Frequently Asked Questions

I am an international student. Am I eligible to participate in the program and receive scholarships?
International students who meet the program prerequisite (see the program “eligibility “section) can participate in the program and apply for all the scholarships, except the Taiwan government Huayu Enrichment Scholarship which requires Canadian citizenship with a valid Canadian passport.

I will graduate at the end of this winter term and won’t be a student at the University of Alberta anymore in the summer. Can I still participate in the program?
You can participate if you are still a full-time student when applying to our program.

Do I need a visa to go to Taiwan?
Canadian passport holders are eligible for visa exemption, with a duration of stay up to 90 days in Taiwan, so a visa is not required. However, for international students, a visa may be required. Please click here to see if you need a visa to enter Taiwan. It is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements and get a visa before they depart.

For all students, if you are a Canadian citizen and do not currently hold a Canadian passport, please apply for one as soon as possible. If you already have a passport (Canadian or otherwise), please check now to make sure that it has a remaining validity of at least 6 months on the date of entry to Taiwan. If not, renew it as soon as possible. Either getting a new passport or renewing an old one will take time—possibly several months. Please plan ahead.

Do I learn Traditional Chinese Characters or Simplified Chinese Characters in Taiwan?
As Taiwan continues to use Traditional Chinese Characters, the National Taiwan Normal University usually offers Chinese courses in the traditional character form. However, given that many learners worldwide are learning Simplified Chinese Characters, the N.T.N.U. uses textbooks that also provide simplified characters for texts and vocabulary lists, and students can do homework assignments and answer exams and quizzes in simplified characters. However, the exam paper format is still in traditional characters, meaning students are expected to recognize traditional characters anyway. As learning Traditional Chinese Characters can help students fully understand and appreciate the Chinese language and culture over the centuries, we do encourage participants to learn Traditional Chinese Characters through our program. In addition, a large portion of Traditional Chinese Characters and Simplified Chinese Characters look similar or identical, so it won’t be challenging to recognize the traditional character form.

When must I pay the U of A Education Abroad Application fee ($250)?
Students won’t be asked to pay the application/nomination fee until they are notified of the results and confirm their acceptance of the nomination by the deadline indicated by the program manager.