Article 1
This regulation is promulgated according to Article 25 of the Universities Act, Article 26 of the Junior College Act, Article 4-1 of the Vocational Schools Act, Article 3-1 of the Senior High School Act, and Article 6 Paragraph 3 of the National Education Act.
Article 2
An international student, as provided in this regulation, shall be confined to as an individual whose nationality is not from the Republic of China as described in Article 2, of the Nationality Act and also without overseas Chinese student status. Individuals with Republic of China nationality, having ceased to hold the nationality, are not qualified to apply for admission to a senior high school or university/college, if the period of the renunciation of the nationality is less than 8 years since the date, on which a revocation was issued from the Ministry of the Interior.
According to the Cultural Exchange Agreement, a foreign national who was selected by a foreign government, organization, school, or educational/cultural group to study in Taiwan, is not subject to the limitation as prescribed in the preceding paragraph.
The eight year period as prescribed in the first paragraph shall be calculated from the date of when the semester begins as set by each individual school.
Article 3
Upon completion of the course of study, at a school in Taiwan, to which an international student applied, the student's admission to higher academic levels shall be handled in a manner identical to the procedures of admission for local students, except that an application for master’s degree or higher level of graduate studies can be processed under the rules of each individual school.
Article 4
The quotas for admission allocated for international students at universities and two-year technical colleges (hereinafter referred to as ”Universities/colleges) should be no more than ten percent of the number of positions at the school for local students each year. The schools are responsible for reporting this information to the Ministry of Education (hereinafter referred to as “the Ministry” ) by November 30th of each year, for approval.
The quotas for admission, as prescribed in last paragraph, does not include students with a non-degree status.
Article 5
Universities/colleges are responsible for establishing international student recruitment regulations upon the approval of the Ministry, and creating a set of entrance rules according to the regulations that outline the degree programs offered, quotas for the admission, qualifications and requirements, means of reviewing or screening and other related information.
Article 6
International students applying for admission to a university/college shall submit their applications directly to the school of their choice during the school's designated application period. Those applicants found qualified through a review or screening process will be granted admission by the school. The following documents shall be submitted:
1. Application Form
2. The highest-level certificate and transcript issued by an international education institution (these documents must be translated into Chinese or English), which must be authenticated by a Taiwan’s overseas representative office.
3. Validated financial statement by overseas diplomatic offices indicating sufficient fundings for staying in Taiwan
4. Other documents as required by the university or college.
The certificate and the transcript issued by an international education institution as stipulated-above in Item 2, must be in accordance with the MOE “Procedural Guidelines for Verification and Recognition of International Educational credentials,” except for those issued by Taiwan’s overseas educational institutions.
Article 7
An international student who has completed a bachelor’s degree or higher degree in Taiwan and who applies for a master program shall be exempt from the rules listed in Article 6, first paragraph, item 2, provided that a graduation certification and transcript for each consecutive semester issued from the institutions in Taiwan shall be enclosed.
International students who have graduated from schools that enroll foreign residents in Taiwan, or from bilingual programs affiliated with local high schools must submit graduation certificates and transcripts for each academic semester to apply for admission under Article 6, and are exempt from the rules listed in Article 3 and Article 6, paragraph1, items 2.
Article 8
Universities/colleges shall prepare a roster of admitted and registered international students, and shall submit it to the MOE for acknowledgement by November 30th of each year. The roster shall include the student’s name, nationality, class standing, field/department, or graduate school to which they belong. In addition, the roster should also identify the recipient of the Taiwan Scholarship and or other scholarships sponsored by the Ministry.
Article 9
International students may not apply for bachelor programs designed for returning-education students, part-time, in-service courses of Master programs, or other programs, which are restricted to night classes and classes during holidays. International students who have received an Alien Residence Certificate, Permanent Residence Permit, or are enrolled in an international program, which is ratified by this Ministry, are exempted from this Article.
Article 10
While an international student who has been admitted to a university /college and has arrived at the campus after more than one-third of the first semester has passed shall not be enrolled for the whole academic year. However, graduate students may be allowed to enroll for the second semester of that academic year with the approval of the dean of their department or graduate school.
Article 11
International students who drop out of or withdraw from university/ college after admission may not thereafter apply again for admission under this regulation.
The transfer of an international student to other schools shall be regulated and handled by rules of the individual institutions.
Article 12
Upon the condition that it will not interfere with their normal educational activities, universities/colleges may sign agreements for academic cooperation with foreign schools. This allows the schools to recruit and accept international students as exchange students or part-time, using the current international student enrollment procedures.
Article 13
Universities/colleges that plan to establish a special program for international students in response to An International Academic Cooperation Scheme or in dealing with other special needs must file an application to the Ministry for ratification.
Article 14
In order to grant support to outstanding international students at universities/colleges, the Ministry shall set up or subsidize the universities/college to set up international student scholarships.
Universities/colleges shall set up scholarships or assistant financial aid at their own expense to encourage international students studying in Taiwan.
Article 15
Universities/colleges shall designate units or personnel to take responsibility for handling international student applications, consultation, liaison, and other related matters. In addition, these units or personnel shall reinforce the arrangement of home stay for international students, and assist them to learn the language and culture in order to improve their knowledge of this country.
Universities/colleges shall host such activities as to foster international exchange, globalization on campus, or other events, which will be helpful to the interaction between foreign and local students from time to time, during each academic year.
