I am currently applying for the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship. Since most people here suggest the two most popular Universities, I expect them to be a little more competitive to get into. Are there any good alternatives that you someone could recommend? After all, I have heard that the quality of your studying experience largely depends on the teacher.
I would be very grateful for your help!
Language programs are for profit programs, almost anyone can get in (as long as you pay the tuition).
you can check also culture university (ęå大åø), they have a downtown campus too.
They all use the same book and your education will be entirely dependent on specific teachers. I donāt think Iāve ever heard of ppl not getting into programs (even ICLP?), unless itās because they didnāt register/apply on time, which is very different from not getting in on the basis of ones ability/qualifications. They want your money and they want everyone elseās money and they love getting the governmentās money
Look outside of Taipei. You will save money and be forced to speak more.
Sun Yat-sen in Tainan seems like a good choice.
Bunch of Paraguayan students at Tzu Chi.
Someone could suggest a Kaohsiung option?
NTNU Linkou branch would an alternative if you are looking more Taiwan and less Taipei, but still Taipei-ish.
If you say that thereās no reason to fear not being accepted, then wouldnāt NTNU be the best choice? Iām not a complete beginner, so I fear being put into a class that doesnt fit. Do more students equal more classes which would fit my chinese level? Then this would be a reason against a school with a smaller programm.
Even though its cheaper outside of Tapei and there might be a more immversive environment, I would like to stay relatively close to Taipei for personal reasons.
Thanks for your replies!
So thereās list somewhere that shows authorized universities might even be here somewhere.
Maybe here is one
https://maps.google.com/?cid=9729886425682993426&entry=gps
There are 64 (!) Mandarin Training Centers in Taiwan. Here is a list.
Personally, I would choose the one in Taitung in a heartbeat.
If you choose one on the west coast, you can be in Taipei by HSR in an hour so for day or weekend trips.
It is easy to get into the MTC NTNU program if that it one of the ācompetitiveā ones you mean. It is true that NTNU and NTU have more classes at more levels. This can be an issue at the advanced levels although you could probably get a 1-1 tutor for this at abother school.
I have heard good things in the past about the MTC at NCCU. Itās in Taipei and was said to use more modern, innovative teaching methods. NCCU is by far the most international national university. YMMV.
Good luck. These programs are really all the same, It doesnāt matter which one you go to. How much effort/serious study you put in is the key variable.
I didnt go to NTNU, but there are plenty of threads on here about mandarin training centers. It doesnāt sound like NTNU is the ābestā choice so much as the most popular or overly chosen to enroll in choice. Your experience anywhere is really going to be up to your classmates and teacher(s). I think most schools talk about their student to teacher ratios on their websites. I donāt know why people care about class sizes so much though, as most teachers just blab on and on and then you might get called on to say one thing over the hour. Itās shocking how bad teachers are here about allowing discussion to take place without needing to insert themselves into the conversation in a meaningless way, as opposed to providing useful language input. Your speaking practice will come from going outside and talking to people far more than small class sizes.
I agree with others about going to not Taipei, as itās cheaper but Taiwan is small, so Taipei will still be there and easily accessible. To add to @Iconās list, Kaoshuing has a Normal University with a mandarin center.
They are all probably mostly the same. I did 6 month at NTNU with the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship and I regret I didnāt choose a cheaper school. Also Taipei is not that cheap anymore and finding a decent place to rent is not that easy.
NTNU MTC is the default choice, everyone goes there because it is the most famous, so they think it is the best.
You better choose what is best for you.
Remember your $$$ is tied to your grades. That is why people choose a lower level, so they can get good grades.
The university area has become very gentrified and the prices of room and board are ridiculous. Prepare to be flexible.
NSYSU is a popular choice. Interesting campus, decent location, beach is literally on campus, easy to get to Cijin Island and the harbor areas
NTNU by far is the worst choice. I donāt know how it got its name recognition but I will call it 0/10 wonāt recommend.
Shouldāve went bankrupt long ago.
It got its reputation because for decades it was pretty much the only game in town until the mid 1990s. Even after Chinese Cultural University and a few others opened, NTNU was the only one with extensive intermediate classes and a fair number of advanced classes. It also had more than 1,000 students so it had classes from 8am to 9pm. That was important for people who had jobs etc. It was also easier to get tuition waivers there and the bulletin board was a fantastic resource for jobs and housing.
I had some truly great teachers there and some truly awful ones.
As I recall, Tunghai University in Taichung had a small program. That was about it.
The key point is spendng two hours a day there with the book in front of you and spending 30-60 minutes previewing and reviewing. If you do that, you will learn to read and write (to an extent). Learning to actually speak Mandarin usually takes place in the workplace, at bars, and during activities with Taiwanese people like hiking etc. Incidentally, this is another reason to study outside Taipei. People in Taipei are generally too busy to hang out with foreigners who speak broken Mandarin unless they are killing time in the office.
Itās all up to you. Your teachers, the textbooks, and your classmates are all irrelevant.
If you must live in Taipei, consider Taipei City University of Science and Technology in Guandu. Itās near Guandu MRT station. This would enable you to live in Danshui where rent is cheaper and quality housing is plentiful.
Kainan University in Taoyuan is close to the HSR station and the Airport MRT so you would have excellent access to Taipei.
National Changhwa University of Education has reasonable access to the Taichung HSR via a very short train ride.