Ministry of Health and Welfare, MegaStudyEdu to offer free lectures to 270 underprivileged students

The Ministry of Health and Welfare and MegaStudyEdu will select more than 270 underprivileged students from the ninth through 11th grades and provide them with free access to MegaStudyEdu's online lectures starting Monday, the ministry announced Thursday.

The initiative falls under a college-entrance scholarship project for underprivileged children, with students selected based on their academic plans.

Selected students may choose any course from the full subject lineup offered by MegaStudyEdu and its affiliate M.Best, free of charge, through the end of this year.

The ministry will give all scholarship recipients a coupon worth 100,000 won ($68) to purchase study materials. MegaStudyEdu will also provide ninth-grade students among the group with a tablet PC at no cost.

Under an MOU the two sides signed in January, they will offer free lectures covering all subjects and grade levels starting this summer vacation, along with mentoring on study methods and college admissions for core subjects led by prominent instructors.

In addition, 20 of the selected students each year will receive a scholarship of 4 million won covering one semester of university tuition.