Taiwan's economic and cultural affairs offices abroad began accepting applications for this year's Taiwan Scholarship Program yesterday. The program is aimed at providing foreign students with the opportunity to pursue their studies in Taiwan.
The scholarship program, administered by various government departments such as the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will offer a total of 510 scholarships this year.
The deadlines for applications may vary, depending on the requirements of the different representative offices, education officials said.
According to the education ministry's statistics, since the start of the scholarship program in 2004, the number of foreign students coming to Taiwan has increased.
A total of 2,853 foreign students came to Taiwan for degree studies last year, with and without scholarships, an increase over 2004, when only 1,960 students came. There were a total of 961 exchange students last year, compared with 694 in 2004, statistics show.
This year's applications will be reviewed by a selection committee appointed by economic and cultural affairs offices abroad and the finalists' applications will then be sent back to the education ministry for selection.
Successful applicants will be notified after the education ministry announces its results late next month. At that point the scholarship recipients should apply to language centers or a university in this country.
A scholarship will not be paid unless the applicant is accepted by a school, officials said.
Foreign ministry officials said they hope Taiwan will be able to broaden its foreign relations and strengthen its existing international friendships through the scholarship program.
Education centers will be established abroad to provide foreign students with information on studying in Taiwan, education ministry officials said.
Universities in this country are also being encouraged to design courses and programs for foreign students, they said.
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