Our goal is to offer every course every term, but sometimes factors like faculty availability, student course rankings, and program enrollment keep us from reaching that goal. If you’re concerned about needing to enroll in one particular course, please contact us!
CET Taiwan Study Abroad
CET Taiwan: At-A-Glance
Fall
- Arrival: 08/20/2025
- Departure: 11/15/2025
- Recommended Credits: 13-16
- Fee: $19,490
- Application Deadline: May 1
SPRING
- Arrival: 02/25/2026
- Departure: 05/23/2026
- Recommended Credits: 13-16
- Fee: $19,490
- Application Deadlines: Nov 1
Fall
- Arrival: 08/20/2025
- Departure: 11/15/2025
- Recommended Credits: 13-16
- Fee: $19,490
- Application Deadline: May 1
SPring
- Arrival: 02/25/2026
- Departure: 05/23/2026
- Recommended Credits: 13-16
- Fee: $19,490
- Application Deadlines: Nov 1
CET Taiwan gives you unparalleled flexibility and a study abroad experience that thoughtfully connects you to the local culture and communities. Choose how much Chinese language you want and the rest is up to you—enjoy a diverse selection of English-taught electives unique to Taiwan, internship opportunities, and even a language pledge housing option for serious Chinese learners. And with a location that balances city life with quick getaways to nature, and local roommates that give you insider access to life in Taipei, a semester in Taiwan is hard to beat.
Academics in Taipei
Semester
Snapshot
- Pre-requisites: None
- 4- or 12-credit options for Chinese language
- Small class sizes for targeted language learning
- English-taught electives in area studies and environmental studies
- Internship elective option
- Host University: National Taiwan University (NTU)
Curriculum & Syllabi
You choose between 4 or 12 credits of Chinese language, then choose one to four of these 3 credit, English-taught electives to meet the recommended 13 to 16 credits.
Chinese Language
You enroll directly with National Taiwan University’s Chinese Language Division (CLD) and can decide between a 4-credit option or an intensive 12-credit option. CLD looks at your previous coursework and conducts a remote language assessment before the program to place you in the appropriate level.
4 Credits of Chinese Language
The 4-credit option is available to visa-exempt students only. Non US passport holders please see details below in the How to Apply section.
- TP/LADE 105 Elementary Low Chinese
- TP/LADE 155 Elementary High Chinese
- TP/LADE 205 Intermediate Chinese
- TP/LADE 265 Intermediate High Chinese
- TP/LADE 305 Pre-Advanced Chinese
- TP/LADE 355 Advanced Low Chinese
- TP/LADE 405 Advanced Chinese
- TP/LADE 455 Upper Advanced Chinese
- TP/LADE 505 Advanced High Chinese
12 credits of Chinese language
- TP/LADE 100 Elementary Low Chinese
- TP/LADE 150 Elementary High Chinese
- TP/LADE 200 Intermediate Chinese
- TP/LADE 260 Intermediate High Chinese
- TP/LADE 300 Pre-Advanced Chinese
- TD/LADE 350 Advanced Low Chinese
- TP/LADE 400 Advanced Chinese
- TP/LADE 450 Upper Advanced Chinese
- TP/LADE 500 Advanced High Chinese
Note: As short-term residents of Taiwan, students are expected to learn traditional Chinese characters. CLD courses are instructed using traditional characters, with handouts and additional resources in simplified characters.
Electives
Depending on how much Chinese language you opt for, you choose one to four English-taught electives (3 credits each) to meet the recommended 13 to 16 credits:
• 4-credit language students choose three to four electives. If you choose an internship as one of your electives, you take a total of three electives for 13 credits.
