Introduction to the Ministry of Education Taiwan Scholarship Program

February 2013
Ministry of Education
Republic of China (Taiwan)

I. Purpose
To promote academic exchange and to strengthen the relations between Taiwan and the Philippines.

II. Quota
Taiwan grants scholarship to ten (10) Filipinos to study M.A. or Ph.D. in Taiwan universities.

III. Amount of Scholarships
A monthly stipend of NT$30,000 (approximately P44,000) for a postgraduate degree program.
Recipients are responsible for their own expenses.

IV. Duration of Award 
Award period in terms of study programs

1. Master’s program: maximum 2 years.
2. Doctoral program: maximum 3 years.

Upon completion of the study, scholar must submit a Report of Completion, a school report, permanent residence mailing address to the Language Center where he is enrolled and a copy of the documents to the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines. The scholar authorizes the Ministry of Education to publish the Report of Completion.
Annual Award Period
Annual award periods are from September 1 through August 31 of the following year. Recipients must matriculate within the award period. If recipients fail to arrive in Taiwan to study during this period, their award status will be cancelled and cannot be extended for another year.
Expiration of Award
All awards will end by the last month of their specified award period.  However, if recipients graduate, drop out, are expelled from their institutions, violate R.O.C. laws, are given any major demerits, or their scholarships are revoked, whichever comes first, the award will be terminated.

V. Eligibility
An applicant must meet all of the following criteria:

1. Be of 18 years of age or older, a college graduate or above, has an excellent academic performance in his/her most recent formal educational study experience and be of good moral character.
2. Is not a R.O.C.(Taiwan) national.
3. Has never enrolled at any educational institution in Taiwan for the same level of degree or LEP that he/she plans to matriculate at.
4. Is not an exchange student in accordance with an agreement of cooperation between an international university/college and an educational institute in Taiwan, at the time of receiving a Taiwan Scholarship.
5. Has never received an award under this scholarship program.
6. Is not a recipient of any other scholarship or subsidy offered by the Taiwan government or any other educational institutions in Taiwan.
7. Applicants should apply directly for admission within the deadlines specified by each university/college listed in the “Association of Taiwan Scholarship Program Schools” (see Appendix 1). Applications for admission outside of the universities/colleges participating in the Taiwan Scholarship Program are automatically disqualified and will not be returned.

VI. Application and Selection Process 
For the application, the applicant must send completed documents to Press Division, Taipei Economic & Cultural Office, 41st Floor, Tower 1, RCBC Plaza, 6819 Ayala Avenue, Makati City before April 15.

Application documents: A complete application must include the following materials:

1. One copy of the completed application form.
2. One photocopy of applicant’s passport or other nationality certificates.
3. One certified true copy of the highest-level diploma and complete grade transcript with CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) indicated.
4. Proof of application to a university in Taiwan (e.g. school acknowledgment receipt of application for admission in language training centers or for a degree program at universities/colleges in Taiwan, or courier receipt).
5. Two (2) Letters of Recommendation from previous or current University Professors and/or Employers.
6. A photocopy of a certificate of the “Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language” (TOCFL) level 3 or above if the program’s medium of instruction is in Mandarin.

Selection priority for these scholarships will be given to those who intend to undertake a degree program and have successfully received admission to a university/college.

Interview: 
Qualified applicants will be required to come for an interview by the end of April.

VII. Renewal
To review recipients’ award qualifications for the next academic year, individual universities/ colleges will conduct an evaluation process regarding the Taiwan Scholarship award status for renewal by February 28 of each year.
Each educational institution may set their own grading criteria for the required passing minimum academic average for each semester, or may employ the current grading criteria, 70 for graduate/postgraduates.
For recipients in the 3rd year of their doctoral programs, this evaluation should be conducted in accordance with the regulations of their individual institutions, since systems vary from discipline to discipline, in terms of requirements for session credits and scheduling of the writing of their dissertations.

VIII. Suspension and Revocation 

(I) Suspension
A. Degree Programs:
If a recipient fails to achieve a specified minimum academic average for a semester, his/her stipends will be suspended for one month.
If a recipient fails to achieve a specified minimum academic average for two consecutive semesters, he/she will be permanently disqualified from receiving any Taiwan Scholarship awards, effective from September, of the next academic year.

(II) Revocation
A recipient may be permanently disqualified from receiving a Taiwan scholarship and the remaining stipends will be cancelled, if one of the following situations arises:

1. Failure to submit at the time of matriculation for each study term/quarter, an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) with the reason “Pursuing Studies,” by the deadlines as specified by his/her university/college.
2. Failure during the annual renewal evaluation of his/her Taiwan scholarship.
3. Failure to submit a photocopy of acceptable English /TOP proficiency certificate to the university/college, depending on the language of instruction, when transferring to a new program of study.
4. Dropping out, being expelled from school, violating R.O.C. laws, or being imposed with any major demerits.
5. Being simultaneously in receipt of another scholarship or subsidy offered by the Taiwan government or educational institutions.

IX. Transfer 
After studying for a semester/term/quarter at a university/college or a Mandarin training center, a recipient may be allowed to transfer once during the course of a degree/LEP program if the pertinent educational institutions approve this request.
Degree pursuers asking for a transfer to a new institution or program of study must submit to the new institution a photocopy of their English proficiency/TOP certificates, depending on the language of instruction in class.

X.  Health Insurance
It is mandatory that recipients participate in Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Program. Insurance fees can be deducted by the educational institutions from the monthly stipend before being granted to recipients.
Please be reminded, however, that since students will only be obligated to join National Health Insurance Plan around or during their 5th month in Taiwan, it is recommended that recipients purchase health/medical and other relevant insurance before their departure to cover their first 4 or 5 months.