Democracy and Human Rights Service FellowshipPrint

Program Description

Unlike the Dissertation Fellowship and the Postdoctoral Fellowship, which are designed for academic research, the Democracy and Human Rights Service Fellowship is not limited to academic research. Those applicants who are interested in pursuing projects with a more practical focus are strongly encouraged to apply for this fellowship. Democracy and Human Rights Service Fellows may reside in Taiwan for up to one year to engage in projects designed to promote Taiwan’s democratic and human rights development. Applicants are encouraged to form relationships with organizations and institutions dealing with democracy and human rights issues based in Taiwan. The TFD hopes that Democracy and Human Rights Fellows can both make substantial contributions to democracy and human rights in Taiwan and take valuable knowledge with them back to their own countries.

Eligibility

Democracy and Human Rights Service Fellows should have an MA in a relevant field or at least two years of relevant work experience at the time of application. When submitting an application for a Democracy and Human Rights Service Fellowship, please remember that in making its final decision, the TFD considers the relevance of the proposed project topic to the mission of the TFD, the potential contributions that the project can make to the field of human rights or democracy, and the experience and qualifications of the applicant. As the Democracy and Human Rights Service Fellowship is designed for foreign scholars and practitioners, Taiwanese citizens are not eligible to apply.

Fellowship Award

The TFD awards all Democracy and Human Rights Service Fellows with a stipend of NT$45,000 - NT$55,000 per month to assist with living expenses in Taiwan, according to the evaluation of our reviewers. In addition, the TFD will reimburse all Democracy and Human Rights Service Fellows who are outside of Taiwan at the time their fellowships begin for the cost of one round-trip plane ticket to Taiwan. The TFD will offer business cards and limited, shared office space to all Democracy and Human Rights Service Fellows.

Requirements

All Democracy and Human Rights Service Fellowship applicants are required to fill out a complete application form, which can be downloaded from this webpage, then send the hard copy bearing the applicant’s original signature by mail to TFD before the deadline, together with a copy of their curriculum vitae. In addition, two letters of recommendation should be sent as PDF files directly from the referees’ official email account (university or institution) to TFD at fellows@tfd.org.tw.

Once an applicant’s application has been reviewed, the TFD may contact the applicant to arrange a time to conduct a phone interview if necessary. While in Taiwan, Democracy and Human Rights Service Fellows are required to submit a progress report to the TFD every two months. Progress reports must be submitted in writing on a form provided by the TFD, although additional oral reports at the TFD are allowed. All Democracy and Human Rights Service Fellows are required to submit a final, written report to the TFD, and may be asked to give a final, public presentation, depending on the nature of the project. Democracy and Human Rights Service Fellows are expected to consult with TFD staff about any major changes in their research plans, and to update the TFD staff regarding any travel plans during their fellowships. The TFD also encourages all Democracy and Human Rights Service Fellows to acknowledge the TFD’s support in their publications that result from their fellowship research whenever appropriate.