Taiwan offers additional scholarships in an effort to retain graduates from abroad

To assist it reach its new goal of enrolling 320,000 international students by 2030, the education ministry will open offices abroad in nations including Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. In 2022, there were about 19,000 foreign students in Taiwan. Prior to COVID, the number was almost 57,000. Ageing and declining fertility rates are major problems in Taiwan. The country’s Executive Yuan stated in a statement that “the government must take steps to actively recruit international talent to fill gaps in domestic manpower and strengthen industrial competitiveness.”

Among these efforts, “improving the attraction and retention of international and overseas compatriot students” is crucial. The goal of the approach is to draw STEM students because Taiwan’s businesses have a “strong demand for talent” in these fields, according to Liu Mon-chi, deputy minister of education. The initiative will invest about $162 million, and qualified international students can apply for government scholarships and living stipends from sponsors. Most of these students will pursue dual degrees, spending two years in Taiwan and two years in their home countries. 

After graduating, students will be required to work for the firm that funded them in Taiwan for an additional two years, or they will be required to repay their scholarship. To support the plans, the government intends to simplify the procedures for obtaining Taiwanese residency. This programme is distinct from the government’s ongoing efforts to recruit foreign students, which centre on luring undergraduate students to Taiwan for full academic programmes.