UMD students studying Chinese language and culture can study at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) for a semester or summer term through the Huayu BEST scholarship program. UMD students who are nominated to NTNU for this program will receive a generous scholarship funded by the Ministry of Education in the amount of TWD $25,000 (about USD $800) per month for 5 months (semester program) or 3 months (summer program).

Students will focus their coursework in Chinese language and culture at NTNU's Mandarin Training Center. As visiting students, you will be hosted in one of NTNU's nine academic colleges (assigned based on your major at UMD) and will take at least one course in the sponsoring department.

NTNU has an active campus, with more than 100 student clubs, well-equipped libraries and labs as well as recreational and sports facilities including a natatorium, track and field, tennis course.

Students can access on-campus housing for international students.

Eligibility
There are limited spots on this program and admissions may be competitive. You must meet the following eligibility requirements in order to apply for this program:

GPA 3.0 for a fall or semester enrollment or 2.5 for summer program.
Be in good academic and judicial standing

Priority will be given to students who additionally meet the following criteria:

CHIN majors and minors
Seniors and juniors
Students with Chinese language proficiency at novice high and above with TOCFL test scores

If you are interested in this program but do not meet the eligibility requirements, you may make an appointment with your EA advisor to discuss program options.

Student Visa Information
A student visa is required for participation on this program. For more information, please visit our study abroad visa guide to view instructions for the country you will be visiting. Please note that visa information is subject to change and you are responsible for checking the embassy website for updates.

How to Apply

Click "Apply Now" at the top of this page. You will log in with your UMD directory ID and password.
Submit all application materials by the deadline listed below.
After the application deadline, we will review all completed applications and nominate students for available spots in this program.
If you are nominated to participate in this program, you will work with your EA advisor to apply directly to NTNU, who will formally admit you to this program.
Nominated students will then work with NTNU directly to coordinate all aspects of the stay, including course registration, tuition and scholarships, visas and arrival.
Students accepted into this program and who receive the Huayu BEST scholarship will provide English language tutorials to local elementary and middle school students while in Taiwan for 4 hours per week as a condition of the scholarship.

Academics
Students on the NTNU Huayu BEST scholarship program will focus their coursework in Chinese language and culture at NTNU's Mandarin Training Center. As visiting students, you will be hosted in one of NTNU's nine academic colleges (assigned based on your major at UMD) and will take at least one course in the sponsoring department.

Visit the Academics & Study Abroad page which outlines key considerations for your academic planning as you navigate different phases of study abroad:

Course Offerings
[NTNU courses are currently under evaluation and will be added to the Study Abroad Course Database shortly]

Browse UMD course evaluations in the Study Abroad Course Database:

National Taiwan Normal University
Course Evaluations

There may be other course offerings on this program that are not currently listed in the Study Abroad Course Database (SACD). If you are interested in taking a course not listed in the SACD, please submit a transfer credit evaluation request.

Credit
All credit you earn on this program will count as transfer credit on your UMD transcript. UMD uses the following conversion to assess how many credits you will get from this program:

NTNU	UMD Credit

The chart above was last approved by the UMD Study Abroad Transfer Credit Committee on XXXX

Grading
Undergraduates must receive a C- equivalent or better in order to be eligible for the transfer of credit.

NTNU Grade	UMD Grade

Costs

Costs for Other Approved Programs are outlined on the Costs of Study Abroad page.

**Students nominated for this program will receive the following scholarship awards**

The Huayu BEST scholarship directly from NTNU for TWD $25,000 (about USD $800) per month for 5 months (semester program) or 3 months (summer program).
Travel scholarship for $1,000 USD from the UMD Department of Chinese

You can use the cost of attendance comparison worksheet to view how study abroad programs compare to each other and the amount you pay on campus at UMD. As always, your EA advisor is available help you complete this worksheet and find affordable programs that fit your study abroad goals.

Please refer to the following resources for more information on funding study abroad:

To apply to this program, you must complete two main steps:

Submit a UMD approval application - start by clicking “apply now” at the top of this page. This application allows UMD Education Abroad to approve your study abroad program selection so you may earn credit in a program outside of UMD.
This application will require you to meet with your EA advisor, who will communicate important details related to participating in this program. If you do not complete this application by the stated deadline, you may not receive credit for your study abroad program and will lose your student status for the time you are not studying at UMD.
Apply directly to the program provider. After receiving UMD approval, you should submit the program application directly to the program sponsor by their deadline. Your program sponsor will determine your official acceptance to a program. You must adhere to the provider's timeline, eligibility standards, and application requirements.

After being accepted to your program, your EA advisor will guide you through the course pre-approval process where you will determine which credits you will fulfill abroad.

Program Dates

Term	Year	Application Deadline	Admission Notification	Program Start	Program End
Spring	2023	10/15/2022	10/20/2022	02/20/2023	06/11/2023
Fall	2023	03/15/2023	01/20/2023
Summerterm	2023	03/15/2023	01/20/2023	06/02/2023	08/23/2023
This program has multiple summer session options. The dates above encompass both sessions. Do not use these dates to make travel plans. Upon acceptance, you will indicate the session(s) you are interested in. 3-month program: June 2 - August 23, 2023. 2-month program: July 3 - August 23, 2023.