecedented Online Lecture Series on Korea for American High School Students." Yonhap News. April 15, 2013.