Taiwan Scholarship: The Complete Guide 2027

Where the 2027 cycle stands (October 2026)

The next intake starts in September 2027, and the application windows open over the coming months. The TaiwanICDF Scholarship is first: its 2027 applications run from 1 December 2026 to 15 March 2027. For the MOE Taiwan Scholarship, each Taiwan representative office must publish its local guidelines by 31 January 2027, and the application period is in principle 1 February to 31 March 2027 — but your local office can set an earlier closing date. Huayu Enrichment Scholarship deadlines are also set by each office and usually fall in January or February.

Taiwan runs three main scholarship programs for international students. Each one has different funding, different eligibility, and a completely different application process. Most students who struggle with Taiwan scholarship applications are confused because they have mixed up details from all three.

Citizens of Taiwan's diplomatic allies have a further route: the MOFA Taiwan Scholarship, run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the same overseas missions. It pays NTD 33,000 a month for degree study (NTD 28,000 during a language year) plus economy flights. This guide focuses on the three programs above.

All three Taiwan government scholarships are for foreign nationals only. ROC (Taiwan) citizens and overseas compatriot students are excluded, and students from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao are not eligible for the MOE programs. Beyond that, each program has its own criteria — see the full eligibility guide for the complete breakdown.

The MOE Taiwan Scholarship is genuinely broad — if you are a foreign national with strong grades and are not already enrolled at a Taiwan university (unless you are in your final year and moving up a level), you are likely eligible to apply. TaiwanICDF restricts applicants to a specific list of partner countries, and also restricts you to a fixed list of programs (32 in the 2026 guidebook).

The Admission-Scholarship Separation: How It Actually Works

This is the part that catches people off guard every year. Here is the actual MOE sequence for the 2027 intake:

1. 1
   1 Feb – 31 Mar 2027

   Apply for the scholarship

   Submit your scholarship application to your local TECO or overseas mission, inside its local window. Documents include transcripts, language certificates, two recommendation letters, proof that you have applied to a Taiwan university and anything else your office asks for, often a study plan.

2. 2
   At the same time

   Apply to Taiwan universities

   Apply directly to Taiwan universities yourself. University application seasons usually overlap with the scholarship window. Some universities have rolling admissions; others have specific deadlines.

3. 3
   By 31 May 2027

   Scholarship results announced

   In principle, your representative office tells primary candidates and waiting-list candidates their result by 31 May. This is separate from university admission.

4. 4
   By 30 June 2027

   Submit your admission letter

   You must give your official university admission letter to the representative office by 30 June. If you are not admitted to a university, the scholarship is revoked and passes to the next person on the waiting list.

5. 5
   September 2027

   Arrive in Taiwan

   The scholarship year starts on 1 September. Enroll, register for your ARC, activate insurance and wait for the first stipend payment.

MOE and TaiwanICDF both cover tuition, but with different caps and structures. Monthly stipends differ by level. See the full benefits breakdown for everything line by line. The short version:

TOCFL is Taiwan's Mandarin proficiency test. Here is the actual MOE rule that confuses applicants:

• If you are applying for a program not fully taught in English: TOCFL Level 3 (Band B) or above is required at the time of application.
• If you are applying for a fully English-taught program: TOCFL is not required — but representative offices must give preference in selection to applicants with TOCFL Band B or higher. They may ask for TOEFL or another English proof instead.
• If your local representative office does not run TOCFL testing, you can apply without it, but you must pass Level 3 or above at your own expense by the end of your first semester in Taiwan.

The practical advice here is clear: even if you are applying for an English-taught program, take the TOCFL and submit it. It costs you a few hours and moves your file up the priority list.

See the full TOCFL guide for how to register, what the test covers, and how to prepare.

This depends entirely on which city you are in. Taipei is the most expensive. If you are in Tainan, Taichung, Hsinchu or Kaohsiung, the situation is considerably more manageable. The figures below are our estimates, not official data.

At the undergraduate stipend of NTD 15,000, covering Taipei is genuinely difficult without university dormitory housing. The graduate stipend of NTD 20,000 is more workable in non-Taipei cities. See the full living costs guide for city-by-city breakdowns and survival tips.

Renewal: What Most Students Don't Read Until It's Too Late

The Taiwan Scholarship is not automatically safe for the whole degree. Each year your university reviews your academic performance and conduct by 28 February and reports the result. The minimum semester averages are:

• Undergraduate: an average of at least 70/100 every semester.
• Graduate: an average of at least 80/100 every semester. If your university or department sets a higher bar, that applies instead.
• Fall below your university’s standard in one semester and payments are suspended for a month; fall below it in two consecutive semesters and the scholarship is revoked from the next semester.

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