Seeking Students in Taiwan The Taiwan "market" for study abroad is changing from a heavily graduate one to one more equally divided among graduate, undergraduate (especially transfer students), and ESL programs. Those schools wishing to penetrate the ESL and undergraduate market must work hard to establish contacts and make it possible for those with inadequate English to take advantage of the educational opportunities in the U.S. Most graduates of high schools would find it difficult to attain a 550 TOEFL, and may plan to work on their English for as long as a year before going to the U.S., or first attend an ESL program in the U.S. Those whose English is superior may be targeting only Ivy League institutions or major state universities; small liberal arts colleges are still not well known or understood in Taiwan. Community colleges, however, have become well-known as a way to ease into the U.S. educational system for many, as is the possibility of going to the U.S. first to study English in a university's ESL program, with the possibility of entering the academic program at the same school ("conditional admission"). It is very helpful, indeed essential, to have Chinese-language materials describing your program available when meeting or interviewing students, and to have a local alumnus or other Chinese-speaking person to help communicate with these students, who are often accompanied by totally non-English-speaking parents. Please also be aware that many students and parents will want to be sure that your school is included in the Ministry of Education publication that lists schools in the U.S. whose degrees will be recognized in Taiwan. If your school is included in the American Council on Education annual publication Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education: Programs, Candidates, it will probably be included in the MOE's publication. Another large potential market is junior college graduates who would like to transfer to a school in the U.S. to finish their bachelor's degree as quickly as possible. Articulation agreements with appropriate junior colleges, then, are another path to making contacts with prospective students, but entail careful targeting of appropriate institutions, and considerable work. Detailed course descriptions in English from institutions in Taiwan are not readily available. For further information, and for assistance in making appropriate contacts in advance of a visit to Taiwan, American college representatives may wish to inquire at the nearest TECO (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office) which represents Taiwan's interests in the U.S., or contact the Ministry of Education in Taiwan. The appropriate addresses are given below: (1) (2) You are also welcome to contact the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (also known as Fulbright Foundation), through the email address (fse@saec.saec.edu.tw) . The Foundation maintains a collection of college catalogs and reference books about U.S. education which is available to all at no charge, and also can arrange space for you to talk to limited numbers of students. U.S. schools may send their catalogs to the following address: AIT/CIS Taipei (FSE) It will distribute duplicate copies to other non-profit centers in Taiwan. Information about your programs or visits can also be conveyed to Taiwan students through a Chinese-language WWW site (http://www.saec.edu.tw). We will translate the information and put it on the site for you if you do not have Chinese-language capability. In addition, the Cultural and Information Section of AIT (the American Institute in Taiwan) offers promotional services to assist you in contacting the appropriate individuals or institutions in Taiwan, by fax or mail. For more information, contact: Jade Hsu ¡@ |
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