About Our Program

WHAT IS VELD?

The VELD Fellowship Taiwan is an 18-month journey of self discovery and personal growth, exclusively for recent graduates of top U.S. colleges.

Given political, economic, and cultural interest in East Asia, we have worked to match demands and invigorate both the U.S. and the Taiwanese scene through youthful exchange. VELD has its values built into the name - we strive to bring about vocational, educational (including linguistic), and leadership development, all while exploring a new cultural landscape in Taipei under full financial support. 
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With two tracks to choose from, work in line with your own priorities and carve out your own adventure in Taiwan. The 2024 application cycle has now opened, please apply here.

Vocation

Find your professional calling as you explore Taiwan's fast growing start up scene and work in a field of your choosing in areas ranging from Fintech to Hospitality and everything in between.

Language

Choose your track of either two or four intensive semesters of Mandarin learning at the National Taiwan Normal University in an immersive language environment.

Leadership

Take charge of developing content, guiding student enrichment, and teaching through part time educational consultant work and project based learning within the fellowship.​

Words from our Program Director

Curiosity is what drove you onwards: to learn an instrument; to apply to college; to chase an internship; to start a language from scratch.
It is in the spirit of that same curiosity that we have created the VELD fellowship. With aim to encourage exploration and nurture creative thought, we have established a space which opens up, rather than stifles, new possibilities for the college graduate.
Inspired by the youthful energy and concurrent and diverse avenues of self-development pursued in college, VELD defies traditional models of post-graduation opportunities to create something that goes beyond. VELD is our answer to what stepping into higher engagement with leadership, language, and culture in our increasingly interconnected world should look like, and we welcome your contribution to our vision.

See for yourself,
Caderyn

From Zhang Qian to the 21st century:
Our Inspiration

In the 2nd century B.C.E, Zhang Qian was sent on an expedition by Emperor Wu across the continent. Through his efforts, the Silk Road was established, thus marking the beginning of East-West globalization and over a thousand years of economic development.

The original silk road was instrumental in the exchange of goods between cultures that had never before been so concretely connected. In the 21st century the world is now engaged in global trade, with the internet allowing for the unfiltered flow of information. In spite of, or perhaps owing to, this, nations sometimes seem more divided than ever. The VELD Fellowship offers a new road of cultural exchange, to promote lasting partnerships and relationships between East and West once more.

Program Timeline

All fellows at VELD will arrive together in June where they'll begin their Language Development and Education Consulting journey for Term 1. After six month, Fellows will split into two different tracks for Term 2 for another six months: one focused on continued mandarin learning and one focused on work experience at various Start-Ups. After Term 2 ends, Fellows will finish off their Fellowship as Senior Fellows complete a mixture of leadership, education, additional fellowship activities.

Ready for Taiwan?