SPONSORS
Overseas Community Affairs Council, R.O.C. (Taiwan) (OCAC)
K-12 Education Administration, Ministry of Education (MOE)
Hakka Affairs Council (HAC)
Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP)
PROGRAM PERIOD
The program will be held from July 4th to 31st, 2026, with 450 volunteers expected to be recruited.
APPLICATION ELIGIBILITY
1."Compatriot youth":
(1).Applicants should hold an i-Compatriot Card when applying for the program. Applicants must be in the 11th grade or above at the time of application and between the ages of 17 before November 30th, 2026 and 25 before July 4th, 2026 (Only those born from July 5th, 2001 to November 30th, 2009 are eligible, as shown on passport).
*i-Compatriot Card website：https://icard.taiwan-world.net/tw/index
*i-Compatriot Card service line and email：886-2-2327-2929；card@ocac.gov.tw
*When applying for the i-Compatriot Card and registering in the OCAC activity registration website, applicants are advised to prioritize selecting the nearby OCAC office as the "Membership review unit".
*Inquiry website: https://gov.tw/iMc (Chinese)；https://gov.tw/kYY (English)
(2).Applicants should live in an English speaking country (those not living in an English speaking country must be an English native speaker or provide proof of achieving higher than CEFR B2 level). Applicants must have basic communication skills in Mandarin.
(3).Applicants who apply for this program as of Hakka origin must be recommended by Hakka association or groups in their place of overseas residence, and note their Hakka ancestral place in Taiwan when applying.
(4).Applicants who have previously participated in the English Teaching Volunteer Service Program can apply again; however, those who have never participated in this program will be given the priority for admission.
2.Students recommended by the Taiwan Centers for Mandarin Learning (TCML) and Taiwanese Mandarin Teachers teaching in mainstream schools:
(1).Applicants are not required to possess the i-Compatriot Card. Other requirements are same as "Compatriot youth".
(2).Applicants recommended by TCML have to submit the recommendation letter (in Chinese) provided by the teacher.
(3).Each Taiwanese Mandarin Teacher teaching in mainstream schools is able to recommend 2 students, and the students must submit the recommendation letter (in Chinese) when applying for the program.
(4).Please have the recommender write the recommendation letter in accordance with the "Guidelines for Writing Recommendation Letters." Once completed, the recommender should send it directly to the following email address:ocactree@ocac.gov.tw.
Guidelines for Writing Recommendation Letters:
To clearly identify the student being recommended, please include the following information:
A. The region/country the student is from;
B. The school the student is attending;
C. The student's Chinese and English names;
D. The reasons for recommending this student.
To verify that the teacher is qualified to write the recommendation letter, the teacher should briefly describe their background and provide information that demonstrates their identity as a Taiwanese heritage Mandarin teacher.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
1.Application period: from November 25th ,2025 until March 1st ,2026 (Taiwan Standard Time, GMT+8).
2.Please apply for the program on the OCAC activity registration website (https://register.ocac.gov.tw/cht/index.php?/sign/2026summer) and upload the following documents as e-files to the registration system.
(1).Program Rules signed by the applicant and his/her parents. (Please sign in block letters in Chinese or English).
(2).A photocopy of the passport or permanent residence certificate of the country of residence.
(3).Self-introduction (please highlight personal characteristics, aptitudes and background, such as leadership in club activities, experience in teamwork and group life, education or teaching and social work expertise and volunteer experience, etc.), and attach a 1.5-inch bust photo taken within the last 6 months. Please refer to the self-introduction sample for reference.
(4).One copy of results transcripts including all semester grades or evaluation results of off-campus learning above Grade 9.
(5).Proof of volunteer work and other work or achievements, honors, deeds and qualifications(those submitting these documents with the application will be given priority; not mandatory if none).
(6).Those not living in an English speaking country must be an English native speaker or provide proof of achieving higher than CEFR B2 level.
(7).Recommendation letter from teachers (Compatriot youth applicants are not required).
*The recommendation letter has to be sent by the teacher directly to OCAC's email: ocactree@ocac.gov.tw with the subject line: "2026 Overseas Youth English Teaching Volunteer Service Program – Teacher Recommendation Letter."
