Semiconductor Talent Incubation Program Taiwan - STIPT

On April 23, 2025 at 13:00 & April 29, 2025 at 16:00 as wells as on May 06, 2025 at 13:00 & on May 14, 2025 16:00 informative sessions (online) will be held by LeoSachsen regarding the STIPT call for applications focussion moblity during the summer semester 2026
Important: To support the LeoSachsen team, please submit questions in advance via Slido.
If you need some more motivation to apply for the programm, just take a look at previous students’ experience.

Please allow us to present all necessary and currently available information regarding STIPT, which would be needed for an application for participation. The application takes place exclusively online and will be open from May 1, 23025 on.

University Modules at NTU summer semester 2026

The Saxon consortia cooperates in STIPT with a variety of Taiwan universities. For the summer semester 2026 the university modules will be held by National Taiwan University and consist of teaching modules with a major relevance to the semiconductor industry.The following courses are expected to be offered:

 

Modul Device/Integration

Modul Tool/Equipment Engineering

Modul Intelligent Manufacturing

The courses will be held virtually between February 23th and the beginning of March of each year. As of March 1st, the course program will mandatorily continue in presence in Taiwan. Thus, the program intents to reconcile the Taiwan start of spring semester on February 14th and the German exam period, which usually lasts until the end of February. Participants may arrive in Taiwan on two possible dates: either February 21th or March 1st, depending on their individual situation.
Optionally and if of interest, a Mandarin course can be taken in the evening, twice a week for three hours each time.
After completion of the university course program approx. middle of June of each year, the students will proceed with the two-month practical training between mid June till mid August at TSMC in their Newcomer Training Center & Fab at TSMC in Taichung.

Schedule of application, selection and preparation of the stay abroad 2025

Application Process:

01.05.2025 – 31.05.2025 Application period
01.06.2025 – 24.08.2025 Selection process
from 25.08.2025 Announcement of positive application results (list of participants/ reserve candidates)

 Stay abroad 2026:

21.02.2026 1st  arrival date
23th February till the end of the month 2026 virtual courses (=mandatory)
These courses can be joined from Germany or already in Taiwan.
Important:
If you cannot guarantee your partaking in these online modules during your examination period, you’ll need to be excluded from participation in the STIPT program.
01.03.2026 2nd arrival date
02.03. – 05.06.2026 Classroom courses at NTU
Mid June to mid-August 2026 Internship at TSMC

Who may apply?

STIPT targets students from the participating Saxon universities under the following conditions:

  • grade seeking enrolled in a study cycle throughout the complete participation in STIPT
  • at least one complete semester has been studied at one of the Saxon universities at the time of application
  • students have completed the
    – 3. semester of BA program
    – 1. semester of MA program
    – 4. semester of Diploma program

The program focusses on natural sciences and engineering in the following fields:

  • Elektrotechnik (Electrical Engineering)
  • Mikroelektronik (Microelectronics)
  • Nanoelektronik (Nanoelectronics)
  • Werkstoffkunde (Materials Science)
  • Mechatronik (Mechatronics)
  • Automatisierungstechnik (Automation Technology, Automation Engineering)
  • Robotik (Robotics)
  • Sensorik (Sensoric)
  • Maschinenbau (Mechanical Engineering)
  • Informatik (Computer Science, Information Technology)
  • Physik (Physics)
  • Chemie

How to apply?

All application material shall be submitted online to LeoSachsen. After submission of the application form you’ll receive an email asking you to register to the tool and finish the workflow there by uploading the following materials:

  • Curriculum vitae (in English language)
  • Motivation letter (in English language, maximum 2 pages, signed by hand)
  • Transcript of Records (showing and official calculation of your grade point average)
  • Proof language speaking ability (minimum B2 of CEFR, not older than 2 years)
  • Degree certificate/ Pre-Diploma, if applicable

Additionally you can submit:

  • References of practical experience if proving experience in the field of semiconductor industry
  • Language skills in Mandarin

To be submitted by your home university:

  • electronically sent reference of a relevant person, that you’ll name in your application form

It is advisable to contact this person in advance and inform them about the program, yourself and your plans.
All documents must be uploaded to the system by the application deadline, otherwise the application will be considered incomplete and will be rejected. Leosachsen therefore recommends that you do not postpone your application until the last day.
You are welcome to contact the Leonardo office in Saxony for advice.

