Taiwan Ministry of Education Scholarship for ASEAN Students: How It Differs From ICDF

Two different scholarships, two different purposes

Taiwan runs two well known scholarship routes for international students: the Ministry of Education (MOE) Taiwan Scholarship and the TaiwanICDF scholarship. Both pay for study in Taiwan, but they come from different government bodies, target different applicant pools, and suit different ASEAN students.

Who qualifies

The MOE Taiwan Scholarship opens to citizens of countries that maintain substantive relations with Taiwan, a broader category that covers all 11 ASEAN countries through Taiwan's representative offices in the region. Your government does not need formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan for you to apply.

The ICDF scholarship works differently. It prioritizes nationals of Taiwan's diplomatic allies, none of which sit in ASEAN, and extends a smaller number of places to partner countries where ICDF runs development cooperation projects. This makes ICDF eligibility for ASEAN applicants narrower and more dependent on which cooperation agreements are active in a given year.

How you apply

Funding structure

MOE scholarship funding sets duration caps by degree level, commonly up to one year for a Mandarin Training Program, up to four years for a bachelor's degree, up to two years for a master's degree, and up to four years for a doctoral degree. The scholarship generally combines a tuition waiver with a monthly stipend, though exact amounts change from year to year, so confirm the current figures on your representative office's scholarship notice before you plan your budget.

ICDF scholarship funding usually bundles tuition, a stipend, and housing or travel support tied to a specific program cohort rather than an open duration cap. Because ICDF designs its scholarships around cooperation projects, some awards carry an expectation that you apply what you learn back in your home country after graduation.

Mandarin requirements

MOE scholarship recipients without Mandarin proficiency commonly need to complete a Mandarin Training Program before or during their degree, unless they enroll in a fully English-taught program. Many ICDF-affiliated programs run entirely in English by design, since ICDF partner universities built these tracks specifically for international students without a Chinese language background, though some programs still include Chinese classes alongside the main coursework.

Which route suits which student

Choose the MOE Taiwan Scholarship if you want flexibility in university and field choice and your country does not have an active ICDF cooperation program in your area of interest. Choose the ICDF scholarship if your field matches its development focus and your country appears as an eligible partner for the intake you are targeting. Check both the Taiwan representative office in your country and the current TaiwanICDF partner list before deciding, since eligibility and available places shift between intakes.

Academic requirements

Both scholarships expect a solid academic record, but MOE reviews each application against the standards of the specific Taiwanese university you apply to, since the university handles your degree admission alongside the scholarship. ICDF reviews your application against its own selection panel first, since your degree admission and scholarship decision move through TaiwanICDF rather than the university admissions office alone. Expect both routes to ask for transcripts, recommendation letters and a statement of purpose, with ICDF often adding a formal interview stage.

Two example profiles

A student aiming for a business degree at a university of their choice, with no strong tie to a specific development field, fits the MOE route better, since MOE funding works with almost any accredited Taiwanese university and does not require a development-focused program. A student with an agriculture or public health background, aiming to return home and apply that training in a national development role, fits the ICDF route better if their country sits on the eligible partner list, since ICDF designs its scholarships specifically around that kind of career path.

Renewal and continuation

Both scholarships expect you to maintain good academic standing to keep your funding each year, though the review process differs. MOE scholarship recipients report to their university, which confirms continued funding based on your grades and progress. ICDF scholarship recipients report through their host university and TaiwanICDF together, since ICDF tracks progress against the cooperation project or field the scholarship supports. Losing good standing risks a funding review or, in serious cases, losing the scholarship partway through your degree, so keep in contact with your program coordinator if your grades slip.

Which office to contact first

Start with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office or Taiwan's representative office in your country if you are unsure which scholarship fits your plans, since staff there field questions on both MOE and general study-in-Taiwan options. Contact TaiwanICDF directly, rather than the representative office, if your field connects clearly to development cooperation and you want to check the current eligible-country list for your nationality. Comparing both options before you commit your application effort saves you from preparing a full file for a scholarship that does not match your background. Ask each office directly which universities and programs currently hold open scholarship places for your nationality, since availability shifts between intakes and neither list stays fixed year to year.