Introduction

What if you could pursue a master’s or PhD in Public Health or Engineering in Taiwan—fully funded, with a monthly stipend, travel covered, and no IELTS requirement? That sounds ideal, especially for students in Africa and Asia seeking world-class training aligned with development goals.

The Taiwan ICDF (International Cooperation and Development Fund) International Higher Education Scholarship Program already offers generous support to international students from partner countries. It covers tuition, accommodation, insurance, and allowances, and supports fields like Public Health, Engineering, Agriculture, etc.

However, the “no IELTS” promise is more speculative: many Taiwan ICDF calls ask for proof of English proficiency or a “Medium of Instruction” certificate.

In this guide, you’ll find:

• What the ICDF scholarship currently offers (benefits, fields, stipend)

• What parts of the “no IELTS + fully funded + travel + fields” claim hold up

• A step-by-step guide to applying (especially as a newbie)

• Key insights, strategies, and pitfalls

• A strong structure for your statement of purpose / application essay

• FAQs

• A conclusion with a call to action

If you want to land one of these scholarships in 2026, this post is your playbook.

What Taiwan ICDF Scholarships Currently Offer

Before judging the claim, let’s look at what we do know about ICDF’s scholarship program, its coverage, and requirements.

ICDF Scholarship overview

• The Taiwan ICDF International Higher Education Scholarship Program supports students from developing and partner countries to study in Taiwan at Master’s and PhD levels.

• In 2025, ICDF offered 29 English‐taught programs across a set of partner universities, including fields like Public Health, Medicine, Engineering, Agriculture, Business.

• The scholarship does cover multiple elements of living and study: tuition, housing, insurance, textbooks, credit fees, and monthly stipend.

• The stipend rates are published: NT$15,000/month for Master’s, NT$17,000/month for PhD students.

• Travel support is included in the scholarship: a round-trip economy class ticket for the most direct route to and from Taiwan.

• The application window in 2025 was December 1, 2024 to March 15, 2025.

So, many of the claimed benefits are indeed part of existing ICDF packages—monthly stipend, travel, tuition, housing, insurance—but “no IELTS” is more conditional.

Claim vs Reality — What Holds Up and What Is Conditional

To help you separate expectation from fact, here’s a comparison table:

So overall, much of the claim is anchored in reality, especially in the 2025 ICDF package. The “no IELTS” promise is less guaranteed and depends on the applicant’s prior education and ICDF/university assessment.

Why the Taiwan ICDF Scholarship Is Attractive (Especially in Africa & Asia)

Here are the key advantages (and opportunities) of ICDF scholarships for students from Africa and Asia:

1. Remove financial barriers
   With tuition, housing, stipend, travel, and insurance covered, you can focus entirely on research or coursework without juggling part-time work.

2. International exposure & research networks
   Taiwan is an advanced region for technology, engineering, public health, and innovation, giving scholarship recipients access to labs, collaboration, and cross-Asia networks.

3. English-taught programs
   Many ICDF partner programs are fully in English, reducing language barriers and broadening accessibility.

4. Return & development orientation
   ICDF expects scholars to bring their skills home and contribute to their countries’ development. This ensures alignment with national projects and sustainable impact.

5. Wide field coverage
   ICDF covers several fields beyond public health—Engineering, Agriculture, Environmental Science, etc.—giving you flexibility in academic discipline.

6. Prestige boost
   Being an ICDF scholar carries prestige in many home-country institutions, government, NGOs, and academia.

Because such scholarships are rare, being ready early gives you an edge.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Apply (Beginner’s Roadmap)

Below is a step-by-step plan you can follow to prepare your application for the ICDF scholarship in 2026 (or upcoming cycles).

Step 1: Monitor ICDF’s official announcements (Months –12 to –9)

• Regularly check the Taiwan ICDF website and the “Apply Now” page

• Download the latest ICDF Scholarship Guidebook PDF when released (it lists eligible programs, partner universities, and rules)

• Take note of the application window (likely Dec to March based on prior years)

Step 2: Select your field and partner university (Months –9 to –6)

• From the guidebook’s “Programs Available” list, choose Public Health or Engineering programs taught in English. (2025 listing includes e.g. Public Health / Medicine PhD at National Yang Ming / Taipei Medical University)

• Ensure the university is in the ICDF partner program list.

Step 3: Prepare documents & ensure language eligibility (Months –6 to –3)

• Academic transcripts, diplomas, certificates

• Two letters of recommendation

• Study / research proposal

• Autobiography / statement of purpose

• Passport copy

• Proof of English proficiency or MOI / certificate from previous institution (if your degree was taught in English) — some ICDF calls accept this instead of IELTS/TOEFL

• Submission of the university application and ICDF scholarship application (often dual application)

Step 4: Fill and submit application (Months –3 to 0)

• Submit online via ICDF’s scholarship portal (e.g. web.icdf.org.tw) before the deadline

• Ensure your university application is accepted or underway

• Confirm all supporting documents are valid, translated if needed, and authenticated via embassy as required

Step 5: Wait for selection & confirm acceptance

• ICDF + university will evaluate candidates (often by June)

• If selected, review the scholarship offer, confirm acceptance

• Prepare for visa, travel, orientation to Taiwan

Step 6: Upon acceptance, plan logistics & arrival

• Arrange travel (ICDF provides round-trip economy ticket)

• Confirm dormitory / housing assignment

• Ensure health/accident insurance is covered

• Prepare study plan and research schedule

Key Insights & Strategic Tips

• Apply early & don’t wait — many applicants delay or miss the December–March window.

• Strong proposals win — in Public Health / Engineering, emphasize real-world impact, data, policy relevance.

• Demonstrate English readiness — even if no IELTS is required, show your English skills (writing sample, coursework in English)

• Choose programs aligned with development goals — e.g. health systems, epidemiology, biomedical engineering — these resonate with ICDF’s mission

• Multiple funding options — even if you get ICDF, apply for other scholarships or grants to supplement

• Carefully follow instructions — ICDF and universities often reject for procedural mistakes

• Prepare to return / impact home country — your commitment to use knowledge locally is key in selection

Sample Statement / Proposal Structure

Here’s a recommended outline you can adapt for Public Health or Engineering:

1. Hook / Motivation
   Start with a real health or technical challenge in your country (e.g. outbreak, infrastructure gap, energy, water).

2. Background & gap
   Describe existing literature, technology or health system gaps and why they matter in your region.

3. Your preparation & experience
   Your academic degrees, research projects, internships, technical skills, fieldwork, engineering labs, etc.

4. Research objectives / innovation
   State specific aims, hypotheses, scope of your proposed study or development.

5. Methodology / approach
   Describe methods, data sources, experiments, surveys, simulation, modeling, instrumentation, etc.

6. Why Taiwan / ICDF / this university
   Explain why you selected Taiwan, this partner university, their facilities, and how ICDF’s mission aligns.

7. Impact & translation
   How will your findings or technology translate to your home country or region? Policy, public health, infrastructure, capacity building.

8. Funding / resource needs
   Justify stipend, materials, travel, field or lab costs.

9. Conclusion / commitment to return
   Reaffirm your motivation, readiness, and plan to contribute locally.

Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them