Taiwan’s Education Ministry has confirmed the postponement of Chinese undergraduate student recruitment for 2025, citing a lack of cooperation from Chinese authorities.
President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) had previously called for dialogue over confrontation when he took office, suggesting that bilateral cooperation could begin by allowing Chinese degree-seeking students to study in Taiwan. While the ministry recently announced admission guidelines for Chinese graduate students (master’s and doctoral programs), the undergraduate admission guidelines remain unpublished due to continued restrictions from Beijing.
China initially unilaterally banned its students from studying in Taiwan in 2020, citing COVID-19 concerns, and has maintained the restrictions since. While recruitment at the graduate level continues, MOE Department of Higher Education Director General Liao Kao-hsien (廖高賢) noted that China’s service center tasked with cross-strait exchanges has received no policy relaxation instructions from Beijing.
Liao explained that the recruitment process relies heavily on Chinese college entrance examination scores and relevant information that’s used to select students. Without this information being sent at the administrative level, however, universities consulted by the ministry recommended postponing undergraduate recruitment altogether.
Taiwan's education authorities maintain contact with their Chinese counterparts, but acknowledge that undergraduate student exchanges must wait for changes in Chinese policy.