• 12-credit language students choose one elective.
area studies
- TP/CLTR 250 Taiwan Indigenous Peoples
- TP/EAST 330 Taiwanese History, Culture, and National Identity
- TP/FILM 340 Sinophone Cinemas, 1980-2000
TP/GENS 350 Gender and Sexuality in Taiwan - TP/INTR 320 Cross-Strait Relations between Taiwan and China
- TP/MDST 310 Media and Journalism in Taiwan
- TP/PBHL 310 Global Health: The Perspective from Taiwan
Environmental Studies
- TP/ENVR 250 Climate Data and Climate Change Science in East Asia
- TP/ENVR 310 Sustainability Transition in the Time of Climate Crisis: The Taiwan Case
- TP/ENVR 330 Energy Policy and Conflict in Taiwan
- TP/ENVR 340 Circular Economy and Sustainable Business Models
- TP/ENVR 350 Environmental Risk Assessment and Urban Resilience
- TP/ENVR 360 Environmental Health
INTERNSHIP
- TP/INTS 350 Professional Internship Seminar (120 hours. 3 credits.)
Note: Because elective courses are based on total program enrollment and faculty availability, not every elective is offered every term.
Craft your perfect semester abroad
Choose how much Chinese you want. Go after language gains with the 12-credit intensive Chinese language option, or choose 4 credits of language to spend more time with uniquely Taiwanese coursework and fulfill credits back home. Want to level up even more? Opt in for language pledge housing and live alongside others with similar goals.
Explore with electives. Take Global Health and visit the Taiwan AIDS Foundation. Enroll in Gender and Sexuality in Taiwan and spend a class learning at the Tongzhi Hotline Association. Or focus on environmental studies with a choice of six courses that have you exploring climate issues and sustainability in and around the city.
Build your résumé. Add on an internship experience and start laying the groundwork for an international career. Taipei’s job market boasts a wide variety of opportunities, including in the political, public health, business, and civil society sectors.
learn more about
Housing and Meals
- Apartment
- Off-campus housing
- Live with CET peers and local roommates
- 4-8 people/apartment
- 2 people/room
- 45-minute commute to NTU campus and internship sites
- Shared kitchen and common area, basic kitchen equipment, bathroom, in-unit washer
- Wifi, A/C, bed linens, basic furnishing
Living Like a Local
Local Roommates. Want to learn about the local music scene? Which apps are essential to life in Taiwan? Best cafés for studying outside of campus? Sharing your apartment with students from National Taiwan University gives you insider’s access to the city and local culture. Interested in bringing language into your home life? Choose to live in language pledge housing for roommates who’ve committed to helping you maintain your language goals. Learn more about living with a local roommate.
Eating in Taipei. For meals, take your pick of the budget-friendly restaurants and food stalls nearby. Find the city’s best bowl of beef noodle soup or load up on all the tropical fruit you can find. On campus? Try the cafeteria or one of the school’s restaurants and cafés. And don’t forget to try as much as you can at the night markets across the city. Learn more about accommodating your dietary needs in Taipei.
Life in Taipei
- Known locally as: 臺北 Táiběi
- Population: 2.67 million
- Local Currency: New Taiwan Dollar (NTD)
- Famous for: Food and night markets, Taipei 101, Elephant Mountain, progressive social climate
Whether you’re well-traveled across Asia or you’ve never set foot in the region, Taipei is an easily accessible and endlessly interesting destination. Feast at one of the city’s many night markets. Invite your language partner to a temple for suanming (fortune telling). Watch a professional baseball game after a riverside bike ride. Check out the vibrant music scene with your local roommate. And on weekends, board a train to see the rest of Taiwan or hop on a flight to explore further. Living in Taipei gives you all the benefits of life in a big city, while offering quick and easy access to mountains, beaches, and plenty of small towns to explore.
Experience Taiwan with CET
Exploring your new home. Each term, the program offers different extra-curricular activities that allow you to explore Taipei, experience local culture, or just unwind with your friends. Travel to Yilan county for a group hike or spend a day at a tea farm. Head to Changhua to harvest oysters and explore Lukang Old Street. Go on an “eating tour” of one of the city’s night markets. And there’s even more to see on your own.
