ESEAP Conference 2026/Scholarships

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🔺The Scholarship Application has closed on Nov 30 AoE🔺

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What is an ESEAP Conference Travel Scholarship?

A full scholarship is a grant given to an individual to enable them to attend ESEAP Conference 2026 in person. Scholarship recipients are selected by the Scholarships Committee together with the Core Organizing Team of ESEAP Conference 2026, with funds provided by the Wikimedia Foundation.

Recording of Scholarship Information Sessions

Option 1 recorded version (eng)
Hosted by Joyce Chen
Option 2 recorded version (zh)
Hosted by Betty Chang

The scholarship supports the following expenses

Visa applications (if applicable)
Flights: airports inside ESEAP both incoming and outgoing Ground transportation from the airport to Kaohsiung if arriving at an airport other than Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH).
Accommodation (breakfast included) up to four (4) nights shared with another grantee of the same gender.
Limited medical insurance
The registration package will include:
- Lunches and coffee/tea breaks on all three (3) conference days
- One evening banquet
- Optional cultural activities
- Conference Swags

For self-funded or affiliate-funded participants

For 2026, a modest registration fee of USD 20 to all non-WMF scholarship participants, including self-funded and affiliate-funded attendees.
All attendees, regardless of funding source, are required to register before the event due to limited capacity. (WMF scholarship recipients will receive a special registration code covering a free of charge ticket.)
The registration package will include:
- Lunches and coffee/tea breaks on all three (3) conference days
- One evening banquet
- Optional cultural activities
- Conference Swags

Timeline

November 9, 2025: Opening of Scholarship Application
November 30, 2025: Closure of Scholarship Application
December 2025: Review and selection of applications
January 11, 2026: Notify scholars through email with registration link.

Who can apply for this travel scholarship?

The ESEAP Conference 2026 Travel Scholarship is open to anyone aged 18 or above who can demonstrate a meaningful connection to the Wikimedia Movement and the ESEAP region. Individual contributors, volunteers, and organizers who actively support Wikimedia projects, communities, partnership organizations or initiatives are welcome to apply.
In addition, eligible Wikimedia affiliates (to be announced soon) are invited to nominate one Youth representative and one Women representative to participate in the conference. These nominations aim to strengthen inclusion and ensure diverse community voices are represented.
The selection process will seek to achieve a balanced representation among participants from underrepresented communities, languages, ages, genders, and regions, ensuring a diverse and inclusive ESEAP gathering.

Policy & Advice for applying the scholarship

1. Fill in the form by language you are comfortable with

We encourage you to submit your application in any of the following 2026 ESEAP Conference scholarship form languages — English, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese or Tagalog.

Using your own language helps you express your thoughts authentically and may also reduce the need to rely on AI tools. However, please note that a working level of English or Mandarin Chinese will be important for travel and communication with other scholars and organizers during the conference.

2. Policy on use of AI tools in preparing your application

Reasonable use of AI tools to organize your ideas or improve clarity is acceptable, but you must verify all content before submission and are fully responsible for the accuracy of your responses. Please disclose any AI use in the final question of the form. If any information provided is found to be inaccurate or misleading, it may affect your eligibility.

3.Carefully read through guidance & tips of questions on metapage.

Before submitting, please review the guidance and writing tips for each question available on the Meta page. They are designed to help you clearly describe your Wikimedia experience and motivation, which will strengthen your application.

4. Avoid last-minute submission

Incomplete or late applications cannot be accepted. We strongly recommend preparing your answers offline before submitting them through the online form.

5. Recommend attending online introduction sessions organized by scholarship committees

These sessions will provide an overview of the selection process, application tips, and FAQs.

Date & Time (UTC)	Language	Local Time Examples
12 Nov, Wednesday – 10:00 UTC (Zoom Link)	Japanese	Tokyo 7:00 PM JST
16 Nov, Sunday – 06:00 UTC (Zoom Link)	English	New Zealand 7:00 PM NZDT, Australia East Coast (Sydney/Melbourne/Canberra) 5:00 PM AEDT
16 Nov, Sunday – 08:00 UTC (Zoom Link)	Chinese	Taiwan / Hong Kong 4:00 PM CST
22 Nov, Saturday – 09:00 UTC (Zoom Link)	English	Philippines / Malaysia / Singapore / Taiwan / Hong Kong 5:00 PM CST

What You’ll Find in the Scholarship Application Form

Section 1 and 2: Contact, Acknowledgement and Travel detail

In this section, please provide accurate information. We will use this email address to contact you regarding the result of your scholarship application. Additional details, such as passport information, will only be requested if you are selected as a scholarship recipient.

Section 3: Demographic Information

The following questions are for statistical and grouping purposes only. Your answers will NOT affect your application score or eligibility in any way. These questions help the Scholarship Committee understand the diversity and representation of applicants across the ESEAP region — such as balance in age, gender, language, roles, and experience levels within the Wikimedia movement.

Please answer honestly and select all options that best describe you. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers — the goal is simply to understand who is part of our growing ESEAP community. The data will be used only in aggregate to support fair distribution and inclusivity goals.


