Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Study Abroad in Taiwan August 24, 2023

By (Chinese Language, Literature and Media Arts & Sciences, Wellesley College) - abroad from 02/20/2023 to 06/09/2023 with

National Taiwan University: Taipei - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Studying abroad allowed me to experience life in another country and city that was very different from what I'm accustomed to. I got to try a lot of new things and meet a lot of new people that I wouldn't have been able to try/meet if I didn't study abroad. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I grew a lot from the experience.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

There wasn't a lot of information on how to prepare before arrival in Taiwan, making it a little stressful since we had to figure out a lot of stuff on our own instead. The NTU website is also a bit dated and disorganized, so you have to dig around for the info you need.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was very satisfied, but this was mainly because I found an apartment off campus. Otherwise, international students don't have guaranteed housing and I was one of the unlucky students who didn't get a spot. This meant I had to navigate finding a place in Taiwan, which also happened to be the first apartment I was going to live in. Unless you have family friends or other people who can help you find a place, this can be super stressful.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have to use the local Taiwan healthcare, but from what I've heard it's pretty good and much more affordable than the US.

* Safety:

Overall, Taipei is pretty safe since it's a busy city. However, just be aware of cars driving since some streets are narrow. Also, scams are pretty common on LINE and other online apps, so be really wary of giving out your info to people.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

I originally planned to go to Shanghai, China, but because of program cancellations during COVID, I ended up having to last minute change to NTU's program. It wasn't totally bad, but I think I had to experience certain things such as adjusting to Traditional Chinese (I only learned Simplified prior to this study abroad trip) that made things a lot more difficult. Also, some of my professors were very vocal of their negative opinions towards mainland China/anything remotely related to mainland China, which was quite off-putting since it felt like it disregarded a lot of students background (like in learning Simplified or having studied more about China's culture). Socially, it was pretty difficult to integrate into a group, especially since there were only 2 of us from Wellesley and local students tend to not socialize in the same way as I'm used to. Clubs are much more important at NTU, but they do have some barriers in terms of late meeting times, high commitments, and fees.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Different university experience
  • Living day-to-day in another country
* What could be improved?
  • Social life
  • Course load requirements (felt a bit too heavy)
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how it's important to find a balance in studying, exploring, socializing, etc. while being abroad.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!