Visa and Flight tickets to Taiwan
In almost all cases, you will be required to apply for a Resident Visa. The procedures to apply for the Taiwanese visa and to obtain the flight tickets vary from country to country as it depends on the local Taiwanese Embassies’ or Commercial Offices’ policies. In general terms, you will have to fill out an application form by following the visa application instructions to submit it to the Taiwanese Embassies/Commercial Offices. The application form will require you to input the details of a contact person in Taiwan; for that matter, you may use the information in the Contact section, the manager’s name, phone number and office address, for your contact information. The Embassies/ Commercial Offices will accept the visa application forms around mid-August and respond to you and issue your flight tickets shortly thereafter. There are some country-specific medical exams required for being granted the Taiwanese Visa, please inquire of your local Embassy/Commercial Office about that matter.
There are very few cases you will be issued a visitor visa. Bear in mind that ONLY resident visa is good for application of Alien Resident Certificate (ARC), your ID in Taiwan. If you’re issued a guest visa, you will have to transfer it to a resident visa after arrival, then you can apply for ARC. Besides, you will be asked to do a specific health check in designated hospitals in Taiwan for the application of a resident visa. The whole process is time-consuming. It’s estimated to be done at least one month.
An important note for those students coming from Latin America: your flight will include a stop-over in Los Angeles, California, so you will need a US Visa for this matter. However, do contact your Embassy to confirm this. If you do, it is advisable to start the procedure to obtain the US Visa as soon as possible in order to avoid last minute delays in obtaining your Taiwanese Visa and flight tickets.
Important Documents
You need to bring the following documents with you:
- TaiwanICDF Acceptance Letter (copy)
- TaiwanICDF Consent Form that you signed when you accepted the TaiwanICDF scholarship. (While one year term is commonly given by National Immigration Agency when you apply for ARC, the consent form often guarantees two years term ARC. Please try to keep a copy for yourself, if original one is filed by Taiwanese Office/Embassy of your country.)
- The original copies of official diploma and full academic transcripts verified by the Taiwan Overseas Representative Offices in the country of the original schools (including verified translations, if applicable)
- NCCU Admission Letter (original).
- Additionally, it is suggested that you bring with you several passport size photos, with white backgrounds taken within 6 months. *Guidelines for ARC photographs
They will become handy for you when you apply for the ARC (Alien Resident Certificate), National Health Insurance (NHI), NCCU Student Card and other documents. Photograph for applying ARC comes with specific size and format. - Health Certificate for Residence Application (copy):
When you apply for the Resident Visa, you will submit the Health Certificate for Residence Application according to the government regulations. Please keep a copy for yourself, if original one is filed by Taiwanese Office/Embassy of your country. - Passport
We suggest that the expiration date of your passport is later than July 31, 2024 or even better later than February 2025. Because with ICDF consent form, you have high possibility to get two years term ARC, but if your passport will be expired during the scholarship award period, your ARC will only be valid before your passport expires. You will have to renew your passport and then renew your ARC to have legal stay in Taiwan. - Resident Visa
What To Pack
Don’t worry about it as Taiwan has 99% of whatever you need. Taiwan is a developed country and you will be able to find almost everything you need. There may not always be the selection that you use back home, but in general you can find something suitable for your needs. Of course, there are a few exceptions. In the worst case, your family or friends can ship it to you here (the mail system is extremely reliable). So stop worrying about what to pack and just bring the essentials and buy stuff here if needed.
There are some occasions requiring formal dress, such as your oral defense, internship interviews, occasionally company visits or the Gala party. You may bring a suit or business attire with you for those occasions.
If you may miss food from home, maybe you can bring some snacks or ingredients from your country, for example the beans or paste from the central America.
For ladies whose shoe number is over 8.5 or 9 in US sizes, please bring your own shoes because you can hardly buy ones in Taiwan.
Cash
- It is strongly advised to bring a sum of at least US$850 (~NT$25,000) worth of cash for the immediate expenses (e.g. necessity products, food, and materials and equipment you need to buy for your dorm in the first week.)
- Please bring NEW currency US dollars which are blue with line if you want to exchange them to New Taiwan Dollars at the airport.
- Please note that if you plan to buy a laptop in Taiwan, you will need to bring more money with you.
Housing Information
You will be automatically assigned on-campus housing. Initially, you will be staying in a temporary room in International House (I-House) near the main campus before the opening of campus dorms in early September. Both males and females, will stay in two-bed rooms in ZihCiang Dorm No. 10 (自強10舍). Regarding the dorm arrangement and subsidy policy, please refer to the Application Form for Housing or Dorm’s page. You will be asked to sign up and return Application Form for Housing via email.
Medicines
Although Taiwan has all the medicine available for all kinds of sicknesses, it may be good if you have your own supply as well, particularly prescribed medicines you regularly use back home. For common illnesses, you could have your own stuff from your country so that you don’t need to go to the clinic for a minor health issue. But don’t worry, most popular patent medicines are always accessible with affordable prices in drugstores near campus (The only issue is your scholarship won’t cover these expenses.) Medical service is very good and accessible in Taiwan. If you become ill during the first six months after arrival, when you don’t have the National Health Insurance (NHI), you can still visit doctors. In this case, the additional insurance which scholarship sponsors for new students would reimburse medical expenses. Basically, treatment under the coverage of NHI will be covered by this insurance (there are some exceptions.) However, there is a cap of NTD1,000 per day for outpatient treatment and reimbursement also takes longer time (you need to pay first). You may refer to this file for more information.
Course enrollment
Course enrollment for the fall semester 2022 should be processed online and it is scheduled to take place before you arrive in Taiwan. It is advisable to review the list of available subjects and the syllabi before you leave your home country. IMBA classes begin on September 5, yet primary enrollment is between Aug. 22 and 24(first round) and Aug. 29 and Aug. 31 (second round). Please visit the system for course selection during specified time, while attentively read the e-mails from IMBA office for this matter.
Leadership & Team Building
Considering the uncertainty of broader control policies for international students, COVID-19 pandemic and the quarantine and isolation rules, the 3-day-2-night class- Leadership and Team building, which was scheduled to take place on Sep 2-4,2022, will be postponed to Feb 25-27, 2023, please mark this change on your calendar accordingly.
Thinking of studying exchange programs?
ICDF does NOT allow scholarship recipients to study abroad for exchange or dual degree, so Office of International Programs (OIP) or IMBA office won’t receive your application to study in any other country as exchange or dual degree students during scholarship award period.