Taiwan has been an appealing higher education destination especially among the students from Asian countries for many years now. In 2018/19 alone, 56,000 plus foreign students were studying in various universities and colleges in the country which is a 27 percent increase over the previous academic year. This rapid increase acts as a testament that showcases the quality of education imparted in Taiwanese educational institutions. With more and more universities and colleges in the country attracting global attention, the number of foreign enrolments is going to continue to increase in Taiwan. The research-based education and unique industry exposures provided by the educational institutes in Taiwan has also piqued the interest of Indian students too. With a wide variety of options to choose from, students might get over enthusiastic about the possible opportunity to study in Taiwan. Before packing your bags, lets look at some important things that might help you in taking decisions regarding choosing Taiwan as your higher education destination.

• Visa Requirements: Before getting into the visa requirements, lets’ look at the various types of student visas that are offered by Taiwan. Primarily there are two popular categories of student visas that Indian students can opt for if they are looking to pursue their higher education in Taiwan and they are given as follows.

* Student visa that are for full time students from foreign countries.

* Student visa that are specifically for international exchange students

Now lets’ look at the visa requirements: First of all, there are several documents needed for applying for a student’s visa in Taiwan and they are

a) The student visa application form of Taiwan (printed and signed)

b) Passport (should at least have three blank pages and six more months of validity)

c) Enrolment proof (from the educational institution that you will be studying in Taiwan)

d) Health certificate (which is issued in the past three months)

These above-mentioned forms are the basic requirements needed to apply for Taiwanese student visas but there are some visa specific forms that you need to have with you according to the student visa that you are applying for.

a) For foreign students that opt for full time education: Original or photocopy of the financial support proof if it is applicable.

b) For students that are part of an international student exchange program: Original or photocopy of the proof of approval from the University or college that you are already enrolled in.

Moving on, there are two ways in which a student could get a student visa from Taiwan and they are

* From the Taiwanese embassy, consulate or any other diplomatic mission if you are applying before you arrive in Taiwan

* From the Consular Affairs or any of its other office if you are applying after arriving in Taiwan

Before going further, there are two things that you should keep in mind. The first is that the above-mentioned list is not an exhaustive list of required documents and the Taiwan authorities could request additional document if the need arises. The second thing to note is that all the forms that you submit should be in English or Chinese and if it is not, then it should be translated by an official translator and should be authenticated by Taiwanese authorities.

• Fees Structure: Compared to other top higher education destinations, universities and colleges in Taiwan offer programs at a much cheaper rate with the course fees (as of 2019) for undergraduate programs ranging from 1500 US dollars to 4700 US dollars per semester and for graduate and post graduate courses, the tuition fees come between 1550 US dollars and 2100 US dollars per semester. Apart from that, the rent at the various student residencies costs 320 US dollars per semester. With the cost of international higher education increasing, universities and colleges in Taiwan allows students to experience top-notch higher education without having to get worried about the financial aspect of their education.
• Scholarship Opportunities: There are plenty of scholarship opportunities for international students in Taiwan and some of them even cover the complete academic expenses of students. There are a plethora of scholarships especially for students from Asian countries to attract them towards Taiwanese universities and colleges. One of the many notable scholarships that can be availed by the Indian students is the MOE Taiwan scholarship which award 1331 US dollars for the recipients to cover the tuition fees, living allowance and a monthly stipend of 499 US dollars for undergraduate students and 665 US dollars for postgraduate students.

By choosing wisely, students can make the best out of the plethora of opportunities offered by the various universities and colleges in Taiwan. With strong emphasis on job-oriented education, these Taiwanese educational institutions have the ability to equip the students with the right skills needed to thrive in the modern world.