Questions	Tips & Examples
What is your current age What is your gender? Please select the language(s) you feel most comfortable using for communication.	Please select options based on your personal facts. If you select “Other” or “Prefer not to say,” that is perfectly acceptable. Choose one or multiple languages you are comfortable using for communication during the event.
What are your roles in the Wikimedia Movement? Please select all that apply? I am a board member of a Wikimedia affiliate. I am a staff member of a Wikimedia affiliate. I serve as a member or advisor on a committee in the Wikimedia Movement. I am active in a regional or thematic Wikimedia community that is not formally affiliated with the Wikimedia Foundation. I am an advanced rights user on Wikimedia project(s) (e.g., steward, CheckUser, VRT member, interface admin, admin, bureaucrats, global admins, and/or other advanced rights holder — current or former). I see myself as an active contributor (editing, uploading media, etc). Other — including individuals affiliated with GLAM institutions (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums) or partner organizations that align with the mission of Wikimedia Movement. Follow-up questions, please list the title or position for each role you selected.	Select all roles that apply to your current or past involvement in the Wikimedia movement. In the follow-up question, clearly list your title or position for each selected role (e.g., board member, program coordinator, admin, community organizer). Example: Selected roles I am a board member of a Wikimedia affiliate. I see myself as an active Wikimedia project content contributor. Follow-up answer: Board Member, Wikimedia Taiwan (2022–present) Active editor on Chinese Wikipedia, focus on cultural heritage articles.
Please select the Wikimedia project(s) you call home, and list the language(s) you usually contribute to. When did you start actively contributing to Wikimedia projects?	Indicate the main Wikimedia projects where you contribute most frequently (e.g., Wikipedia, Commons, Wikidata). Include the language editions and specify when you first started active participation. Example: Home projects: Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons Languages: Chinese, English Active since: 2016
In the following ESEAP Conference & Summit, select those you have joined in-person.	Select all ESEAP events you have attended in person.
(Optional) Have you ever attended any other international conference in the Wikimedia Movement, or other Open Knowledge related conferences? If yes, please list the conference(s) title and years attended.	If you have attended other Wikimedia or open-knowledge-related conferences, please list their names and years (e.g., Wikimania 2023 – Singapore, COSCUP 2022, Taipei, Taiwan).

Section 4: Assessment Questions

The following questions are the primary questions from which your application will be assessed. We are eager to read good insights with supportive links. For each assessment question, we recommend that you write your responses in a concise, structured, and easy-to-read format.

Whenever possible, use bullet points to list:

Specific activities or projects you were involved in,
The year(s) they took place, and
Supporting links to on-wiki pages, dashboards, or reports.

Your actual contributions and verifiable records matter most — make sure the links you provide clearly demonstrate your involvement and impact. This format will help reviewers clearly understand your contribution timeline, areas of focus, and verified impact within the Wikimedia movement.


Questions	Tips & Guidance
Please share with us why and how you started contributing to Wikimedia Projects and what motivates you to continue. You may include a description of memorable moments/contributions of yours.	This question aims to understand your personal story — how you began your Wikimedia journey and what keeps you engaged. Share what initially drew you in (e.g., curiosity, a cause, a community) and what inspires you to continue. Mention one or two specific examples or moments that were especially meaningful.
Please describe your contributions to Wikimedia projects and online campaigns recently and over the past two years — for example, as an editor, organizer of online campaigns, jury member. (You may include links to dashboards, edit histories, reports, or other on-wiki project documentation.)	This question focuses on your online activities, including both current and work within the last two years. Please highlight concrete examples such as editing, organizing online events, or supporting campaigns, and include relevant links (e.g., dashboards, event pages, or project documentation) to clearly demonstrate your contributions.
Please describe your experience in participating in or organizing in-person Wikimedia events or local outreach activities recently and over the past two years. (e.g., trainings, meetups, in-person edit-a-thons, workshops, conferences, partnerships, or other community gatherings)	Share your experience engaging with Wikimedia communities offline. Describe the types of activities you participated in or organized, your role, and the actions you took. Include both current and past work within the last two years, and include relevant links (e.g., event pages, or project documentation) to clearly demonstrate your contributions.
Please describe your involvement in Wikimedia governance or strategic discussions recently and over the past two years. (e.g., serving on committees or boards, participating in policy or strategy consultations, contributing to affiliate or hub planning, or supporting community decision-making processes)	This question assesses your understanding and participation in Wikimedia’s governance and strategic processes. Describe any roles you’ve held (e.g., committee member, affiliate board, working group) and explain your contribution to decision-making or planning. Focus on your active participation and collaboration. We understand that some governance-related contributions may not have public links available. In such cases, your description will be evaluated based on the clarity and depth of your explanation.
Please describe how your efforts support diversity and inclusion within the ESEAP region.	We want to learn how your work contributes to creating a more inclusive Wikimedia environment. Describe any projects or actions that support underrepresented languages, cultures, or groups within ESEAP. Be specific about what impact your activities have made or aim to make.
The ESEAP Conference 2026 theme is “New Era of ESEAP Hub: Pioneer the Future Together”, what does this mean to you?	This question invites you to reflect on the conference theme. Share your personal interpretation of “pioneering the future together” and how you connect this idea with your own Wikimedia experience or hopes for ESEAP’s growth. You may mention what kind of future collaboration or development you wish to see.
Please share with us how attending ESEAP conference 2026 will help you contribute to the Wikimedia movement and how you will share your learnings or experiences with your community.	We’re looking to understand the value of your participation — both what you will gain and how you will give back. Explain what you hope to learn, who you want to connect with, and how you plan to share your experiences (e.g., reports, meetups, presentations). Please also provide any relevant links, such as reports on Meta-Wiki, Diff articles, or other platforms, that demonstrate how you have shared or plan to share your learning with others.

What is the process for a ESEAP Conference scholarship?

In general, we expect the workflow for funding decisions to go through the following steps:

Individuals submit the application forms and receive email confirmation of your submission.
The Scholarships Committee reviews for eligibility.
The Scholarships Committee & COT reviews applications and makes decisions.
Individuals are informed of the decision and are asked for information to enable the Wikimedia Foundation travel specialist to book transport and accommodation.
The Wikimedia Foundation travel specialist books and confirms transport and accommodation.