Taiwan, Your Gateway to Asia!

Taiwan, the home of NTU, is located right in the heart of East Asia, making it the perfect location from which to explore East and Southeast Asia. Surrounded by blue oceans and dotted with towering mountains and lush forests, Taiwan offers stunning nature and is home to unique endemic species. Successive waves of migration and colonization have resulted in a rich cultural and linguistic variety and unique Taiwanese culture as people from all over the Asia-Pacific region have settled in Taiwan.

Taiwan is home to a wide variety of beautiful landscapes. The island has mountainous terrain in the center, fertile agricultural land in the south, low-lying wetlands in the west, and gorgeous seaside cliffs in the east. Taiwan’s outer islands, with their beaches and coastal views, also make ideal vacation destinations.

Taiwanese culture is evidently rich and deeply historical. Large collections of ancient Chinese artifacts and traditional arts and crafts are preserved in museums across the island and attest to the historical significance and cultural diversity of Taiwan.

The tenets of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism manifest themselves in festivals, literature, and the visual and performing arts. The island’s heritage of the Hakka, Holo, and other indigenous people contribute greatly to Taiwan’s cultural richness.

A perfect blend of the traditional and the modern, Taiwan’s main cities of Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung, are thriving metropolises hosting a highly developed entertainment industry. Taiwan, the world capital of Mandarin pop, is also home to a steadily growing television and film industry. 

A 2015 CNN viewer survey named Taiwan as the world’s premier food destination. Home to a famous street food culture and bustling night markets, Taiwan is the world’s best place to indulge in local delicacies; beef noodle soup, gua bao (steamed pork belly bun), and even stinky tofu for those feeling adventurous. Bubble tea, a drink with tea, milk, flavoring, and toppings (often tapioca pearls), was also introduced in Taiwan and has since gained a name for itself internationally. 

Strategically located in the heart of the Asia-Pacific region, Taiwan provides a link between East and Southeast Asian countries. As one of the “Four Asian Tigers,” Taiwan has seen exponential economic growth over the last 50 years and has established itself as a keystone nation in the international market, continuing to grow in its global presence. Taipei was named the #1 City for ex-pats by InterNations in 2018.

Taiwan is an extremely safe nation with a low crime rate, named Asia’s #4 most safe country by the 2018 Global Peace Index, while Taipei was chosen as the #3 safest city in the world according to the 2017 Crime Index by Numbeo. The people of Taiwan feel comfortable walking through the city at night, without fear for their safety. In addition, the UN World Happiness Report of 2018 selected Taiwan as the 25th happiest nation in the world and 1st in Asia.

Why Study in Taiwan?

Taiwan is well-known as a country where you can enjoy high-quality education and modern living at affordable costs. As a rough guide, in 2012 the cost of tuition per semester at public universities was around US$840 - 1,000, and US$1,540 - 1,800 in the private sector. Compared to popular destinations such as the USA, UK, or Australia, Taiwan is almost half of what you will have to pay in other places in terms of tuition fees. 

And how about the cost of living when studying in Taiwan? Head to Cost of Living to get more detailed information.

Taiwan's universities have been steadily climbing and achieving greater global prominence in recent years, with 12 universities ranked in the top 100 of QS Asian University Ranking 2020. National Taiwan University (NTU) is not only the best university in Taiwan but also well-known for its strong international alliances and influence.

Taiwan is an ideal place for international students to learn Chinese, which is called Mandarin, Huayu, Guoyu, Hanyu, Putonghua, and Zhongwen as well in Chinese-speaking communities around the world. Taiwan is also an ideal place for learning traditional Chinese characters, which allows you to better connect with classic Chinese literature and culture. Furthermore, learning the characters also allow you to do handwritten communication with people who speak other Chinese dialects.

Useful Link

• Study in Taiwan: https://www.studyintaiwan.org/
• Ministry of Education, Taiwan: https://english.moe.gov.tw/lp-19-1.html 

• Study in Taiwan: https://www.youtube.com/user/FICHETtaiwan 

• Study in Taiwan: https://www.facebook.com/studyintaiwan