Stipend does not equal a free ride
The monthly stipend covers living costs, not tuition. Tuition is handled separately, with a cap of NTD 40,000 per semester. If your program costs more — and many do — you pay the difference yourself. This surprises a lot of first-year scholarship holders.
MOE Taiwan Scholarship — What It Covers
The MOE Taiwan Scholarship is made up of two separate parts that operate independently. The monthly living stipend is paid directly to you. The tuition assistance is paid to your university, but only up to a fixed ceiling.
Paid monthly for the full duration of your undergraduate program.
Graduate-level stipend, regardless of field or institution.
MOE pays up to this amount per semester directly to your university. Any tuition above this is your responsibility.
Duration limits
The MOE scholarship has a per-degree duration and a lifetime cumulative cap:
- Bachelor's: up to 4 years (8 semesters)
- Master's: up to 2 years (4 semesters)
- PhD: up to 4 years (8 semesters)
- Lifetime cumulative maximum: 5 years total across all Taiwan government scholarships
The lifetime cap is cumulative, not per scholarship
If you held the MOE scholarship for 2 years for a master's degree, then apply again for a PhD, you only have 3 years of MOE support available — not a fresh 4 years. Previous years of any Taiwan government scholarship count toward this 5-year total.
What MOE does NOT cover
- Accommodation — you arrange and pay for housing yourself (university dormitories or off-campus)
- Airfare — no flight reimbursement
- Health insurance — you are required to enroll in Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) after arrival; the premium is not covered
- Living expenses above the stipend — the NTD 15K–20K stipend is the entirety of the living allowance
- Tuition above NTD 40,000 per semester — you top this up yourself
- Language preparatory programs — if you need a Mandarin language year before your degree, this is typically at your own cost under MOE
TaiwanICDF Scholarship — What It Covers
The ICDF scholarship is noticeably more comprehensive than MOE. It is closer to a fully-funded package, and it handles significantly more logistics on your behalf.
Monthly living stipend paid throughout your program.
Slightly higher rate for doctoral candidates.
Beyond the monthly stipend, ICDF covers several items that MOE leaves to the student:
Full tuition — no cap
ICDF covers 100% of tuition for your assigned program. There is no NTD 40K ceiling. If your program costs NTD 80K per semester, ICDF covers it entirely.
On-campus dormitory accommodation
ICDF arranges and covers dormitory accommodation for the scholarship period. You do not need to find or pay for housing independently.
Round-trip airfare (economy class)
ICDF reimburses or arranges economy-class airfare from your home country to Taiwan at the start and end of your scholarship. One trip each way.
Health insurance / NHI enrollment assistance
ICDF assists with enrollment and covers or subsidizes health insurance costs, depending on your program arrangement.
Settlement allowance
A one-time initial settlement allowance is provided when you arrive in Taiwan to help cover initial setup costs.
ICDF programs are fixed — you cannot choose your university freely
The comprehensive funding comes with a significant trade-off: you can only study one of the 32 pre-specified programs at 18 designated ICDF partner universities. You cannot apply for an ICDF scholarship and then choose NTU or NTHU on your own — the program and institution are set by ICDF's list.
Huayu Enrichment Scholarship (HES) — What It Covers
The Huayu HES is simpler than the degree scholarships. It is a language stipend, not a degree package.
Some country TECO offices issue slightly different rates. Verify the exact amount with your local TECO when applying. Duration options: 2, 3, 6, 9, or 12 months. The stipend is all you receive — no tuition coverage, no accommodation, no flights.
The HES does not pay tuition. Mandarin Language Centers charge their own fees, and you pay those directly. The monthly stipend is meant to cover your living expenses while you study Mandarin full time.
Side-by-Side: What Each Scholarship Actually Pays
| Benefit | MOE | ICDF | HES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly stipend | NTD 15K–20K | NTD 18K–20K | NTD 25K |
| Tuition | Up to NTD 40K/semester | Full tuition (no cap) | Not included |
| Accommodation | Not covered | Dormitory provided | Not covered |
| Airfare | Not covered | Round trip economy | Not covered |
| Health insurance | You pay NHI premium | Covered / assisted | You pay NHI premium |
| University choice | Your choice | Fixed 18 universities | Your choice of MLC |
| Program level | Bachelor's / Master's / PhD | Master's / PhD only | Language only |
One Thing That Catches People Off Guard
The stipend is paid in Taiwan New Dollars. The current exchange rate matters. At a rate of roughly USD 1 = NTD 32, the NTD 20,000 monthly graduate stipend equals approximately USD 625. This is workable for Taiwan's cost of living — rent in Taipei for a shared room runs NTD 7,000–12,000 per month, and meals at campus canteens cost NTD 60–120 — but it leaves very little margin if you are also covering tuition overages.
Budget tip from students who have been through it
Students consistently recommend applying to universities outside Taipei — in Hsinchu, Taichung, Tainan, or Kaohsiung — where rent is significantly lower and the stipend stretches further. NTU and NTHU are prestigious choices, but Taipei living costs can consume 60–70% of the stipend on accommodation alone.