MOE Short Term Research Awards (STRA) in Taiwan, 2016

Applications are invited for short term research awards (STRA) from international scholars to undertake short term research in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Approximately 20 Short Term Research Awards (STRA) awards are available each year; the actual number depends on the annual budget for the particular fiscal year. The short term research period must be for a duration of between 2 and 6 months. A Ph.D. student will receive a monthly research subsidy of NTD $25,000; a postdoctoral fellow will receive NTD $40,000. The application deadline is September 30.

Study Subject(s): The research topic area to be investigated in Taiwan must be related to Taiwanese humanities disciplines, social sciences, culture and/or arts, and/or related comparative research.
Course Level: Awards are available to undertake short term research in the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Scholarship Provider: The Ministry of Education, Republic of China (Taiwan)
Scholarship can be taken at: Republic of China (Taiwan)
Eligibility:
-An international scholar who is a Ph.D. student or a postdoctoral research fellow, with the exception of anyone currently holding an R.O.C. passport, is eligible to apply for a Short Term Research Award (abbreviated below to ‘STRA award’).
– ‘Ph.D. student’ refers to a student who is currently undertaking a doctorate program at an overseas government approved and registered public or private university or college; a ‘postdoctoral research fellow’ refers to a scholar who has been awarded a Ph.D. by any government (ROC or overseas) approved and registered public or private university or college, and is now undertaking a research project at such an overseas university, college, or institute of higher education. Priority will be given to specific research proposals by scholars who have completed a dissertation, book/s, and/or other publication/s.
Scholarship Open for International Students: International scholars (with the exception of those from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao) are eligible to apply.
Scholarship Description: The Ministry of Education (abbreviated below to ‘MOE’) has formulated these directions to encourage international scholars (with the exception of those from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao) to undertake short term research in the Republic of China (Taiwan), in order to provide them with opportunities to increase their understanding of Taiwan’s culture and society, and to promote mutual understanding and interaction between Taiwan and the international community.
Number of award(s): Approximately 20 STRA awards are available each year; the actual number depends on the annual budget for the particular fiscal year.
Duration of award(s): The short term research period must be for a duration of between 2 and 6 months. The short term research period is aligned with each fiscal year, and in principle, the research is to be undertaken between March 1 and December 31.
What does it cover? 
-A Ph.D. student will receive a monthly research subsidy of NTD $25,000; a postdoctoral fellow will receive NTD $40,000.
-Recipients will also be reimbursed for an economy class round trip airfare for the most direct route between their place of residence and Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, or Matsu. The maximum airfare subsidy available for traveling to and from Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa, or Oceania respectively will be determined in accordance with Ministry of Education regulations. Applicants are responsible for any expenses exceeding the set maximum.
Selection Criteria: Selection is based on consideration of:
-the applicant’s potential; outstanding personal performance; and ability to carry out their proposal (30%);
-the applicant’s language ability, and the academic reputation of the research institution within the applicant’s research field and its appropriateness for the proposal (30%);
-the overall quality and comprehensiveness of the research proposal (including the topic, structure, research methodology, and analysis of the issue/s), its feasibility, and the importance of the project to future development of the applicant’s home country and Taiwan (40%).
Notification: The host institution will undertake the initial review of the application and if it supports the proposal, it will assist the applicant to prepare a brief summary of their research proposal in Chinese on a single A4 sheet, and submit that and all other required documents to the MOE by November 15 the same year for further assessment and approval. The MOE will notify the host institutions of the final STRA award decisions, and the host institutions will then notify the applicants. The MOE will also send a copy of the decision to the Republic of China embassy or diplomatic mission in each successful applicant’s home country or place of residence by January 31 of the next year.
How to Apply: Applications to undertake a research project in Taiwan in the following year must be submitted to the university, college, or research organization affiliated with the Ministry of Education—such as the Center for Chinese Studies, or the National Academy for Educational Research—in Taiwan at which the applicant would like to undertake research. Applicants must submit the following documents:
-3 copies of the Application Form
-A postdoctoral fellow must provide a photocopy of their Ph.D.; a Ph.D. student must provide certification of their current enrollment and transcripts and documentary evidence of the academic programs they have completed.
-At least two letters of recommendation: one from a senior official of the institution, university, or college where the applicant is currently working or studying (for example: the president or vice-chancellor of a university, the director of an institute, dean of a college, head of a department, or head of a research institute, or a senior official from another institution or organization); another from a teaching scholar or expert in the applicant’s field. If the applicant is a Ph.D. student, a certification of their current enrollment must also be submitted.

Application Form
Scholarship Application Deadline: The deadline for submitting the form and other required documents is September 30 in the year before the intended research (they must arrive at the receiving office by September 30).

Further Official Scholarship Information and Application