A measure aimed at helping foreign students resume their studies in Taiwan was launched by the Ministry of Education June 17, highlighting the country’s return to normalcy after the government’s successful management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Applications are now open for students from low-risk countries and territories listed by the Central Epidemic Command Center, including Australia, Bhutan, Brunei, Hong Kong, Fiji, Macau, Mongolia, New Zealand, Palau, Thailand and Vietnam. Entry priority will go to graduating seniors, followed by other current students and incoming freshmen, in that order.
A list of applicants’ full legal names will be submitted to the CECC for approval, the MOE said, adding that it will work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Mainland Affairs Council and the National Immigration Agency under the Ministry of the Interior to facilitate the visa process and help students fill out Quarantine System for Entry forms before boarding.
Upon landing at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, students will undergo health checks and those with a fever or respiratory symptoms will be sent to the hospital for further screening, the MOE said. The remaining arrivals will be processed through a special counter before being dispatched to designated quarantine hotels by school buses or disinfected taxis for the mandatory 14-day period.
The measure follows a series of moves by local tertiary institutions assisting Taiwan students to return to the country. Among them is Taipei City-based National Taiwan University, which announced earlier this year that a total of 162 places are available for Taiwan nationals studying abroad to continue their studies back home as the coronavirus continues to disrupt daily life in countries around the world. (YCH-E)
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