FAQ - Exchange Student Program | After Selection

Not necessarily. Being assigned a host institution during the internal screening only indicates that the student will be nominated by NTU to the host institution for the student exchange program. The student’s application will have to be further evaluated by the host institution. Students that are not accepted by their assigned host institutions or are unable to obtain a student visa will have their admissions revoked. In such cases, NTU will not advocate for the student’s admission to other departments of the host institution or aid with the student’s visa application. Furthermore, the student’s scholarship (where applicable) will also be revoked.
Yes. As a student exchange program concerns the student’s safety abroad, and as NTU Study Abroad is unable to regulate each student’s actions nor be responsible for their safety abroad, parental consent of every student is required.
Academic structures and schedules vary from countries/regions to countries/regions. Students may refer to the information in the List of Exchange Universities.
The maximum duration of a student exchange program is 1 academic year. All outgoing exchange students nominated through the internal screening must adhere to the schedule of the student exchange program they were admitted to. Hence, students that have been admitted to a one-semester student exchange program may not request for an extension. Under unavoidable or compelling circumstances, students may request for early termination of their exchange program. Students will have to provide relevant proof and a report stating their reason. Any early terminations must be agreed upon by both the host institution and NTU before they can be carried out. For further details, please refer to our guidebook for outgoing exchange/visiting students.
As with degree students, exchange students will also need to complete the payment of their tuition fees in order to complete their enrollment. We advise students to ask family members or fellow friends to help with these procedures. All exchange students need not pay tuition fees to the host institution, but will need to bear all other fees required by the host institution (miscellaneous fees, accommodation fees, insurance, etc.), and will also need to complete the host institution’s enrollment procedures.
Exchange students may reserve their right to be allocated a bed space in the NTU dormitories upon returning to Taiwan. Students will have to fill out the Application for Dormitory Reservations for Exchange Students form, have it stamped by the NTU Study Abroad Team, and submit it to the Student Housing Service Division before the deadline. All such applications should be completed before departure. Students will not need to pay NTU’s accommodation fees during their study abroad. Upon returning to Taiwan after their student exchange program, those that reapply for a placement at the dormitory will be allocated a dormitory bed space, but may not request to be allocated to their initial dormitory or bed space. Reservations of dormitory accommodation must be carried out according to NTU’s regulations. (Reservation of dormitory accommodation is not applicable to students that are extending their school year)
Students may submit an English proof of deposit (either theirs or their parent/guardian's), which can be obtained from their respective banks or the post office. Evidence of financial ability is only required upon request by the host institutions. As student exchange programs only waive the tuition fees of the host institution, some institutions may require students to provide evidence of financial ability in order to ensure that each student has the means to support their stay. Furthermore, though not all host institutions will require evidence of financial ability, some countries may require it for their student visa applications. Unconfirmed scholarships will not be accepted as evidence of financial ability. Students will not be required to provide evidence of financial ability during the internal screening process.
Most exchange universities do provide accommodation, but only a few provide a guarantee of placement. Students that wish to stay in campus dormitories (even if accommodation is guaranteed) will have to apply directly through the host institution or online. As more and more host institutions are shifting towards a fully digital application process and have rigid dates and deadlines, students are advised to take note of their host universities' accommodation application details. Only a handful of universities require student ID to apply for their accommodation, whereas most are available as soon as they open, so students need not wait for an admission offer before applying.
If the host institution does not provide any accommodation, students will have to find their own off-campus housing. The NTU Study Abroad Team is unable to provide relevant consultation or apply on the student’s behalf. In such cases, we advise that students consult fellow former exchange students from the same host institution and refer to their experiences.
The maximum validity of an exchange student visa is one year. For student exchange programs that only last for one semester, exchange students will typically receive a visa that is valid for half a year. For programs that last for one full academic year, students will typically receive a student visa that is valid for 1 year or 10 months. Students are advised to confirm beforehand if they will require a student exchange certificate for their visa application, and can apply for a student exchange certificate through the OIA. Certificates of enrollment are administered by the Office of Academic Affairs, and are not provided between semesters (during winter and summer break).
The NTU Study Abroad Team is unable to help students with their visa application, nor purchase plane tickets or insurance on their behalf. Students that are unable to obtain a visa due to personal circumstances will have their admissions revoked.
Yes. However, please ensure that you hold a multiple-entry visa. Furthermore, some countries or regions require further endorsement for re-entrance. Please research relevant regulations before returning to Taiwan. Should you need to return to Taiwan during the semester, please inform both your supervisors/coordinators at the host university and NTU Study Abroad of the details and reason for your return.
According to NTU’s school regulations, all students must take and pass at least 6 credits (or 2 courses). Undergraduate students with unique circumstances and graduate students with relevant research needs may be exempt from the above restrictions but must obtain approval and authorization from their department chairman and mentor (undergraduates), or their advising professor (graduates).  However, if the host university has its own requirements regarding course selection, all exchange students will need to adhere to them. Furthermore, some countries have their own restrictions towards credits and courses. E.g., in the US, exchange students are required to take at least 12 credits; in Canada, a student must take at least 9 credits to be considered a full-time student (to meet the requirement of your student visa).
In principle, students may apply for credit transfer for all the courses they had taken during their student exchange program. In the case that a course with more credits is transferred to a course with less credits, the number of credits of the lesser will be transferred. All credit transfer applications have to be reviewed and approved by relevant academic departments and the Office of Academic Affairs. Those that wish to inquire which courses or credits may be transferred are advised to consult with their respective departments or the Office of Academic Affairs beforehand. 