Selection process and criteria 2025

The selection of students will be completed by August 24th, 2025.

The selection process will be carried out as follows:

  • Assessment of completeness and validity of the submitted application documents
  • General aptitude check based on existing files
  • Focus related assessment and ranking of the applications (based on the transcript of records, and the recommendation form)
  • Evaluation of the resulting list of possible participants and reserve candidates by the Taiwanese universities and TSMC
  • Approval of the list of participants and reserve candidates by the project committee

The selection criteria are the following:

  • Completeness of the application documents and validity of information
  • Enrollment at an eligible Saxon university, in the specified fields of study, degrees and semesters
  • English language of minimum level B2 proven
  • Average achievement of at least 2.3 (German average)
  • Qualification of the application according to the recommendation form and the concordance with the documents received.
  • Comprehensible motivation for particpation in the program and the specialized education in the field of semiconductor industry

If the number of applicants exceeds the maximum number of participants, the following criteria will be applied:

  • Higher academic year/semester
  • Intensive focus on the subject of this program to be found in the students’ previous studies
  • Higher performance in the previous studies
  • Better language skills in English
  • previous internship experience related to the semiconductor industry
  • TSMC may select students from the list of nominees based on their area of study and the availability of internship placements.

Academic recognition and financial support

Academic Recognition:
The universities in Taiwan will issue a certificate upon completion of the programme, which may be credited with 30 ECTS. The recognition of ECTS is at the discretion of each faculty at the home university.

Financial support:
In addition to the respective tuition and program fees of the participating Taiwanese universities, the selected students will receive the following financial support through STIPT for their stay abroad:

  • 700 € per month as a grant for living allowance and
  • 1,500 € as a grant for travel expenses

The first installment will be 90% of the total grant amount (upon full signature of the subsidy agreement) and 10% (after reviewing the completeness of the final documents).

Subsidy agreement, accommodation, insurance and visa

Subsidy Agreement:
The selected students will receive a subsidy agreement by Leonardo-Büro Sachsen. This agreement specifies the chosen academic contents of the course of study and the practical training, all rights and obligations of the contracting parties, the insurance regulations as well as the financial support via the STIPT program.

Accommodation:
Accommodation in Taiwan will be pre-arranged by the Taiwan partner universities. The cost of accommodation is to be paid by the students themselves. The programs’ living allowance can be used for that.
Accommodation needs to be changed once:

  • While studying at one of the host universities, the participants will live in a university dormitory.
  • Throughout the internship period at TSMC, the participants will be accommodated in a dormitory in Taichung.

Please note: Even though the travel to Taiwan may not be possible until March 1st, the rental fee for the dormitory has to be paid already from Mid February.

Insurance:
The participating students are compulsorily insured by the Taiwanese host universities. It is recommended to additionally take out an own health insurance to ensure that the internship period at TSMC is included, as well as leisure time during the entire period of the stay or a possible subsequent tourist travel period.
Participants of this program should take out their own personal insurance to cover the risks inherent to their journey and stay (accidant and liability insurance). Additional insurance may be adviseable.

Visa:
The visa process is going to be prepared and initiated by the host university in Taiwan in cooperation with the student following the students’ enrollment. A proof of the participation in the program and the financial funding will be issued through Leonardo-Büro Sachsen to support the entire process.

Data protection information for the application and the selection phase


By applying to the STIPT program, you voluntarily provide us with your personal data. The data collection associated with the application can be objected to until the start of the mobility abroad. In this case participation in the STIPT program is not possible anymore.

