| Legislative: |
1.Established by Order Chiao-Sheng-Lien-Tzu No. 1110502725 on November 18, 2022. 2.Amended by Order Chiao-Sheng-Lien-Tzu No. 1120502331 on September 23, 2023. 3.Amended by Order Chiao-Sheng-Lien-Tzu No. 1130502264 on September 25, 2024. 4.Amended by Order Chiao-Sheng-Chiu-Tzu No. 1150501782 on July 31, 2026. |
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1.The Overseas Community Affairs Council (hereinafter referred to
as the “OCAC”) has established these Directions to encourage
top and outstanding overseas compatriot students to pursue
bachelor’s degrees at universities and colleges in Taiwan by
awarding them the Top and Outstanding Overseas Compatriot
Students Scholarships.
2.Eligibility requirements are as follows:
(1)Applicants shall be overseas compatriot students who have
graduated from a senior secondary school or an educational
institution of a higher level, have demonstrated academic
excellence and good conduct, and meet the requirements under
Article 2 of the “Regulations Regarding Study and Counseling
Assistance for Overseas Compatriot Students in Taiwan” for
pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Taiwan.
(2)Applicants under any of the following circumstances are
ineligible to apply:
A.They have retained student status at a domestic university or
college in Taiwan, or have registered and enrolled at a domestic
university or college in Taiwan.
B.They have previously studied in Taiwan in a degree program at
the same level as that for which they intend to apply.
C.They are currently studying at the Academy of Preparatory
Programs for Overseas Compatriot Students of National Taiwan
Normal University, an International Foundation Program at a
domestic university or college, or a domestic public or private
senior secondary school (including a vocational senior secondary
school), or have subsequently enrolled at a domestic university
or college after graduating from any such institution or program.
D.During their studies in Taiwan, they are exchange students or
students enrolled in dual or joint degree programs admitted
by universities or colleges in Taiwan pursuant to academic
cooperation agreements signed with foreign educational
institutions.
E.They have previously had this scholarship revoked.
F.During their studies in Taiwan, they concurrently receive tuition
and miscellaneous fee subsidies or waivers, or scholarships
or grants, provided by an R.O.C. government agency or institution.
This restriction does not apply to tuition and miscellaneous
fee subsidies or waivers, or scholarships or grants, provided
to recipients by the universities or colleges at which they
are enrolled.
3.Scholarship amounts are as follows:
(1)Scholarship for Top Overseas Compatriot Students: NT$260,000
per academic year (all monetary amounts specified below are in
New Taiwan dollars), totaling NT$1,040,000 over four years.
(2)Scholarship for Outstanding Overseas Compatriot Students:
NT$100,000 per academic year, totaling NT$400,000 over four
years.
4.Scholarship duration and the retention and termination of
scholarship eligibility are governed by the following provisions:
(1)Scholarships may be awarded for a maximum of four years.
(2)Each award period shall run from September 1 of the academic
year in which a recipient initially obtains or renews scholarship
eligibility through August 31 of the following year.
(3)If a recipient takes a leave of absence, withdraws from school,
or loses student status, the recipient’s scholarship eligibility
shall be terminated and scholarship payments discontinued. However,
a recipient taking a leave of absence due to pregnancy, childbirth,
or childcare may retain scholarship eligibility if the recipient
submits relevant supporting documents and the university or college
at which the recipient is enrolled forwards the documents to the
OCAC for approval. Upon resuming studies, the recipient may continue
to receive the scholarship in accordance with Point 11.
(4)If a recipient takes a leave of absence, withdraws from school,
or loses student status as specified in the preceding subparagraph,
the amount of scholarship funds already received for that academic
year shall be calculated on the basis of the recipient’s actual
period of enrollment. A recipient enrolled for less than one-half
of the academic year shall repay the scholarship in full; a recipient
enrolled for at least one-half but less than three-quarters of
the academic year shall repay one-half of the scholarship; and
a recipient enrolled for at least three-quarters of the academic
year shall not be required to make any repayment.
(5)Recipients shall report to their universities or colleges and
complete registration on time. Those unable to come to Taiwan
to study within the prescribed period shall be deemed to have
relinquished their scholarship eligibility.
(6)When a recipient’s transfer has been approved by both the university
or college from which the recipient intends to transfer and the
university or college to which the recipient intends to transfer,
the original university or college shall specify the category of
scholarship awarded to the recipient, the starting and ending months
and years of the award period, and the month and year of transfer,
and shall notify the recipient and the receiving university or
college in writing. The receiving university or college shall
specify the month and year in which it agrees to accept the
recipient’s transfer and shall reply in writing to the recipient
and the original university or college. Both the original and
receiving universities or colleges shall copy their correspondence
to the OCAC and the relevant Embassies and Missions abroad or an
OCAC-designated entity.
5.Applicants shall submit the following documents within the deadline
specified by the relevant Embassies and Missions abroad or by an
OCAC-designated entity accepting applications. Applications shall
be complete, and none of the documents submitted shall be returned:
(1)A scholarship application form.
(2)A photocopy of documentation proving permanent or long-term residency
in the applicant’s place of residence.
