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MOE loosens sojourn restrictions on foreign students

• Publication Date：05/23/2012
• Source： Taiwan Today
• By  Grace Kuo

Foreign students who are also ROC nationals will soon be able to stay in Taiwan until their studies are completed, the Ministry of Education May 22.

Under existing regulations, foreign ROC nationals are permitted to reside in Taiwan for a maximum of 120 days per year as exchange students in order to take Mandarin language classes, at the end of which they are required to leave the island.

“We are revising our regulations because many second- and third-generation ethnic Chinese have said they would like to pursue undergraduate and graduate studies in Taiwan after their language courses or exchange programs have come to an end,” the MOE’s Bureau of International Cultural and Educational Relations said.

The new rule will take effect starting this August, the MOE said.

According to ROC law, a foreign national can also hold ROC nationality without being an ROC citizen. This usually happens only if the foreigner is the descendant of an ROC national.

“We expect the number of foreign students in Taiwan to rise after the revisions are implemented,” the MOE said.

The ministry said the government wants to create a friendlier education environment in Taiwan so that more outstanding foreign students will pursue their education in Taiwan. (HZW)

Write to Grace Kuo at mlkuo@mofa.gov.tw