The collected data will be processed by Leonardo-Büro Sachsen exclusively for the purpose of the implementation of the project and mobility.
In the course of a mobility process, the following parties will be granted access to the necessary data:

  • International Office of the TU Dresden
  • Universities in Taiwan and home university in Saxony
  • TSMC
  • Members of the committee of the STIPT program
  • Saxon State Ministry for Science and Art (SMWK)
  • Department 1 of the TU Dresden (Finances and Procurement)

Data will not be passed on to third parties outside the partners mentioned here, or only after obtaining your written consent.
If you are not nominated (directly after the selection process or as a reserve candidate), your data will be deleted after five months latest.
The personal data of the participating students will be kept for a maximum of 10 years after the completion of the project in accordance with the law for audit purposes, i.e. to prove the legitimate use of the funding, after which it will be deleted.

Your data is stored secured from unauthorized access on the server of the service provider Mobility Online (SOP) and at the TU Dresden’s server at the Center for Information Services and High Performance Computing. Apart from this, there is no exchange of personal data.

Otherwise, the privacy policy in the imprint of the TU Dresden website applies. 

Complaint procedure

As an applicant or participant of the STIPT program, you can complain to report shortcomings in the application process or in the preparation, implementation or evaluation of the STIPT stay abroad. In the clarification process, the respective persons/ institutions concerned will be engaged to resolve the matter.

Contact person:
Ms. Claudia Reichert
Head Leonardo-Büro Sachsen
claudia.reichert@tu-dresden.de

Special call for students in the Equipment Engineering sector!
On this page you will find all the information you need to apply for participation in this latest call of the STIPT program.
The application is to be carried out exclusively online.

University courses during winter semester 2025/2026

The University course program consists of teaching modules with a major relevance to the semiconductor industry and will be held between September and the end of December 2025.
During the winter semester 2025/2026 the University course program will be offered by

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
Modul : Device & Integration

  • Physics of Semiconductor Devices
  • Semiconductor Fabrication
  • Experiments for Materials Analysis and Testing
  • Plasma Engineering
  • internship at TSMC
Modul : Process & Modules

  • Semiconductor Fabrication
  • Semiconductor Physics and Devices
  • Material Microstructure Analysis
  • Diffusion and Phase Transformation
  • internship at TSMC
Modul : Intelligent Manufacturing

  • Operations Research
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Machine Learning
  • Data Structures
  • Data Structures
  • internship at TSMC
Modul : Equipment Engineering

  • Semiconductor Fabrication
  • Vacuum and Plasma Techniques
  • Wafer Fabrication Technology and Equipment
  • internship at TSMC

Optionally and if of interest, a Mandarin course can be taken at the host university in Taiwan.
Upon completion of the university course program, the students will proceed with the two-month practical training at TSMC in their Newcomer Training Center & Fab at TSMC in Taichung.

Schedule of application, selection and preparation of the stay abroad 2025

Application Process:

11.11.2024 – 31.12.2024 Application period
01.01.2025 – 14.03.2025 Selection process
from 15.03.2025 Announcement of positive application results (list of participants/ reserve candidates)

 Stay abroad winter semester 2025:

beginning of September 2025 Arrival date
08.09.2025 – 25.12.2025 Classroom courses at host university
07.01.2026 – 13.03.2026 Internship at TSMC

Who may apply?

STIPT targets students from the participating Saxon universities enrolled in the following majors only:

  • From fourth semester of a BA program on*
  • Any semester of MA program*
  • From fourth semester of a Diploma program on*

*Please note:
For the duration of the complete internship, all participants must be enrolled at a Saxon university.
Only full time degrees
Only degree seeking students

The call focusses on students in the Equipment Engineering area, with particular interest in:

  • Electric Machinery and Circuitry
  • Mechatronics and Automation application
  • Sensing technology
  • Mechanism Design and Processing
  • Robotics and Automation application
  • and related subjects to be part of the semicoductor Talent Incubation Program Taiwan

How to apply?

