Study Abroad Program sent 60,000 students to 90 countries: MOE

• By Rachel Lin and Hollie Younger / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Ministry of Education’s (MOE) Study Abroad Program has enabled nearly 60,000 Taiwanese students to study abroad and participate in international internships in more than 90 countries in the past 18 years, ministry data showed.

The program has broadened the horizons of young Taiwanese, promoted international exchanges and provided invaluable work experience opportunities, the ministry said.

Most students went to the US and Japan, but some have gone as far afield as Serbia and Uganda, it said.

Photo: Taipei Times

The ministry is accepting applications from universities and colleges that wish to join the program and nominate students until midnight on March 31.

The policy encompasses four key programs: the MOE Feiyang Scholarship, the MOE XiZhu Scholarship, the Building Dreams in the Academic Sea program and the New Southbound Dream-building at Sea Program, International and Cross-strait Education Department Director-General Lin Hsiao-ying (林曉瑩) said.

The MOE Feiyang Scholarship and the XiZhu Scholarship allow universities and colleges to select exceptional students to study abroad for a duration of one semester to one academic year, she said.

The Building Dreams in the Academic Sea program and the New Southbound Dream-building at Sea Program send selected students to intern in overseas companies and organizations for at least 30 days, or 25 days for programs in Indonesia, she added.

All programs include scholarships and bursaries, including a return economy-class flight from Taiwan and a stipend to help with living expenses, she said.

For the Feiyang Scholarship, students can receive between NT$50,000 and NT$300,000 from the ministry to cover the flight, living expenses and tuition fees, which is adjusted according to the budget for that year and the recommending school, she said.

To encourage students from disadvantaged economic and social backgrounds to apply, this year the ministry would increase the scholarship amount and number of places open for eligible students to the XiZhu Scholarship, she added.

All universities and colleges in Taiwan are eligible to apply for the Study Abroad Program on the official Web site by submitting a project proposal and a selection of exceptional students, following which the ministry would review applications and approve subsidy amounts for each school.