(3)Photocopies of the applicant’s highest academic credential and
academic transcripts. Documents prepared in a language other than
Chinese or English shall be accompanied by Chinese translations.
The photocopies and translations shall be authenticated by the
relevant Embassies and Missions abroad or verified by a Culture
Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office or a Recommendation
Unit Authorized by the OCAC.
(4)Two letters of recommendation from school principals, teachers,
or homeroom teachers. Each letter shall be personally signed by
the recommender and submitted in a sealed envelope.
(5)An autobiography, including a study plan.
(6)Documents prescribed by the application guidelines and
selection requirements announced pursuant to Subparagraph 1
of Point 7.
Applicants shall apply either to the Embassies and Missions abroad
in their place of residence or to an OCAC-designated entity.
Duplicate applications shall not be accepted.
6.Before the end of October each year, the OCAC shall notify the
Embassies and Missions abroad and OCAC-designated entities accepting
applications in writing and provide them with the application
guideline template for implementation.
7.The Embassies and Missions abroad and OCAC-designated entities
accepting applications and their respective responsibilities
are as follows:
(1)The OCAC shall commission the Embassies and Missions abroad or
designated entities to formulate application guidelines and selection
requirements in accordance with these Directions and the template
provided by the OCAC.They shall accept applications and conduct
scholarship selection procedures independently or in cooperation
with local governments, schools, cultural and educational institutions,
and Recommendation Units Authorized by the OCAC. Chinese-language
application guidelines for the scholarship,including information
on selection criteria, methods, and schedules, shall be announced
before the end of December each year.
(2)After announcing the application guidelines and selection requirements
referred to in the preceding subparagraph, the relevant Embassies
and Missions abroad or designated entities shall submit an
official letter to the OCAC, together with one hard copy and
one electronic copy of the Chinese-language application guidelines,
for its records.
(3)In principle, applications shall be accepted from January through
March each year. The actual application period shall be as
specified in the application guidelines announced by the relevant
Embassies and Missions abroad in the applicant’s country or
place of residence or by an OCAC-designated entity.
8.The Embassies and Missions abroad and OCAC-designated entities
accepting applications shall select scholarship recipients in
accordance with the following principles:
(1)Consideration shall be given to whether applicants can contribute
to national development and become professionals whose expertise
benefits both their home countries and the R.O.C., thereby
promoting industrial,economic, educational, and other forms of
development.
(2)Based on the applicant’s cumulative grade average for all
coursework completed at an institution equivalent to a domestic
senior secondary school or an educational institution of a
higher level before the application deadline, the minimum
requirement shall be an average score of 88 or a class ranking
within the top 5 percent for the Top Overseas Compatriot Students
Scholarship, and an average score of 85 or a class ranking within
the top 10 percent for the Outstanding Overseas Compatriot Students
Scholarship. Applicants for either scholarship shall also have
a cumulative conduct grade average of at least 80.
(3)To accommodate differences among national education systems and
grading methods, the Embassies and Missions abroad and OCAC-designated
entities accepting applications shall formulate conversion standards
for cumulative grade averages in accordance with the preceding
subparagraph and submit them to the OCAC for its records. If
conduct grades are unavailable,applicants shall be evaluated
on the basis of other forms of performance.
(4)As part of the review process, oral interviews shall be conducted
in person or by videoconference to gain an understanding of each
applicant’s personal circumstances, demeanor, courtesy, and moral
character.
(5)Priority shall be given to applicants who have passed the Test
of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) at the intermediate
level or above and obtained the corresponding certificate.
9.Provisions governing review and notification are as follows:
(1)After conducting document reviews and oral interviews, the Embassies
and Missions abroad and OCAC-designated entities accepting applications
shall select scholarship candidates and submit the review results
and ranked lists to the OCAC for approval by mid-April each year.
(2)The Embassies and Missions abroad and OCAC-designated entities
accepting applications shall forward the OCAC’s official
scholarship award letters to recipients before the end of July
each year.
(3)A recipient’s scholarship eligibility shall be canceled if any
of the following circumstances applies during the academic year
for which the scholarship is awarded:
A.The recipient does not obtain admission to a university or college.
B.The recipient is not assigned to a university or college by the
Overseas Joint Admission Committee.
C.The recipient is assigned by the Overseas Joint Admission Committee
to the Academy of Preparatory Programs for Overseas Compatriot
Students of National Taiwan Normal University.
D.The recipient is assigned to an International Foundation Program
at a domestic university or college.
(4)Within the deadline specified by the OCAC, the Embassies and Missions
abroad and OCAC-designated entities accepting applications shall
report to the OCAC any vacancies resulting from awardees relinquishing
their scholarship eligibility. The OCAC may fill such vacancies as
circumstances warrant.
10.To meet national demand for professionals in key industries, the
OCAC may reserve a portion of the scholarship quotas for designated
departments at designated domestic universities and colleges.
The relevant procedures are as follows:
(1)Each designated university or college shall formulate application
guidelines based on the template provided by the OCAC. Overseas
compatriot students who have been newly admitted to a designated
department and meet the eligibility requirements under Point 2
may apply.
