Taiwan ICDF Scholar Alvin from Indonesia Shares His Journey of Studying Civil Engineering at National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan

My name is Alvin from Indonesia, and I was one of the awardees of the Taiwan ICDF scholarship at National Cheng Kung University, as a Master’s Degree student in Civil Engineering. Before coming to Taiwan, I graduated from Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta, Indonesia. After my graduation, I got an opportunity to work in one of the construction companies in my hometown, and it was at that time that I realized how lacking I was in this field, which made me consider to learn more deeply about Civil Engineering. As soon as I decided to learn more about my own field, I consulted with my previous supervisor at university and friends, which they recommend me to try this opportunity to go abroad and take this scholarship in Taiwan. I then proceeded to follow the whole application process, and fortunately, I was selected as one of the recipients for this scholarship, which made me really happy.

Taiwan ICDF Scholarship Details

The Taiwan ICDF scholarship covers all university tuition fees, dormitory fees, Visa, book fee, and a free round-trip ticket which can be used upon arrival to Taiwan and after graduation. The institution also give monthly stipend of roughly NTD 18,000 and a settlement fee when arriving in Taiwan. Since this scholarship is a Taiwan government scholarship partnered with a public university in Taiwan, the applicants must apply to the university first before applying to the scholarship program. For more details, it is available on Google by searching for “Taiwan ICDF Scholarship”.

Were You Offered any Other Scholarships?

Although the school required me to select either a government or a school scholarship during admission, I was fortunate enough to also get offered the Taiwan ASML Elite scholarship in my second year of 2024. The scholarship is a private scholarship offered by the Taiwan ASML company, and it also provides an opportunity to do a summer internship at Taiwan ASML during the duration of the program.

Educational Background

 During my undergraduate studies, my final GPA was around 3.93, which might help me to get selected to both of the scholarship programs. I also joined some organizations and committees, in which I became the president of the English Debating club in the university for one year, which was my most notable experience. I also got some opportunities to join some competitions related to my civil engineering major and debating competitions.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the National Cheng Kung University?

First, I made the whole checklist for documents and things that I needed to prepare in advance for the application. Then, I sorted which documents could help make my application more outstanding, and which ones were not very important for my standing. Since I tried to apply for one of the universities in Europe before, I already got and English Proficiency Test in IELTS. The important documents that needed attention were the study plan, biography, and scholarship essay, as these documents needed to be prepared with extensive time and work. I checked many research papers that could be related to my study, wrote and rewrote essays related to my background, and also consulted with my previous supervisor to ask for advice about my documents.

As for the English Proficiency Test that I took before, I joined the IELTS preparation class for around 2-3 months right after my graduation back in 2021. I practiced some mock exams and interviews to improve my overall English, and I got a score of 7.5 after the official test.

How is (was) Your Experience at the National Cheng Kung University?

Both ICDF and National Cheng Kung University treated me very well during my stay, always providing necessary support for my study and daily needs on time and without much paperwork. The program manager was very friendly to me and explained everything clearly from the start, resulting in almost no setbacks for the whole 2 years.

How Does the National Cheng Kung University Support International Students?

Almost all of the university Professors and staff can speak English well since the classes and research were all conducted in English. Not learning the local Language (Chinese) will not affect the academic side when studying here. Although I would still prefer to learn Chinese before coming here, because most of the local shops and restaurants do not speak English most of the time, so basic communication in Chinese would be preferred.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I would say my previous experiences and academic achievements might have the most influence on my application. Since I joined many events and competitions while retaining a decent GPA, I would say it might affect my resume positively.

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Were Going Through the Process Again?

I would like to improve my writing skills in English since the whole application was done in English, while also starting to be able to speak Chinese quite well since I was not able to speak Chinese at all before I came here. Language skill was very essential during and after the applications, so I thought it would be beneficial to be able to speak both languages.

What Advice Would You Give Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

Prepare the documents well and make sure to look through the website to check for the requirements. Always do the best during everything, as our resume was not built in a night; rather, it took years of good track records to build outstanding documents to have a better chance to get the scholarship. Always prepare early and thoroughly for the application process.