Article 16
Junior high schools, senior high schools, 5-year colleges, and junior colleges affiliated with universities (hereinafter referred to as “secondary educational institutions”) shall make proposals for admitting international students to study in Taiwan, except for the admission of those who hold legal residence status in Taiwan pursuant to Article 19. Such proposals shall be submitted with authorized government educational institutions by November 30th of each year; and only after approval, can admission be granted. The authorized government educational institutions within municipalities and counties /cities shall submit their individual school rosters which have been approved for granting student admission, to the MOE for filing by December 31st of each year.
The foregoing proposals shall include the establishment of International Student Affairs offices, the facilitation of Mandarin language and culture enrichment programs, and accommodation arrangements for international students.
The nationalities and the quotas for the admission of international students as stipulated in the first paragraph shall be specified, if necessary, by the Ministry of Education (MOE) after its consultation with the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
Secondary educational institutions or elementary schools may admit international students for short-term study in Taiwan for less than one year, with the approval from the authorized government educational institutions. Article 17
Unless otherwise specified in Article 19, international students applying for admission to secondary educational institutions shall submit the following documents directly to their intended institutions before the individual stated deadlines. Applications must go through a verification/review process, such as an examination, as to their eligibility before admission is granted.
1. Application form.
2. The highest-level certificate and transcript issued by an international education institution (these documents must be translated into Chinese or English), which must be authenticated by a Taiwan’s overseas representative office.
3. Proof of financial support, of more than NT$500,000, from parents or any other legal representative, which must be authenticated by a Taiwan’s overseas representative office.
4. Documents of the eligibility of a legal guardian in Taiwan.
5. Power of Attorney by parents or any other legal representative to the guardian in Taiwan, which must be authenticated by a Taiwan’s overseas representative office.
6. Letter of Agreement by a legal guardian in Taiwan, which must be notarized by a court of Taiwan.
7. Others, as required by individual educational institutions.
The certificate and the transcript issued by an international education institution as stipulated-above in Item 2, must be in accordance with the MOE “Procedural Guidelines for Verification and Recognition of International Educational credentials,” except for those issued by Taiwan’s overseas educational institutions.
Article 18
The legal guardian in Taiwan who is addressed in the previous article, must be a national citizen of the Republic of China, and must submit a clean criminal record issued by the police department, as well as a tax report for the latest year, issued by the Revenue Service, indicating a total annual income of more than NT$900,000.
Those who meet the foregoing eligibility requirements may act as legal guardians; however, there is to be only one guardian for each international student.
Article 19
An international student who has legal residency status in Taiwan and wishes to apply for admission to senior high school, junior high school, or elementary school shall submit an application to a school near their domicile, accompanied by the documents listed below. After a screening test by the school and obtaining approval to register for admission, those international students shall be listed in a roster prepared by the school and sent it to the authorized government educational institutions for acknowledgement. Required Documents:
1. Application form
2. A photocopy of the student's Alien Residence Certificate or Permanent Residence Permit
3. The highest-level certificate and transcript issued by an international education institution (these documents must be translated into Chinese or English), which must be authenticated by a Taiwan’s overseas representative office. Applicants for the first grade, of the first semester, at elementary schools are not required to provide such documents, as mentioned above.
4. The certificate and the transcript issued by an international education institution as stipulated-above in Item 3, must be in accordance with the MOE-promulgated “Procedural Guidelines for Verification and Recognition of International Education Institutions,” except for those issued by Taiwan’s overseas educational institutions.
5. If an international student referred to in the first paragraph applies to a school that is unable to accept the application because of full enrollment, the student may apply to a authorized government educational institution for assignment to a school whose enrollment quota has yet to be reached.
According to the results from the screening process undergone by schools as referred to in Paragraph 1 of this Article, These schools may allocate international students to either enroll or audit at an designated school. Auditing shall be limited to one year only. Students who are auditing and have passed their examinations will be granted enrollment status.
Article 20
International students admitted to educational institutions pursuant to Article 17, shall pay for their tuition in accordance with the standards specified by authorized government educational institutions, for tuition and miscellaneous fees, which are applicable for each individual level and program at private secondary educational institutions.
International students admitted to educational institutions pursuant to the previous article, shall pay for their schooling fees in accordance with the same standards that apply at their individual institutions.
Article 21
When registering with their intended institutions, new international students must attach medical and accidental insurance policies, which they purchased in foreign countries, covering a valid period of no less than 4 months starting from the day of arrival in Taiwan. Returning international students must attach policies regarding Taiwan national health insurance and other pertinent coverage plans.
The foregoing insurance policies purchased in foreign countries must be authenticated by a Taiwan’s overseas representative office.
Article 22
When international students suspend or discontinue their schooling, or by any other reason that causes them to lose student status at the school, the school must notify the National Police Agency of the Ministry of the Interior, Bureau of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs, the police department of the local municipal government, and send copies of notification to this Ministry.
Article 23
Authorized government educational institutions may, if necessary, visit institutions that admit international students. If any public institutions are found in violation of the regulations herein, the presidents/schoolmasters and relevant staff shall be subject to penalty, pursuant to the pertinent laws and regulations. For those violating private institutions, authorized government educational institutions shall deal with this issue, pursuant to the Private School Act and relevant regulations.
Article 24
The application procedures, as well as scholarship, management and assistance, suspension, discontinuation, notification of a student’s status change or revocation for international students who want to study language at the Mandarin training centers affiliated to universities/ colleges are applicable to Article 6 paragraph 1 item 1, item 3, item 4, Article 14, Article 15, Article 21 and Article 22.
Article 25
The document formats for Article 6 paragraph 1 item 1, Article 17 paragraph 1 item 1, and Article 19 paragraph 1 item 1 shall be set by the individual schools. The document formats for Article 17 paragraph 1 item 5 and item 6 shall be set by the Ministry.
Article 26
This Regulation shall be effective upon the date of promulgation.
