The Ministry of Education yesterday released its latest census on overseas students, showing that international enrollment has nearly returned to pre-COVID-19-pandemic levels, driven by a surge in Vietnamese students and more Indonesians pursuing full degrees.
A total of 123,188 international students studied in Taiwan last year, compared with 90,895 in 2020 and close to the 128,157 recorded in 2019, the census showed.
The ministry attributed the rebound to incentives and scholarships offered through its recruitment programs.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Education
Vietnamese students made up the largest group, rising to 39,695 from 27,883 in 2023. About 76 percent were enrolled in full degree programs rather than short-term study, the census said.
In line with the government’s New Southbound Policy and broader migration strategy, the ministry said it has continued to expand recruitment channels through programs such as the International Industrial Talents Education Special Program, the Recruitment of Hong Kong, Macau and Other Overseas Students for the Core Industries Program and the International Programs of Industry-Academia Collaboration in Taiwan.
The initiatives aim to provide schools with more flexible options for attracting international students, it said.
Vietnam is among the countries where the ministry is boosting recruitment incentives, alongside Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, the ministry said.
The number of students from Myanmar ranked seventh overall, but has been rising quickly, from 928 in 2020 to 2,973 last year, the census showed.
Most Burmese students come from expatriate families, the ministry said, adding that the growth was likely influenced by local political conditions and Taiwan’s recruitment policies.
To sustain this momentum, the ministry said it would continue subsidizing the University Entrance Committee for Overseas Chinese Students, enabling it to lead university delegations to Myanmar and introduce students to opportunities in Taiwan.
However, while Indonesian and Malaysian students remained the second and third-largest sources of overseas students, numbers from both countries have been declining.
The total number of Indonesian students overall decreased by 234, but the number seeking degrees has increased by 20 percent, or 2,053 people, the census showed.
The decline in Malaysian students was likely due to falling birthrates in the Malaysian Chinese community, the high costs of overseas study and the expansion of higher-education opportunities locally, the ministry said.
By percentage, Vietnamese students comprised the largest share of Taiwan’s international student population last year at 32.2 percent, followed by Indonesia at 13.2 percent, Malaysia at 7.9 percent, Japan at 7.1 percent and Hong Kong at 5.6 percent.
As China has continued to bar students from studying in Taiwan since suspending permits in 2020, only 3,489 Chinese students remain, all of whom are continuing their studies. They accounted for just 2.8 percent of the total, the ministry said.
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