Education

Little girls play gleefully during kindergarten recess. Beginning August 2011, all 5-year-olds attending kindergarten became eligible for tuition subsidies from the government. (Huang Chung-hsin)

Education is strongly emphasized in the ROC and a large share of government expenditures is allocated for educational purposes. With an increasing portion of the population receiving higher education, people with at least a college or university degree now account for the largest group of Taiwan’s literate public aged 15 and above—at 31 percent, which is 10 percentage points more than a decade ago.

Every year in international competitions such as the International Science Olympiads, young people from Taiwan win distinctions in physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology and informatics. Taiwan’s successful high-tech sector has consistently attracted about 45 percent of university students to major in science and engineering in the last decade. Taiwan’s high-caliber human resources have contributed tremendously to enhancing economic prosperity and the quality of life.

Increasing numbers of universities offer degree programs taught in English. Both government and university scholarships are available for international students. The Taiwan Scholarship Program, for instance, offers grants to students interested in Mandarin Chinese studies as well as those who wish to pursue undergraduate or graduate degrees in diverse fields. Interested applicants may contact Taiwan’s embassies and representative offices or visit the Ministry of Education’s website at http://english.moe.gov.tw.

Education Profile (2010-2011)

Literacy rate (age 15 or higher): 98 percent (2010)

Government outlays for education: 25.1 percent of combined central and local government budget, accounting for 6.5 percent of GDP (2009)

Institutions of higher learning: 163 (148 universities and colleges, 15 junior colleges)

Students enrolled in institutions of higher learning:
        Total: 1.3 million
        Master’s programs: 185,000
        Doctoral programs: 34,000

Taiwanese studying abroad: 33,900
 

Students carefully measure chemical liquids at Taipei’s Lishan High School, which specializes in cultivating young science talent. (Chuang Kung-ju)

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