Applicants eligibility is based on the "Regulations Regarding InternationalStudents Undertaking Studies in Taiwan" regulated by the Ministry of Education (MOE). If the regulations are updated, these announced by the MOE will take priority. For updated information relating to the MOE Regulations, please contact the MOE directly.
International students are defined as follows:
- A person of foreign nationality who has never held Republic of China (“R.O.C.”) nationality and who meets the following requirements is permitted to apply for admission to an educational institution, in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations:
(1) The person has never undertaken studies in Taiwan as an overseas Chinese student.
(2) The person has not been given a placement in the current academic year by the University Entrance Committee for Overseas Chinese Students in accordance with the Regulations Regarding Study and Counseling Assistance for Overseas Chinese Students in Taiwan.
- A person of foreign nationality who meets the following requirements and who in the immediate past has resided overseas continuously for at least six years is also permitted to apply for admission to an educational institution, in accordance with these Regulations. However, a person who plans to apply to study in a university department of medicine, dentistry, or Chinese medicine must have resided overseas continuously for at least eight years.
(1) A person who at the time of their application also holds dual R.O.C. nationality shall have never had household registration in Taiwan.
(2) A person who before the time of their application also held dual R.O.C. nationality but no longer does at the time of their application shall have renounced their R.O.C. nationality with the approval of the Ministry of the Interior on a date at least eight full years before making their application.
(3) A person referred to in either of the preceding two subparagraphs shall meet the requirements stipulated in Subparagraph 1 and Subparagraph 2 of the previous paragraph.
A foreign national who was selected by a foreign government, organization, or school to study in Taiwan in accordance with the Education Cooperation Framework Agreement, and who has never had household registration in Taiwan may be given exemption from the restrictions set out in the preceding two paragraphs if the competent education administrative authority gives approval.
The periods of six years and eight years stipulated in Paragraph 2 shall be calculated using the starting date of the semester (February 1, or August 1) as the end date of the period.
The term “overseas” used in Paragraph 2 refers to countries or regions other than the Mainland Area, Hong Kong, and Macau; the term “reside overseas continuously” means that an international student has stayed in Taiwan for no more than a total of 120 days in each calendar year. When calculating the number of consecutive years spent overseas, if the initial or final year of the period is not a complete calendar year, any time spent in Taiwan in the initial or final year must not exceed 120 days.
An applicant of foreign nationality, who is eligible for permanent residence in Hong Kong or Macao, who has never had household registration in Taiwan, and who at the time of their application has resided in Hong Kong, Macao, or elsewhere overseas continuously for at least six years may apply for admission in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations. However, a person who plans to apply to study in a university department of medicine, dentistry, or Chinese medicine must have resided overseas continuously for at least eight years.
A person who was formerly from the Mainland Area and who has foreign nationality and has have never had household registration in Taiwan, and who at the time of their application has resided overseas continuously for at least six years may apply for admission to an educational institution, in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations. However, a person who plans to apply to study in a university department of medicine, dentistry, or Chinese medicine must have resided overseas continuously for at least eight years.
- An international student applying to study at an educational institution in Taiwan in accordance with the provisions of the two previous articles is limited to only applying once [English note: a person may apply to more than one educational institution, but if one of these applications is successful and they then study in Taiwan, they cannot subsequently apply to study at another educational institution for a course at the same level]. After completing the course of study at the educational institution to which they applied, unless the student is applying for admission to a program for a master’s degree or a higher degree, which may be handled by each university in accordance with its regulations, if the students wants to continue studying in Taiwan, their application shall be handled in the same manner as the admission procedures for domestic students.
- An international student who is dismissed from a university or tertiary college after admission as a result of unsatisfactory conduct, or poor academic performance, or a conviction in criminal case proceedings is not permitted to re-apply for admission to an educational institution under these Regulations.
- Each university or tertiary college shall formulate its own regulations regarding transfers of international students, incorporate these into its admission regulations, and submit these to the Ministry of Education for approval. However, an international student who has been dismissed by the educational institution that admitted the student as a result of unsatisfactory conduct or of a conviction in criminal case proceedings is not permitted to transfer to another university or tertiary college.
- An international student who submits any certificate or document as part of their application for admission to an educational institution that is found to be forged, fabricated, or that has been altered in some way shall have their enrollment eligibility revoked. If the student has already registered and begun classes, their registration as a current student shall be cancelled and they will not be awarded any certification whatsoever regarding their related academic undertakings. If any such circumstances are first discovered after a student has already graduated, the educational institution shall revoke the former student’s eligibility to graduate and shall require any degree already awarded to be returned and shall rescind it.
Note:
According to Article 2, the Law of Nationality, a person who meets one of the following requirements shall acquire the nationality of the Republic of China:
(1) A person whose father or mother was, at the time of his (her) birth, a citizen of the Republic of China.
* The situation of the mother does not apply to those who were born on or before February 9, 1980.
(2) A person born after the death of his/her father or mother who was, at the time of his/her death, a citizen of the Republic of China.
(3) A person born in the territory of the Republic of China and whose parents are unknown or stateless.
(4) A naturalized person.
The provisions specified in sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) of the preceding paragraph shall apply to minors on the date of the promulgation of the amendment of this Law.
Applicants’ Eligibility - Academic Credentials (Diploma/Transcript)
- Applicants with a high school diploma are eligible to apply for four-year undergraduate programs; applicants with a bachelor’s degree are eligible to apply for master’s programs; applicants with a master’s degree are eligible to apply for doctoral programs.
- Academic credentials from Mainland China: The Regulations Governing the Accreditation of Schools in Mainland China shall apply.
- Academic credentials from Hong Kong or Macao: Academic Credential Verification and Accreditation Methods adopted in Hong Kong and Macao shall apply.
- Academic credentials earned at overseas Taiwan schools or Taiwan schools in Mainland China shall be regarded as the same as those at domestic schools with equivalent levels. Academic credentials referred in the preceding 2 items shall be subject to the Regulations Regarding the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Academic Credentials for Institutions of Higher Education. However, academic credentials earned from schools or branches established in Mainland China by foreign schools shall require public notarization in Mainland China and be verified and examined by an institute established or appointed by, or through a private agency commissioned by the Executive Yuan.
- For applicants whose high school graduating level is only equivalent to Taiwan's high school second grade, once admitted, at least 12 credits at NCKU in addition to each department's credit requirement are required before graduation.
- Application documents will not be returned. If necessary, please make an extra copy for your own records.
MOE's List of universities in Mainland China