Thirty-two Vietnamese students have been awarded full scholarships from Taiwan, chosen from a highly competitive pool of 250 applicants—the most selective rate ever. The majority of these students will study in Taiwan's renowned fields, including science, engineering, healthcare, and social sciences. The scholarships were presented at a ceremony hosted by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Ho Chi Minh City.
The scholarship is the most prestigious one available to Vietnamese students and scholars in Taiwan. Recipients receive TWD 40,000 (US$1,237) per semester to cover tuition, along with a monthly living allowance of TWD 15,000. Additionally, master's and doctoral students receive extra support of TWD 20,000. To apply, candidates must submit transcripts, recommendation letters, proof of admission to a Taiwanese institution, a study plan, and a TOCFL score of 3 or higher (or a minimum IELTS score of 5.5 or an equivalent for programs conducted in English).
Han Kuo-Yao, Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Ho Chi Minh City, noted that this year saw 250 applications—the highest number since the scholarship was first awarded in 2006. All applicants had excellent academic records, with an average score of 8 or higher, and some achieving near-perfect scores. "We hope that after completing their studies, many students will return and contribute to the development of Vietnam", Kuo-Yao said.
In addition, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Ho Chi Minh City awarded 24 Mandarin language scholarships (HES) in this round. Each recipient will receive sponsorship for 3 to 12 months of Mandarin language study at universities and colleges. This year, the number of full scholarship recipients increased by two, while the Mandarin language scholarships rose by eight compared to last year. According to statistics from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam leads in the number of international students in Taiwan, with approximately 27,000 currently enrolled.
