NSTC (Taiwan) Research Fellowship for Researchers from Germany

NSTC (Taiwan) Research Fellowship for Researchers from Germany — Seed

Supports Taiwan researchers with structured pathways in international researcher exchanges and mobility, from planning to deployment.

The NSTC (Taiwan) Research Fellowship for Researchers from Germany is a bilateral mobility fellowship jointly administered by Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. The program enables highly qualified postdoctoral and experienced researchers holding German citizenship to conduct discipline-agnostic research at a Taiwanese host institution of their choosing. NSTC funds up to two research stays annually, each lasting three to twelve months, with the possibility of extension to a cumulative total of three years.

The monthly fellowship stipend paid by NSTC is currently NT$85,000, yielding a per-stay range of NT$255,000 to NT$1,020,000 depending on duration. Applicants must have completed their doctorate no more than twelve years before application, or be within six months of completion at submission. German citizenship is a hard requirement. Applicants must secure an academic host at a Taiwanese research institution who has previously received NSTC project funding, and must submit two expert reviews alongside a research outline, full publication list, key publications, and a mentoring agreement from the host. The Humboldt Foundation pre-screens and recommends candidates; the final award decision rests with NSTC.

The Selection Committee convenes three times per year — in February, June, and October — meaning applicants should plan to submit four to seven months ahead of their target meeting. There is no fixed submission deadline; applications are processed on a rolling basis and forwarded to independent peer reviewers as received. The Humboldt Foundation provides reintegration support on return to Germany, including allowances for job interviews and an optional twelve-month return fellowship.