(2)Overseas compatriot students applying pursuant to this Point
shall meet the required average grades in OCAC-designated subjects.
The minimum requirement shall be an average score of 88 or a
class ranking within the top 5 percent for the Top Overseas
Compatriot Students Scholarship, and an average score of 85
or a class ranking within the top 10 percent for the Outstanding
Overseas Compatriot Students Scholarship. Applicants for either
scholarship shall also have a cumulative conduct grade average
of at least 80. The provisions of Subparagraph 2 of Point 8 shall
not apply.
(3)The date on which the OCAC provides the application guideline
template,the date on which designated universities and colleges
announce their application guidelines, the application period,
the deadline for submitting recipient selection results to
the OCAC for approval, and the deadline for forwarding the OCAC’s
official scholarship award letters may be determined according
to the time required by the OCAC and the respective universities
and colleges to complete the relevant procedures. Such dates
and deadlines shall not be subject to Point 6, Point 7, or
Subparagraphs 1 and 2 of Point 9.
(4)Newly admitted overseas compatriot students accepted by a
designated department at a designated university or college
may still apply pursuant to the application guidelines of that
university or college if they previously applied for the scholarship
through the relevant Embassies and Missions abroad or another
OCAC-designated entity but did not receive an award, or if the
result of that application has not yet been determined. Such
applications shall not be subject to Paragraph 2 of Point 5.
However, applicants who receive scholarships through both channels
shall relinquish one of the awards within the deadline specified
by the OCAC.
(5)If a recipient selected pursuant to this Point transfers to a
department other than a designated department at an OCAC-designated
university or college, the recipient’s scholarship eligibility
shall be terminated.
11.Procedures governing initial scholarship disbursement, renewal
eligibility,and the review of renewal applications are as follows:
(1)A first-year recipient applying for initial scholarship disbursement
shall, after completing registration for the first academic year,
submit to the university or college photocopies of the
OCAC’s official scholarship award letter and other documents
proving scholarship eligibility.
(2)Renewal eligibility:
A.During their period of study, recipients who meet the
requirements of the preceding Point shall enroll in at least
nine credits per semester. Recipients of the Top Overseas
Compatriot Students Scholarship shall attain an academic-year
grade average of A or at least 85 and a cumulative conduct grade
average of at least 80 or the equivalent grade. Recipients of
the Outstanding Overseas Compatriot Students Scholarship shall
attain an academic-year grade average of A− or at least 80
and a cumulative conduct grade average of at least 80 or the
equivalent grade. If a recipient becomes an exchange student
during the period of study, credits and grades earned abroad
during the exchange period shall first be recognized by the
domestic university or college at which the recipient is enrolled.
B.A recipient whose grades for the preceding academic year do
not meet the standards under the preceding item may not apply
for renewal. However, the recipient may reapply in a subsequent
academic year if the grades for that year meet such standards.
(3)From the second academic year onward, recipients shall apply
to their universities or colleges for scholarship renewal by
submitting academic transcripts demonstrating compliance with
the preceding subparagraph. The universities or colleges shall
review recipients’ renewal eligibility, complete and submit
the renewal review results to the OCAC for its records, notify
the recipients, and apply for scholarship disbursement in
accordance with Point 12.
12.Funding applications and expenditure reporting:
(1)Universities and colleges shall conduct a preliminary review
of the documents prescribed in Subparagraphs 1 and 3 of the
preceding Point. After confirming that the documents comply
with the applicable requirements, they shall submit rosters of
recipients to the OCAC for its records and apply for scholarship
disbursement.
(2)Disbursement schedule: Universities and colleges shall submit
rosters of recipients to the OCAC for its records and apply for
scholarship disbursement by September 30 of each academic year.
The OCAC shall disburse the scholarship funds for that academic
year to the universities and colleges in two installments based
on the academic semesters. For the first installment, which
shall equal one-half of the scholarship award, universities
and colleges shall apply for disbursement by September 30
of that academic year. For the second installment, consisting
of the remaining funds, universities and colleges shall apply
for disbursement by March 31 of that academic year.
(3)Universities and colleges shall submit receipts or acknowledgments
of receipt to the OCAC for expenditure reporting, together
with recipients’ acknowledgments of receipt, signed payment lists,
or expenditure documentation demonstrating that the funds were
deposited into recipients’ financial accounts. The aforementioned
documents shall be submitted to the OCAC in separate installments
corresponding to the OCAC’s method of fund disbursement. The
deadline for reporting expenditures from the first installment
shall be November 10 of that academic year, and the deadline for
reporting expenditures from the second installment shall be May
15 of that academic year. Any unused balance shall be returned
together with the expenditure report.
(4)If a recipient’s scholarship eligibility is terminated or revoked,
any remaining funds shall also be returned.
13.If a recipient is found to have submitted forged application
documents or application documents containing false information,
the OCAC shall revoke the recipient’s scholarship eligibility.
Any scholarship funds already received shall be repaid, and relevant
legal liability shall be pursued according to the circumstances. |