Introduction

Academia Sinica has established the Taiwan International Graduate Program (TIGP) in collaboration with a consortium of the key national research universities in Taiwan. The purpose of the program is to develop the talent pool in those modern multidisciplinary fields that are important in the future economical and social development of Taiwan and to enhance the innovative potential and academic standards of research in these and related fields.

TIGP will offer Ph.D. programs only in selected disciplines agreed upon between Academia Sinica and the national research universities. It is the intent of the Program to offer Ph.D. degree programs only in inter-disciplinary areas in physical sciences, applied sciences, engineering, biological and agricultural sciences, health and medical sciences, and humanities and social sciences.

Academia Sinica will assume principal oversight of the academic options of the Program. It will provide the intellectual leadership, the physical facilities, and the research resources. Qualified and interested faculty members of the participating national research universities are invited to join the Program as affiliated faculty, and participate in teaching, supervision of research, and mentoring of the international graduate students.

TIGP on Biodiversity

The global industrialization and the explosive growth of human population over the past two centuries have greatly accelerated the species extinction rate on Earth. This rapid decline of biological diversity is a great threat to the continuing survival of extant species, including humans, due to the disturbance to the balance of ecosystems. Furthermore, because of the reliance on natural products in biomedical and agricultural science, successful exploration and management of biodiversity is directly linked to human welfare. For these reasons, a great number of government agencies and non-governmental organizations are devoted to raise public awareness and to improve policy making regarding biodiversity-related issues. As a result, increasing the supply of well-trained scientists in relevant fields is a pressing need of the society.

The TIGP Biodiversity Program offers a unique opportunity for aspiring young scientists to receive multidisciplinary training. The diverse ecosystems and the large number of endemic species in Taiwan are invaluable resources for the study of biodiversity. In addition, the strong research teams in Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University provide students with a broad range of expertise such as ecology, evolution, genetics, statistics, and socio-economics. We expect our graduates to contribute to basic research that improves our understanding of biological diversity in Taiwan and the surrounding areas, and ultimately, to influence public policies for the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources.

Admission

The Program admits students to the fall semester only. Application information is available at and applications can be submitted through the TIGP web site: http://tigp.sinica.edu.tw. The deadline for application is March 31. It is to the advantage of the students to apply as early as possible. There is no charge for applications.

Students with a B.S. or M.S. degree from an accredited institution will be considered for admission. The following criteria/materials will be used to evaluate the applicant’s qualifications for admission: Undergraduate and graduate academic records or transcripts. The General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE): General and Subject scores are optional but applicants are strongly encouraged to provide them. Applicants who fail to submit GRE scores for evaluation, should provide supplementary information (e.g. M.S. thesis, research publication, description of research experience, etc) to demonstrate their research potential. English proficiency: Applicants whose first language is not English must submit the results of an English test taken within the two years preceding the application deadline. Acceptable test scores are
TOEFL: scores of 550 on the paper-based (or 79 on the new internet-based TOEFL (TOEFL-iBT)) or higher; (Our institution CODE & NAME are: 7142 Academia Sinica) Only ETS International TOEFL will be accepted. Institutional TOEFL will not be accepted. GEPT: Instead of TOEFL, applicants in Taiwan may take the General English Proficiency Test (GEPT) administered by the Language Training and Testing Center. Applicants are required to submit their high-intermediate level certificate when applying for admissions.
IELTS (International English Language Test System): Scores of 5.5 or higher on the Academic Test are required. Applicants who have recently completed two or more years of study in an English-speaking country are exempt from this requirement. Three letters of recommendation commenting on the applicant’s personal character and qualifications for independent study, including intellectual ability, research potential and scientific motivation. Statement of purpose (plan, including research interests and reason for graduate study).
A student with only a B.S. degree and less than five years’ relevant post-graduate work experience prior to the date of application will enroll the program first as an M.S. student in the Department of Life Science of NTNU. These students must subsequently submit an application for “Direct Admission into the Doctoral Program” to complete their entrance to the TIGP Biodiversity PhD Program and must obtain a minimum of 30 credits for graduation. Students with an M.S. degree or who have worked in a related research field for at least five years after obtaining a B.S. degree need a minimum of 18 credits for graduation. (NTNU reserves the right to make the final decision on the student’s qualification.)
For online application to the TIGP, please proceed to http://db1x.sinica.edu.tw/tigp/. The application materials submitted for evaluation will not be returned to the applicants under any circumstances.

Please send hardcopy applications to:
Admissions Office
Taiwan International Graduate Program
128 Academia Road, Section 2
Nankang, Taipei 115
Taiwan

Fellowship and cost

Fellowship Support and Stipends

The TIGP provides a full fellowship at NT$34,000 (approximately US$1,133) per month for each graduate student for the first year. The support will be renewable for another two years upon evidence of satisfactory progress towards the degree. If the progress falls short in some way the amount of support may be reduced. Starting from the 4th year, financial support will depend on the laboratory you have joined, which will also determine the amount and the length of the support. For more details, see Download.

Tuition, Housing, Medical Insurance and Living Cost

The NTNU tuition fees for international students are reduced so that they pay the same amount as local students.

Options for housing include on-campus and off-campus accommodation. A self-catering student dormitory providing single study bedrooms is available to TIGP students at reasonable cost on the Academia Sinica campus.