Academia Sinica eyes Ph.D applicants amid U.S. uncertainty

Taipei, June 14 (CNA) Academia Sinica, Taiwan's top research institution, is launching a second wave of recruitment targeting prospective Ph.D students, in the wake of continued uncertainty over the American academic landscape.

The effort, part of Academia Sinica's fast-enrollment program, is focused on Ph.D candidates who have been admitted to top-tier universities around the world but not yet registered, the institution said.

These individuals will first undertake an internship at Academia Sinica for several months before joining its Taiwan International Graduate Program (TIGP) in 2026.

The TIGP offers 13 programs, including six in the life sciences and seven in mathematics and physical sciences, according to its website.

Students in the program receive a tax-free monthly stipend of NT$40,000 (US$1,354) in their first year, which may be extended for an additional year based on performance. Further financial support depends on their thesis advisors, the website states.

The second round of recruitment follows U.S. President Donald Trump's attempt to restrict foreign student visas at Harvard University on national security grounds.

Harvard is currently permitted to admit international students after two federal court rulings in its favor in late May and early June.

Previously, Academia Sinica had accepted 11 Ph.D applicants during its first wave of recruitment, launched in April this year.

That effort came in response to a Nature poll of over 1,600 respondents, which found that 75 percent of U.S.-based scientists were considering leaving the country due to drastic changes in the research environment.