In order to be counted towards general education credits or program credits, courses must have identical course names as that of NTU, and have to be further approved by the student’s department or the head of general education. Otherwise, they may only be counted towards elective credits. Generally speaking, all credits obtained from student exchange programs may be counted towards elective credits.
According to the Office of Academic Affairs, students are advised to complete the procedures within two months of returning. However, considering that institutions typically release their transcripts according to their own schedules, students are only required to complete them before graduation. Note that credit transfers must be completed before carrying out graduation procedures, and will not, under any circumstances, be able to be transferred after graduation.
No. Exchange students may only carry out credit transfer procedures after the end of their student exchange program.
Students may carry out their credit transfer procedures after obtaining their transcript from their host institution and submitting their exchange experience report. However, students will not be able to carry out their graduation procedures any earlier than June, which is when NTU starts handling graduation procedures. According to the administrative timeline of the Office of Academic Affairs, students are advised to complete their credit transfer procedures within two months of returning.
No, you may not enroll in a master’s program simultaneously with your student exchange program. All student exchange programs are non-degree programs, and exchange students may not obtain any academic degrees from their host university. All exchange students must return to Taiwan after the end of their student exchange programs to continue with their studies at NTU, log and transfer credits obtained, or carry out their graduation procedures.
Students may apply for a Statement of Expected Graduation from the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Division for their student visa application.
No. Exchange students may not participate in a student exchange program at a host university other than the one they were assigned to. Any interchanges of host universities will be penalized, and both students will have their admissions revoked.
No. If the campus, department, or semester of exchange offered by the host institution is dissatisfactory, students only have the choice of accepting or declining admission, and may not request for any changes.
No. Admitted students must apply to their host institution with the same status as the internal screening. Undergraduates that have been later admitted to NTU’s graduate programs may not request to attend their student exchange program as a graduate student. Students that had applied for the internal screening as a master’s student may only attend their student exchange program as a master’s student.
Yes. You may extend your school year with the purpose of going on a student exchange program. All students that have fulfilled graduation requirements and have not reached their maximum years of study may apply for extension of school year as an outgoing exchange student prior to their departure. However, the start of their extension must align with the start of their exchange. In other words, students that will have met the graduation requirements in either semester (Semester 1 or Semester 2) may only apply for student exchange programs held in the first semester of their extension, and may not attend student exchange programs held in any later semester.
No. All outgoing exchange students (including those that are extending their school year) must pay NTU’s full tuition fees (including miscellaneous fees) during their exchange. A student exchange program is a reciprocal agreement between partner institutions that encourages academic and cultural interaction between students of both institutions. Students of both institutions will have to bear the tuition fees of their respective home institutions and receive incoming exchange students with warm hospitality.
Students may not carry out any applications for leaves of absence or graduation during their exchange. Those involved in such violations will have their exchange student status and scholarship (where applicable) immediately revoked, and will have to return the entire amount of scholarship money received thus far.
Yes. According to the Implementation Directions Governing National Taiwan University Outgoing Study Abroad Students (Chinese version available only: 國立臺灣大學辦理本校學生赴境外研修要點), students who withdraw after submitting their Student Exchange Confirmation Form and paying the program fee will be penalized NT$5,000, which will go towards NTU’s school development fund. Students that are forced to withdraw due to unforseen circumstances may have their penalty waived, and will have to provide relevant proof. This penalty is not applicable towards students admitted to visiting student programs.
Yes, please refer to here for relevant information. Note that exchange students will only have the tuition fees of their host institution waived, and will have to cover the rest of their expenses. Our student exchange program does not provide any guarantees for scholarships or any kind of financial assistance.
Changes of language proficiency must be made before either of the listings of preferences, and cannot be made during the span of the listings (even if you have not submitted your preferences). Students may print the page of their online test results (including the header and the full website URL in the footer) and sign their names in the top-right corner. Affidavits or other such documents will not be accepted.
Please refer to the information provided by CSUIP: Your host campus will issue your acceptance documents including your DS-2019 for non-US citizens. This will be sent to the exchange partner (or to you directly) who will contact you when it arrives. The DS-2019 will allow you to apply for a J-1 non-immigrant visa for entry into the U.S.  When received, check your DS-2019 for accuracy. Contact your host campus immediately if the information is incorrect. 

DS-2019 is a physical document that will be posted to the OIA or to you directly. If you received it, please inform NTU Study Abroad and provide a scanned copy.