All application material shall be submitted to Leonardo Office Saxony using the “Mobility Online” application platform.

The following documents will be needed:

  • Application form
  • Curriculum vitae in English
  • Letter of motivation (max. 2 pages, in English)
  • Proof of academic achievements/transcript of records of current studies
  • if applicable Bachelor’s degree certificate/ Pre-Diploma
  • Proof of English language skills level of at least B2 according to CEFR (= Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) not older than two years

Additionally you can submit:

  • References of practical experience if proving experience in the field of semiconductor industry
  • Language skills in Mandarin

Feel free to consult Leonardo Office Saxony.

Selection process and criteria winter semester 2025/2026

The selection process will be completed by March 14th, 2025.

The selection process will be carried out as follows:

  • Assessment of completeness and validity of the submitted application documents (Leosachsen)
  • General aptitude check based on existing files (Leosachsen)
  • Focus related assessment and ranking of the applications (representatives of the home university in Saxony)
  • Evaluation of the resulting list of possible participants and reserve candidates by the Taiwanese universities and TSMC
  • Approval of the list of participants and reserve candidates by the project committee

The selection criteria are the following:

  • Completeness of the application documents and validity of information
  • Enrollment at an eligible Saxon university, in the specified fields of study, degrees and semesters
  • English language of minimum level B2 proven
  • Average achievement of at least 2.3 (German Average)
  • Comprehensible motivation for particpation in the program and the specialized education in the field of semiconductor industry

If the number of applicants exceeds the maximum number of participants, the following criteria will be applied:

  • Higher academic year/semester
  • Intensive focus on the subject of this program to be found in the students’ previous studies
  • Higher performance in the previous studies
  • Better language skills in English
  • previous internship experience related to the semiconductor industry

Academic recognition and financial support

Academic Recognition:
The host institutions issue transcripts of records stating the amount of ECTS reached. The determinations of how to complete the course program for the purpose of obtaining ECTS credits is the responsibility of the faculties of the selected students.
The transmission and academic recognition of the Taiwan ECTS cannot be guaranteed by the program and must be negotiated by the students and their examination offices.

Financial support:
In addition to the respective tuition and program fees of the participating Taiwanese universities, the selected students will receive the following financial support through STIPT for their stay abroad:

  • 700 € per month as a grant for living allowance and
  • 1,500 € as a grant for travel expenses

The first installment will be 90% of the total grant amount (upon full signature of the subsidy agreement) and 10% (after reviewing the completeness of the final documents).

Subsidy agreement, accommodation, insurance and visa

Subsidy Agreement:
The selected students will receive a subsidy agreement by Leonardo Office Saxony. This agreement specifies the chosen academic contents of the course of study and the practical training, all rights and obligations of the contracting parties, the insurance regulations as well as the financial support via STIPT.

Accommodation:
Accommodation in Taiwan will be pre-arranged by Taiwan partner universities. The cost of accommodation is to be paid by the students themselves. The programs’ living allowance can be used for that.
Accommodation needs to be changed once:

  • While studying at one of the host universities, the participants will live in a university dormitory.
  • Throughout the internship period at TSMC, the participants will be accommodated in a dormitory in Taichung.

Insurance:
The participating students are compulsorily insured by the Taiwanese host universities. It is recommended to additionally take out an own health insurance to ensure that the internship period at TSMC is included, as well as leisure time during the entire period of the stay or a possible subsequent tourist travel period.
Participants of this program should take out their own personal insurance to cover the risks inherent to their journey and stay (accidant and liability insurance). Additional insurance may be adviseable.

Visa:
The visa process is going to be prepared and initiated by the host university in Taiwan in cooperation with the student following the students’ enrollment. A proof of the participation in the program and the financial funding will be issued by the Leonardo Office Saxony to support this whole process.

Data protection information for the application and the selection phase


By applying to the STIPT program, you voluntarily provide us with your personal data. The data collection associated with the application can be objected to until the start of the mobility abroad. In this case participation in the STIPT program is not possible anymore.

