TaiwanICDF International Higher Education Scholarship

The TaiwanICDF International Higher Education Scholarship is a fully funded government scholarship for students from partner countries to study for a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree at a partner university in Taiwan. It is funded by the International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) and run through the Taiwan International Cooperation Alliance (TICA). In 2026 the programme offered 32 programmes at partner universities, all taught in English.

Overview

The International Higher Education Scholarship Program is the TaiwanICDF’s flagship higher-education award. The TaiwanICDF works with partner universities in Taiwan to offer undergraduate, graduate and PhD programmes, and it manages the programme through the Taiwan International Cooperation Alliance (TICA), a platform set up with Taiwanese universities to run and improve the scholarship. In 2026 there were 32 programmes open for application. The award covers tuition, housing, travel, insurance, textbooks and a monthly living allowance for the full length of the programme.

Scholarship Benefits

Each recipient receives a full scholarship for the 2026 cycle, covering:

• Return economy-class airfare on the most direct flights to and from Taiwan, arranged by the TaiwanICDF.
• Housing in the student dormitories.
• Tuition fees and credit fees as required by the student’s university.
• Insurance.
• Textbook costs, for books required by instructors and approved by the director of the student’s institute.
• A monthly allowance for food and miscellaneous living expenses, paid into the student’s local bank account: NT$15,000 per month for Bachelor’s students, NT$18,000 per month for Master’s students, and NT$20,000 per month for PhD students (2026).

Funding lasts for a maximum of four years for a Bachelor’s programme and two years for a Master’s programme. The PhD funding period follows the programme’s own rules — check the current guidebook for the length that applies to your programme.

What it does NOT cover: the scholarship does not cover any other Taiwan government-sponsored scholarship held in the same academic year — a recipient may not hold another such award at the same time. Personal costs beyond the monthly allowance are the student’s own responsibility.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet all of the following conditions:

• Be a citizen of a country on the List of Countries Eligible for TaiwanICDF Scholarship, and satisfy any specific criteria set by the applicant’s own country or government of citizenship.
• Not be a national of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and not be an overseas compatriot student.
• Satisfy the admission requirements of the partner university and programme applied for.
• Be able to satisfy the requirements for a Resident Visa (Code: FS) and an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) in Taiwan.
• Not hold any other ROC (Taiwan) government-sponsored scholarship, such as the Taiwan Scholarship, in the same academic year in which the TaiwanICDF scholarship would start.
• Applicants who have already held a TaiwanICDF scholarship, MOFA’s Taiwan Scholarship or an MOE scholarship must have graduated before 31 July 2025 to apply for the 2026 cycle.
• Provide the highest-level diploma before 31 July 2026.

Bachelor’s programmes only: applications are accepted only from citizens of allied countries of ROC (Taiwan). Master’s and PhD programmes are open to citizens of any country on the eligible-countries list.

Available Fields

The 2026 programme covers 32 programmes at TICA partner universities, in the broad areas of Science and Technology, Engineering, Public Health and Medicine, Sustainable Agriculture Development, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Private Sector Development. All programmes are taught in English. Check the official programme list for the exact programmes open in the current cycle, as the list changes each year.

Required Documents

Prepare the following, as set out in the official 2026 Application Guidebook:

• The completed online application form, printed out and signed.
• A photocopy of a valid passport or other document proving nationality.
• A photocopy of the highest-level diploma and official academic transcripts.
• Proof of English proficiency — a TOEFL result or other recognised English test, or documents showing a previous course of study taught entirely in English. Applicants whose official language is English do not need to provide this; in special cases the ROC (Taiwan) Embassy, Consulate or Representative Office may assess English by interview or other testing.
• Two letters of reference.

Individual programmes or universities may ask for more — for example a CV, an autobiography and study plan, or a medical form. Check the requirements of the university you apply to.

Application Process

1. Complete the online application in the TaiwanICDF Scholarship Online Application System during the open window.
2. Apply separately to the chosen partner university and programme, before that university’s own admission deadline.
3. Submit the signed printed application together with all supporting documents to the ROC (Taiwan) Embassy, Consulate or Representative Office in your country of origin. Note that the embassy’s own submission deadline may be earlier than the TaiwanICDF deadline — check it with the mission.
4. The embassy reviews and recommends applicants; the TaiwanICDF and the partner university make the final selection. Recipients are announced in principle no later than 30 June each year.

Important Dates

Event	Date
Applications open (2026 cycle)	1 December 2025
Application deadline (2026 cycle)	15 March 2026
Highest-level diploma to be provided by	31 July 2026

Applications for the 2026 round closed on 15 March 2026. Dates for the next cycle have not been published yet — check the official page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the TaiwanICDF scholarship cover?

For the 2026 cycle it covers return airfare, dormitory housing, tuition and credit fees, insurance, textbook costs and a monthly allowance of NT$15,000 for Bachelor’s students, NT$18,000 for Master’s students and NT$20,000 for PhD students.

Who can apply?

Citizens of countries on the TaiwanICDF eligible-countries list who meet the partner university’s admission requirements. Bachelor’s programmes accept applications only from citizens of allied countries of ROC (Taiwan).

Do I apply to the university as well as to the TaiwanICDF?

Yes. You complete the TaiwanICDF online application and you also apply separately to your chosen partner university before its own admission deadline.

Where do I send my documents?

Submit the signed printed application and all supporting documents to the ROC (Taiwan) Embassy, Consulate or Representative Office in your country of origin, by that mission’s deadline.

The 2026 deadline has passed. What should I do?

Prepare for the next cycle and watch the official TaiwanICDF scholarship page — no dates for the next round have been published yet.

Official source: TaiwanICDF — International Higher Education Scholarship Program