You are here: Home / Programs / European Region / Dissertation Fellowships for ROC Students Abroad

Dissertation Fellowships for ROC Students Abroad

Doctoral candidates who are Republic of China (ROC) citizens and who are completing the last stage of their Ph.D. research at an accredited university in Europe may apply for fellowships for the completion of dissertations in the humanities and social sciences. Applicants for ROC dissertation fellowships must be doing research on topics related to Chinese culture and society, the development of the Republic of China, or Taiwan Studies. Their dissertations should cover one of the following fields: literature, history, philosophy, linguistics, art, sociology, anthropology, psychology, political science, legal studies, economics, or media studies. Only students who have graduated from an accredited university or college in the Republic of China, and who do not have foreign permanent residence status or citizenship, are eligible to apply.

Applicants should inform the Foundation if they are applying for or subsequently receive other sources of funding. Grants are available only to doctoral candidates who are neither employed full-time nor receiving grants from other sources during the grant period. Applicants should have completed all other requirements for their Ph.D. degree, and must be in the last year of their doctoral program. In principle, applicants may only apply one time. The maximum amount of each award is EUR16,800, which is given for a period extending one year. Successful candidates are expected to complete their dissertations by the end of the grant period. Funding for successful applications will begin in July. The completed thesis should not be submitted until the next calendar year.

Applications for Dissertation Fellowships will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

  1. The significance of the contribution that the proposed project will make to the advancement of research in the field of Chinese Studies.
  2. The quality or potential quality of the applicant's work, including its originality in the field of Chinese Studies.
  3. The quality of the approach, organization, and methodology of the proposed project.
  4. The likelihood that the applicant can successfully complete the entire project during the grant period.

Application Procedures

  1. Applications must be submitted to our online application database. E-mail and paper applications will not be accepted. Applications may be submitted every year from August 1 to October 15 (to start the application process, please click here).
  2. Each application should include the following steps, which includes the on-line submission of the applicant’s personal information, basic project data, and project abstract. In addition, you may only submit one PDF file. Please combine all relevant documents into a file no larger than 5 MB.

Application Materials

  1. Items to be submitted with the electronic application

    (1) A description of the proposed project in English or Chinese of no more than 7 pages in length and indicating expected date of completion.
    (2) Departmental letter demonstrating proof of candidacy
    (3) Copy of ROC passport and valid visa for country in which applicant is studying
    (4) Curriculum vitae (English and Chinese).

  2. Items to be mailed/e-mailed directly to the Foundation

    (1) Two letters of recommendation, including one by the dissertation advisor confirming that the project is in its final year, should be mailed to the Foundation’s Taipei Headquarters (submitted in sealed envelopes signed by the recommending professor). Alternatively, the professor may e-mail a PDF of the signed letter to the following e-mail address: .

Deadline

  1. The deadline for Dissertation Fellowships for ROC Students Abroad applications is October 15.
  2. Final results will be announced in early June.
  3. The Foundation does not provide reviewer’s reports.

Important Information

  1. Applicants must possess a passport from the Republic of China. Applicants with citizenship or permanent residence status in a European country are not eligible.
  2. Applicants must not accept full-time employment during the grant period, and should inform the Foundation if they are applying for or subsequently receive other sources of funding. The Foundation reserves the right to adjust the terms of the grant (including termination of the grant) should an applicant receive other sources of funding.
  3. Applicants must have graduated from an accredited university or college in the Republic of China.
  4. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited European university.
  5. Applicants must have qualified for Ph.D. candidacy and be in the last stage of writing the dissertation.
  6. Applicants must ask their dissertation adviser to include a paragraph in her/his letter of recommendation stating the likelihood that the applicant can successfully complete the dissertation during the grant period.

Contact Information

Tel : +886-2-2704-5333 ext.219
E-mail :