THE PROGRAMME COVERS A WIDE RANGE OF ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES AND PROVIDES FULL TUITION AND LIVING EXPENSES FOR THE DURATION OF STUDIES.
Interest in acquiring a Taiwanese scholarship continues to grow among Saint Lucians, and this year was no different. The scholarships provide students with airfare, tuition, accommodation, and other benefits, including the opportunity to study overseas and experience the rich Taiwanese culture.
The application process for the Taiwan Scholarship Programme runs from January to March each year, with a briefing usually held in February where prospective applicants get to ask questions related to the process and have them answered by officials from the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Saint Lucia, as well as from the Department of Education.
On February 23, scores of prospective applicants attended the 2024 Taiwan Scholarship Briefing Ceremony at the Finance Administrative Centre at Pointe Seraphine, to gain more insight into the application process.
During last Friday’s briefing, H.E. Peter Chia-Yen Chen, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia, said the scholarship programme was designed to provide outstanding and promising international students with access to high quality academic resources and a profound cultural exchange in Taiwan. He also stated that the programme complements Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre’s “One University Graduate per Household” policy.
“The scholarship programme covers a wide range of academic disciplines and provides full tuition and living expenses for the duration of the scholarship,” Ambassador Chen told the audience. “Through this initiative, we aim to cultivate Saint Lucian talents and enhance friendship and cooperation between Taiwan and Saint Lucia.”
Ambassador Chen explained that there are two significant changes to the scholarship programme for 2024. The first change is that the TaiwanICDF Scholarship Programme will no longer cover Undergraduate courses, but will still provide scholarships for Master’s and Doctoral Programmes across 21 partner universities.
“Those applying for Undergraduate programmes are encouraged to apply for the MOFA Taiwan Scholarships,” Ambassador Chen advised. “The MOFA Taiwan Scholarship Programme is not restricted to specific disciplines, allowing for a broader range of choices and opportunities for Undergraduate applicants.”
The second change relates to the School of Medicine for International Students of I-Shou University, which, after numerous internal assessments, has decided to discontinue enrolment for the academic year 2024/2025. However, Ambassador Chen encourages students interested in pursuing medical studies to apply for other health-related programmes.
“Last month, I attended many Nobel Laureate celebration events and kept hearing a wise saying. The Nobel Laureate, Sir Arthur Lewis, once said that, ‘The fundamental cure for poverty is not money, but knowledge.’ I am glad to see more and more Saint Lucian students graduate from the Taiwan Scholarship Programme and return to work or develop their careers to enrich this country,” Ambassador Chen explained.
He added that: “Under Hon. Minister Shawn Edward’s great leadership, this Embassy will continue to work closely with the Saint Lucia Government to enhance education resources. I encourage all to read thoroughly the application rules and deliberate which programme is suitable for you.”
Hon. Shawn Edward, Minister for Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, said the Government of Saint Lucia believes that its policy of achieving one university graduate per household is possible, adding that every endeavour will be made to support citizens seeking tertiary education.
Hon. Edward thanked the Government and people of Taiwan for continuously demonstrating their friendship and generosity in tangible ways that redound to the socioeconomic enrichment of Saint Lucian society.
“In almost every aspect of national development, Taiwan has been a friend that Saint Lucia can rely on,” Hon. Edward said. “On occasions like today, I’m always so filled with gratitude -- not just on behalf of the Ministry of Education, but all the people of Saint Lucia -- for the generosity of the Taiwanese people.”
Hon. Edward urged those who will be successful awardees to be make the most of the career-changing opportunities being offered via the scholarships. He implored them to be humble during their period of study and when they return to make a make difference in their homeland.
The Education Minister stated that once young Saint Lucians have the discipline and aptitude, Government will give them the support they need in pursuing higher education. He said the Government has assisted approximately 600 young Saint Lucians in the last two years in attending Sir Arthur Lewis Community College and universities across the globe.
“The Government has gone further than just providing scholarships to making a facility available at the St. Lucia Development Bank where we’ve guaranteed approximately $2 million for Saint Lucians who have the means but do not want to go into their savings,” Hon. Edward said. “There’s a facility at the (SLDB) that allows you to borrow to pay for your tuition and schooling irrespective of where in the world you want to study.”
He added that: “Perhaps the flagship scholarship programme in the Ministry of Education is the First Generation Scholarship Programme that we’re currently rolling out with Monroe College. By this we mean that you have to be the first person in your family to aspire to attend university and to actually meet the entry requirements.”
Deputy Counselor at the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Saint Lucia, Mrs. Selena Chang, and Human Resource Development Assistant in the Department of Education, Mrs. Earline Jules-Justin, explained the application process for those in attendance. Mrs. Aarah Frederick, former Administrative Assistant at the Taiwanese Embassy, also shared her many years of experience in handling scholarship-related matters.
Two past students from the Taiwan Scholarship Programme -- Ms. Ober Delauney (National Cheng-Chi University, MOFA Scholarship) and Ms. Nykole Edward, National Tsing Hua University, TaiwanICDF Scholarship) -- and shared their personal experiences about studying in Taiwan and assimilating the Asian county’s rich culture, history, and warm hospitality.
During the Question and Answer Session that followed, attendees were given the opportunity to quiz officials on elements of the application process.
Since being established in 2007, the Taiwan Scholarship Programme has been instrumental in many Saint Lucians realizing their academic dreams. The growth of the Programme has also been evident over the years. For example, 29 Saint Lucians received scholarships under the Programme in 2022, while 39 did so last year.
This year’s application process ends on Friday, March 15, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Caribbean Time (ECT). For more information about the Taiwan Scholarship Programme application process, go to the “Taiwan in Saint Lucia” Facebook page, call the Taiwanese Embassy at 1 (758) 452 8105, or send an email to taiwanembassyslu@gmail.com.