3.Applicant registration information will be reviewed in two stages; in the first stage, initial review will be conducted by Taiwan overseas embassies and OCAC Cultural Center (if OCAC does not have officers stationed in the region, the preliminary review will be conducted by our OCAC overseas offices assigned to oversee that region). Stage 2 review will be conducted by the OCAC. Admission notification will be announced on OCAC activity registration website before April 2nd, 2026, and the OCAC overseas offices will contact admitted volunteers to confirm participation before April 18th, 2026. The organizer will send the documents including information on airport pick-up survey to admitted volunteers around April 20th, 2026.
Admitted volunteers must submit the following documents by May 10th, 2026 (Taiwan Standard Time, GMT+8). Failure to reply or upload the required documents on time will be regarded as giving up the right to participate:
(1).Arrival flight information with a copy of purchased airline ticket
(2).Health Certificate.
(3).Copy of valid medical insurance (must cover overseas medical treatment).
(4).Consent form for portrait rights and Pre-Departure Notice, signed by the applicant and his/her parents (sign in block letters in Chinese or English).
*Contact information for OCAC overseas missions: https://gov.tw/iMc (Chinese)；https://gov.tw/kYY (English)
ACTIVITY CONTENTS
1.First week: Teaching skill enhancement training.
2.Second and Third week: Each participant will teach English at a junior high school or elementary school in Taiwan (Teaching time will be 8 hours a day Monday to Friday, participants must also attend all scheduled evening and weekend activities).
3.Fourth week (5-day): Taiwan tour (cultural and scenic spot visits.)
PROGRAM FEES
1.For the entire duration of the program, the sponsors will pay for meals, accommodation, group transportation in Taiwan and administration expenses. The sponsors will also provide NT$4,000,000 accident insurance and NT$400,000 accident medical insurance.
2.The participant must pay the following expenses:
(1).Round-trip air fares from the country of residence to Taiwan.
(2).Personal medical expenses above insurance compensation.
(3).Accommodation, transportation and other expenses if the participant arrives earlier or leaves later.
(4).Other personal expenses.
PASSPORT AND VISA
The participant must have a passport with more than six months validity to be allowed entry into Taiwan. Different passports have different number of visa-exempt days. Visa Exempt Entry and Landing Visa are NOT applicable for any stay over 90 days. The participant should contact the nearest R.O.C. (Taiwan) Embassy, Mission or Cultural Office beforehand to apply for a suitable visa if you intend to stay for longer than 30 days. The OCAC and program organizer shall not be held responsible for any inconvenience caused if the participant's visa expires.
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS
1.During the program, accommodation is based on the principle of 4–6 people of the same sex sharing one room. Upper bunk assignments may be given to any participant, and requests for changes will only be accommodated for mobility-related reasons.
2.This program is international volunteer service in nature, not a pleasure visit. The program takes place during Taiwan's summer, when the weather is hot and humid, and mosquitoes and insects may be common. The schools involved may be in remote areas or lack teaching resources, with the living environment not up to the standard of the city. We hope volunteers can have an in-depth experience and merge into local life through teaching service and hope they can have a correct understanding of volunteer service.
3.The OCAC reserves the right to review, admit and allocate volunteers; after an admitted volunteer is allocated to a school, no request for change of school will be accepted.
4.Applicants who have special medical conditions (including heart problems, diabetes, hypertension, epilepsy, pregnancy, allergy, mental illness, etc.) that may affect their ability to serve are encouraged not to participate in this Program. The Organizer will not be liable for any situations arising from existing health conditions.
5.Adherence to the program regulations is required. All volunteers must complete English teaching program service unless this is prevented by health reasons or force majeure. Those who complete the full 3-week program and who submit a report on their thoughts and experiences before the activity ends and who have not violated the rules of the undertaking unit or the school where they volunteered will be given an 80-hour English-Chinese service certificate. Any participant who violates these rules and regulations can be subject to expulsion from the Program. The Organizer and schools reserve the right to inform the parents, guardians, and/or relatives of the participant-in question if such circumstances occur.
*For any doubts about registration, the Chinese prospectus and the OCAC's explanations shall take precedence.
