Taiwan is rapidly becoming a top destination for international students due to its semiconductor dominance, democratic society, and low cost of living. The Ministry of Education (MOE) Taiwan Scholarship is the primary tool the government uses to attract degree-seeking students from around the world.
Quick Overview
Full Requirements & Details
Academic Requirements
- Min. CGPA
- 3.0
- Offer Degrees
- Bachelors, Masters, PhD
- Subjects
- Agriculture, Arts, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, History, Law, Mathematics, Medicine, Physics, Psychology
- Seats Available
- Hundreds annually
- Study Gap Allowed
- No Restrictions (Gap Allowed)
- Research Publication
- Optional
- Work Experience
- No
- Age Range
- No Age Limit
Language Requirements
- IELTS
- Optional
- TOEFL
- Optional
- GRE
- Not Required
- Local Language
- Mandarin
- Local Lang Test
- Optional (TOCFL Band B)
- Study Languages
- Mandarin, English
Financial Details
- Type
- Full
- Fund Details
- Tuition coverage up to NT$40,000 per semester + monthly stipend (NT$15,000 undergrad, NT$20,000 grad).
- Monthly Stipend
- TWD 20000/mo
- Tuition
- Partial
- Living Costs
- Full
- Travel & Health
- No / None
- Application Fee
- Free (No Application Fee)
- Spouse Allowed
- No
What Matters Most
Required Documents
Why You Should Apply
It offers a very solid financial foundation. You receive a monthly living allowance of NT$15,000 for undergraduates and NT$20,000 for Master’s/PhD students, which is perfectly sufficient to cover dorm rent, food, and transport in Taipei (and goes even further in southern cities like Tainan). The MOE also pays up to NT$40,000 per semester directly to your university for tuition.
Application Process
You must execute two completely separate processes simultaneously. First, you apply for admission directly to the Taiwanese university of your choice. Second, you apply for the MOE Scholarship through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in your home country.
If you win the scholarship but the university rejects you, the scholarship is voided.
How to Win This Scholarship
The massive catch is the tuition cap. The MOE only covers up to NT$40,000 per semester. If your tuition is NT$60,000, you have to pay the remaining NT$20,000 out of pocket.
To avoid this, you must strategically select your university. Many top universities (like National Taiwan University or National Cheng Kung University) have agreements with the MOE where the university will absorb the remainder of the tuition if it exceeds NT$40,000. Always email the target university's international office to confirm if they 'top up' the MOE scholarship.
Furthermore, submitting a TOCFL (Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language) certificate, even for an English-taught program, gives you a massive advantage with the TECO review board.
Benefits After Completing Study
Taiwan desperately wants to retain foreign talent. Upon graduation, you are eligible for an extended job-seeking visa, and the points system for permanent residency heavily favors individuals holding degrees from Taiwanese universities.
Do not submit HSK (Mainland China's language test) scores. Taiwan uses traditional characters and exclusively recognizes the TOCFL exam. If you apply for a Mandarin-taught program, TOCFL Band B is a hard requirement.
Official Source
For complete details and to verify all requirements, please refer to the scholarship provider's official website.
Visit Official Source