Semiconductor Talent Incubation Program Taiwan - STIPT
The Leonardo Office Saxony offers an informative session (online) on the STIPT Special Call for Equipment Engineering on Friday, December 6, 4 pm & Wednesday, December 11, 1 pm.
Link to participate: BigBlueButton
Important: To prepare the Leonardo team, please submit questions in advance via Slido
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
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
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Modul : Process & Modules
|
Modul : Intelligent Manufacturing
|
Modul : Equipment Engineering
|
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
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?
- 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?
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
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.
On this page you will find all the information you need to apply for the STIPT program.
The application itself takes place exclusively online.
Focus of the program / courses
Participants may arrive in Taiwan on two possible dates: either February 15th or March 1st, depending on their individual situation.
In 2025 the University course program will be offered by National Taiwan University:
Modul Device/Integration
- (6 ECTS) Solid State Electronics
- (6 ECTS) Integrated Circuit Technology
- (6 ECTS) Strength of Materials
- (4 ECTS) internship at TSMC
Modul Tool/Equipment Engineering
- (6 ECTS) Integrated Circuit Technology
- (6 ECTS) Electronic Circuits
- (6 ECTS) Digital Control System
- (4 ECTS) internship at TSMC
Modul Intelligent Manufacturing
- (6 ECTS) Operations Research
- (6 ECTS) Artificial Intelligence
- (6 ECTS) Machine Learning
- (4 ECTS) internship at TSMC
Optionally and if of interest, a Mandarin course (6 ECTS) can be taken in the evening, twice a week for three hours each time.
Optionally and if of interest, a Mandarin course (6 ECTS) 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 middle of June till middle of August at TSMC in their Newcomer Training Center & Fab at TSMC in Taichung.
Schedule of application, selection and preparation of the stay abroad 2025
01.05.2024 – 31.05.2024 | Application period |
01.06.2024 – 24.08.2024 | Selection process |
from 25.08.2024 | Announcement of positive application results (list of participants/ reserve candidates) |
WS 2024/2025 | Introduction into the Chinese language (Mandarin) |
n.n. | Intercultural training |
Stay abroad 2025:
until end of September 2024 | all funding agreements are fully signed |
until end of October 2024 | transfer of payments to beneficiaries has been conducted |
from middle of November 2024 | enrollment into the Taiwan host university |
15.02.2025 | 1st arrival date |
Mid-February till the end of the month 2025 | 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. |
|
01.03.2025 | 2nd arrival date |
03.03. – 06.06.2025 | Classroom courses at NTU |
Mid June to mid-August 2025 | Internship at TSMC |
Who may apply?
- From third year of a BA program on*
- Any semester of MA program*
- Diploma students who have finished half of their study period*
*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 program focusses on natural sciences and engineering in the following fields:
- Electrical Engineering
- Microelectronics
- Nanoelectronics
- Materials science
- Computer science
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
How to apply?
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 2025
The selection of students will be completed by August 24th, 2024.
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 and Dr. Josef Goldberger)
- 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:
In total, up to 30 ECTS credits can be awarded through the course program at the Taiwanese university. The internship at TSMC is a mandatory part of the program and can be completed with 4 ECTS credits. 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.
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).
Intercultural and language training
Intercultural Training:
Detailed information about the program’s intercultural training will be available shortly.
Language Training:
The Mandarin language courses offered by the home universities can be used to prepare for the stay abroad in Taiwan.
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.
Please note: Even though the travel to Taiwan may not be possible until March 01, the rental fee for the dormitory has to be paid already from the middle of 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 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.
Complaint procedure
Contact person:
Ms. Claudia Schönherr,
Management Mobility International
international.leosachsen@tu-dresden.de
Obligatory information
- 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
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.