Taiwan provides abundant scholarship opportunities for international students, and one of the most well-known scholarships is from its Ministry of Education (MOE). While the application deadline for both this scholarship and GMBA is in March, let’s listen to my sharing as a 2021 MOE scholarship awardee!

1  – What are your objectives and goals?

This first step is essential and can help you figure out which schools and programs to apply (of course one student may prepare for more than one option). Ask yourself questions, like what you are expecting from the program, if you are looking for an accredited one, or even if you would like to study in a technology-oriented MBA program or a MBA program that highly values the entrepreneur spirit. Once you know your objectives and goals, you can narrow down your potential list.

2  – Understand the criteria

MOE scholarship and school criteria are available online, but that is just the bare minimum. You should also learn the insights from the insiders. This step helps you know your position and plan your strategy, as well as prepare important documents in advance, like language certificates.

In Vietnam, studying in Taiwan has been very popular in the recent years so you can easily find online forums where like-minded students share their story and discuss opportunities, or professional agencies that help student in winning scholarship. This has supported lots of Viet students on their path to prestigious scholarships in Taiwan, including me.

3  – Well-prepared application is the key

It is important to read the requirements and instructions carefully in order to prepare for your application and “solve” all the tricky parts. For many Viet student, the tricky part may be the consular certification for their degree and transcript because the authority taking care of this is only in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, plus not everyone is familiar with the process. My tricky part was the letter of recommendation with “real” signature that had to be sent from my undergraduate school in Taiwan to Vietnam. This step takes time and requires absolute attention.

In my opinion, beside the “fixed” transcript or certificates, one highlight that you can improve to make your application stand out is your essay(s), may be your study plan, statement of purpose and/or biography. Writing scholarship essays requires strategies, like a unique story or great reasoning and convincing point. It is good to read others’ essays for reference, but you must create your own.

4  – Submit your application – what to do when there are issues?

Applying MOE scholarship in my country requires the candidates submitting both the original and copy version of all documents, then the original version will be returned after checking. I recommend that you should go to the office and submit by yourself, although it is less convenient than mailing. Checking the required categories is crucial and it is likely that you can add the lacking copies right away if there is any.

In addition, you should always apply at least 2 weeks before the deadline to save time in case you need some corrections.

5  – Let’s get ready for the interview

If you get the email notifying that you pass the screening round, congratulations! The next and perhaps the last step is to prepare for the interview. You can always find tips for scholarship interviews in general on the internet, but I think listing the potential questions and drafting your own answer will help you a lot in the actual interview. Confidence, personal grooming and punctuality are also the main points that you should focus on.

My name showing on the 2021 MOE Scholarship Awardee List, sadly the ceremony was online due to Covid. Source: 英俊

Finally, I hope that the outstanding candidates aiming for this prestigious scholarship will successfully apply for it. Good luck and see you in NYCU GMBA!