Government of Taiwan-Embassy of Taiwan in Spain - Scholarships for students of Mandarin Chinese

Huayu Enrichment Scholarship (HES)

You will receive about 780 EUR per month (NT$ 28,000) to study Mandarin Chinese at a language centre in Taiwan. The money covers your course fees and living costs. You will need to cover the cost of your flights and insurance yourself. From Germany, the scholarship runs for either 6 or 12 months. The academic year runs from 1 September to 31 August. The scholarship is awarded by the Taiwanese Ministry of Education. Applications from Germany are processed by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) in collaboration with the German Mission in Taipei. The aim is to help you learn Mandarin or improve your existing skills, whilst at the same time getting to know Taiwanese culture and society.

Who can apply

• Nationality: You are a German citizen. People of other nationalities cannot apply via Germany.
• Where you study: You are taking a Mandarin course at a language centre at a university in Taiwan that is recognised by the Ministry of Education. You are responsible for registering with the centre yourself.
• Age: You must be at least 18 on 31 August of the year in which the scholarship begins.
• Education: You must hold a qualification for entry to higher education (Abitur or equivalent) by 15 June of the relevant year.
• Field of study: Open to all disciplines and professions.
• Grades: You have an excellent academic record.
• Not eligible: You are not eligible to apply if you hold a Taiwanese passport, are already enrolled at a language centre in Taiwan, have already obtained a degree from a Taiwanese university, are currently studying there as an exchange student, have already received this scholarship or a Taiwan scholarship, or are currently receiving other funding from Taiwanese government bodies.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online via the DAAD portal, which opens on 14 October. The deadline for applications for a grant commencing the following September is 25 November. There will be no interview. The decision will be made in January and will be based solely on the documents you have submitted.

How realistic are your chances?

This funding scheme is highly selective: only German nationals who wish to study Mandarin in Taiwan for 6 or 12 months and who can demonstrate excellent academic results are eligible. As a result, the pool of applicants is smaller than for open scholarships. If you clearly meet these requirements and write a compelling personal statement in which you link the language study programme to your degree course and career plans, your chances are good. Applying early and organising your admission to the language centre in good time are also advantageous.