The collected data will be processed by Leonardo Office Saxony exclusively for the purpose of the implementation of the project and mobility.
In the course of a mobility process, the following parties will be granted access to the necessary data:

  • International Office of the TU Dresden
  • Universities in Taiwan and home university in Saxony
  • TSMC
  • Members of the committee of the STIPT program
  • Saxon State Ministry for Science and Art (SMWK)
  • Department 1 of the TU Dresden (Finances and Procurement)

Data will not be passed on to third parties outside the partners mentioned here, or only after obtaining your written consent.
If you are not nominated (directly after the selection process or as a reserve candidate), your data will be deleted after five months latest.
The personal data of the participating students will be kept for a maximum of 10 years after the completion of the project in accordance with the law for audit purposes, i.e. to prove the legitimate use of the funding, after which it will be deleted.

Your data is stored secured from unauthorized access on the server of the service provider Mobility Online (SOP) and at the TU Dresden’s server at the Center for Information Services and High Performance Computing. Apart from this, there is no exchange of personal data.

Otherwise, the privacy policy in the imprint of the TU Dresden website applies.

Filing a complaint

How do I file a complaint?
As an applicant or participant of STIPT, you can send a written complaint to report shortcomings in the application process or in the preparation, implementation or evaluation of the STIPT stay abroad to the contact person.

Contact person:
Ms. Claudia Schönherr,
Management Mobility International
international.leosachsen@tu-dresden.de

What happens with the complaint?
The contact person forwards the complaint to a relevant party, who works towards a quick resolution and ensures that every complaint remains confidential. To successfully solve the problem, only relevant parties will be consulted, which includes representatives from the sending university or contacts from the host organisation. Depending on the kind of complaint, the complaining party will either directly be informed of the resolution, or in form of public release, with consideration of data security.

What will happen once I submit my complaint?
All complains and processes associated with developing a resolution will be part of the next Strength and Weakness analysis of the Leonardo-Büro Sachsen which evaluates the Projects within Saxon Universities. For problems where an overarching solution on a grander scale is required, a separate evaluation during a meeting with the Saxon consortium will take place. Each case will be reviewed as to whether the indicated problem can be resolved, and whether the methods of correction should be long-term or short-term.

Obligatory information

Please inform Leonardo Office Saxony about the following information needed for the implementation of the project and your stay abroad (including the evaluation):

  • Change of the emergency contact person’s details (via “Mobility Online”),
  • Change of home and study address,
  • written information in case of problems that may compromise the successful stay abroad in Taiwan in both phases (course program and internship) or lead to an early termination of the relevant project phase (illness, family emergencies, objective events in the home or host country)

Final documents

Participants will find the necessary information, published in timely manner, accessible in their SOP workflow.

The Semiconductor Talent Incubation Program Taiwan – STIPT is a joint initiative of the Free State of Saxony, the Dresden University of Technology (TU Dresden)  and TSMC, which is a global leader in the semiconductor sector. The program offers a six-month stay in Taiwan, combining a study period at a Taiwanese partner university along with a two-months internship at TSMC in Taichung both in the semiconductor field.

STIPT aims to provide students from Saxon universities with the opportunity to gain unique insights into the state-of-the-art research and production in the semiconductor sector, by combining a stay at a leading Taiwanese university and TSMC.

Within the program’s cooperation of Dresden University of Technology with Taiwanese universities, National Taiwan University (NTU) will be the partner in 2024. In 2025 the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Taiwan Tech) and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NCYU) join the programme and open their courses for Saxon students.

The stay abraod is financially supported by the Free State of Saxony and can be recognized based on agreements between TU Dresden, the Taiwanese universities and TSMC.

A project committee supports the implementation of STIPT. Members of this committee in 2024 are: SMWK representative, TSMC representative, Chief Officer Technology Transfer and Internationalization of TU Dresden, Head of International Office of TU Dresden.