Language Partners. You can choose to be paired with a local college student for a weekly language exchange. Teach each other about the latest internet trends over coffee or get lunch in a new-to-you neighborhood. Plus, your language exchange activities are reimbursed! And you can ask for extra language partners for even more language practice and built-in local community.
Student Resources
On-the-ground support
Navigating a new city, country, and culture is a big challenge worth taking—and we’re here to help you along on this adventure. Our on-site team is bilingual, provides round-the-clock support, and is passionate about sharing their love of Taipei (and Taiwan!) with you.
Program Fees
Fall/Spring
$19,490
What's Included
Tuition
All of your classes and program-related learning are included with your tuition.
Housing
We arrange for you to live in a shared apartment with a local roommate. Your program fees go toward rent, furnishing, and other management costs.
Internship Placement & Support
We help you land the internship, make sure you’re prepared for your job, and then stay in close touch with your host organization… all semester long.
Staff Support
From pre-departure to orientation, from on site to re-entry, CET provides you with the support you need every step of the way.
Visa Support
We guide you step-by-step through the visa process. You do the legwork, but we’ll make sure you have the documentation and information you need, when you need it.
Insurance
You’re provided with a comprehensive insurance plan through GeoBlue that even includes medical evacuation coverage.
Activities & Excursions
The activities and excursions that we arrange are included in your program fee. All you need to do is remember to bring your camera!
Transportation Pass
You’re provided with a public transportation pass (EasyCard) for the duration of your program. Use the bus and metro to your heart’s content.
Course Materials
Your textbooks and course supplies are covered and waiting for you on site.
Transcript
You receive an official transcript jointly issued by CET and National Taiwan University at the end of the term. If your home institution requires a School of Record transcript, CET is able to provide one through the University of Minnesota.
More on finances
Program Fee Breakdown. Of the total program fee, $16,290 goes to tuition and fees, and $3,200 goes to housing and other student life fees.
Local Cost of Living. Day-to-day cost of living in Taipei is generally cheaper than the United States. Meals and transit are cheaper, but western comforts (restaurants, coffee, etc.) cost about the same or more than they do in the US.
Estimated out-of-pocket expenses:
- Round-trip Airfare: $1,200 - $1,600
- Meals: $1,250
- Personal Expenses: $800
additional resources
How to Apply
Eligibility
• Pre-requisites: None. Open to students of any Chinese level, including absolute beginners
• Must be 18 or older at the time of program participation.
• Open to students from any US college or university
• The 4-credit language track is only available to visa-exempt students.
• GPA: 3.0 or higher is recommended, students with lower GPAs will be asked for a faculty recommendation to supplement their application
Notice for Foreign Passport Holders
The 4-credit language track is only available to visa-exempt students.
If you hold a foreign passport, you should first determine your visa-exempt status. If your passport is eligible for visa-exempt entry into Taiwan, both the 4-credit and 12-credit language tracks are available to you. If your passport is not eligible for visa-exempt entry, only the 12-credit language track is available to you.
Online Application Form
This is a brief form that asks for basic information and has a few short answer questions about why you want to study abroad.
Passport Information
Upload a scan of your passport to your CET Compass account. This should be a single scan that includes the signed signature page and the photo/personal details page. Don’t have a passport yet? Let us know and we can help advise you.
Study Abroad Office Recommendation
This is an online form that your study abroad office completes to let us know you meet the requirements to study abroad. To send the electronic form request, simply enter the name and email address of your study abroad advisor in the designated fields of your CET Compass account.
Official Transcript
Your CET Compass account has specific instructions for submitting an official transcript.
Application
Deadlines
Spring Semester:
November 1
Fall Semester:
May 1
Price Subject to Change:
CET reserves the right to increase quoted charges at any time without prior notification, based on increased instruction costs, exchange rate fluctuation or other cost increases beyond CET’s control.