National Science and Technology Council Graduate Research Fellowship Pilot Program--NSTC Selection
- Purpose of the Program：
The program is established by the National Science and Technology Council (hereinafter referred to as NSTC), aiming to build a solid foundation of research talents and reserve talents for core strategic industries. The program awards outstanding first year Ph.D. students who have demonstrated their potential for significant research contributions and supports them to pursue full-time doctoral degree.
- Applicant Institutions：
Applicant institutions are domestic public and private universities with Ph.D. programs approved by the Ministry of Education.
- Recipient Eligibility:
First-year Ph.D. students enrolled in the first semester of their current year (including registrations in February and September).
The following individuals are not eligible to receive this fellowship:
(1) Those who are engaged in full-time paid employment in public or private sectors or who apply for admission as part-time students possessing responsibilities related to employment.
(2) Students with statuses from Hong Kong, Macau, and Mainland China.
(3) Those who have applied for leave of absence and retained their admission eligibility or have not completed registration after admission.
(4) Those who are concurrently in receipt of scholarship or subsidy offered by the ROC government.
- Maximum Number of Award:
The awards are divided into two categories: NSTC Selection and NSTC Allocation. The total number of the two is 1,000 each year, and will be adjusted based on the pilot program’s circumstances:
(1) NSTC Selection: Applicants must submit their own application materials and select key research areas through the website (log in Academic Research Service Portal: https://www.nstc.gov.tw/?l=en). NSTC conducts academic reviews, selects 400 awards in accordance with national development and talent cultivation needs.
(2) NSTC Allocation: The 600 fellowships will be allocated based on the proportion of research project funding granted by NSTC to the applicant institution in the previous four years. NSTC notifies each applicant institution accordingly. If the allocation quota is less than one, no award will be granted.
- Amount and Duration:
Each fellowship recipient will be granted a monthly stipend of NT$40,000 for a period of up to 3 years, starting from the first year of the Ph.D. program. Stipend for those who graduate less than three years shall last until the month of graduation. The entire stipend is offered by NSTC.
- Submission Period and Procedure:
(1) NSTC Selection: Applicants should log in and upload the required documents on the NSTC website within the specified period. Incomplete submission will be given a limited time for correction after the online submission. Failure to correct within the given time or incomplete corrections will result in rejection:
a. Information form
b. Research proposal
c. Academic credentials
d. Transcripts from undergraduate or higher.
e. Other review materials (such as language proficiency certificates, recommendation letters, thesis, published journal papers, conference papers, books or technical reports, awards records, relevant research outcomes, etc.).
(2) NSTC Allocation: Applying institutions should submit their institution’s administrative procedures for the fellowship based on NSTC’s specified timeline. NSTC reviews the applications based on the following criteria:
a. The fellowship quota allocation principles of all key areas.
b. Qualification, standards and review mechanism
c. Mechanism of periodical evaluation of the recipients.
d. Mechanism of follow-up of result effectiveness.
- Review Process:
(1) NSTC Selection:
a. Evaluation criteria includes the applicant’s academic performance, development potential, project participation experience, and research topic, as reviewed by experts in relevant fields.
b. The review Scoring items are as follows:
(i) Academic performance, outstanding personal achievements, development potential, and project participation experience (40%).
(ii) Completeness and feasibility of the research proposal, including topic, steps, expected completion items, and outcomes (30%)
(iii) Correlation between research capability, research expertise, and key research area (20%)
(iv) Importance of the research project to the nation’s future development (10%).
c. After the evaluation process being completed within four months from the day of the submission deadline, the selection list will be finalized and announced. The process may be extended if necessary.
(2) NSTC Allocation: NSTC reviews the fellowship regulations stipulated by the applicant institutions. Once approved, the fellowship quota will be allocated according to Article 4.
- Award Title:
The recipient will be awarded “NSTC Graduate Research Fellowship (NSTC-GRF)” title and certificate.
- Fund Disbursement:
Subsidies are distributed twice per academic year. Applicant institutions should submit separate lists of awardees for NSTC Selection and NSTC Allocation along with receipts of fund withdrawal in accordance with NSTC’s instruction.
- Performance Assessment:
NSTC reserves the right to retrieve funds from the institution if the recipient is found to be ineligible.
Applying institutions that arbitrarily withhold fellowship disbursements without adhering to their own set regulations may face deductions in research project overhead fee funded by NSTC, calculated at three times the amount of withheld fellowship funds. Additionally, depending on the severity of the situation, future fellowship quota might be reduced or revoked.
Recipients’ eligibility for fellowship renewal in each academic year is subject to review according to the regulations set by the applicant institutions. Recipients must continue to cooperate with NSTC to track their academic and research performance during their enrollment and for the first three years after graduation.
- Implementation Schedule:
This pilot program will be reviewed annually in a rolling manner to adjust its content as needed to align with policy requirements and fully realize its anticipated benefits.
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