Can Acujer teach in Taiwan from MOE

Work Teaching English in Taiwan
1

As per the last 9 page thread:
I spoke with the Ministry of Education. The lady on the phone said she thinks my degree is fine, but is not sure. She then emailed me this:

"Hello, Sir,

  I hope i can help you about you want to tecahing  in Taiwan.

 You say you don't have bachelor's degree but you have master degree.

   It's hinge on your employer(maybe school..cram school...etc)

  You may go to the website： [www2.evta.gov.tw/evta_wcf/index_eng.htm](http://www2.evta.gov.tw/evta_wcf/index_eng.htm)

TEL: 886-2-85902567

   TKS  FOR YOUR CALLING. ^^ HAVE A NICE DAY !"

I am beginning to think that this list I was told my school needs to be on, may not be as important as some of the posters here made it seem.

I still need a more definite answer though, before I make the trek out to Taiwan. As soon as I hear that I can teach in Taiwan with no problems, I am there.

What do you guys think?

2

I think the only way you’re going to find out for sure is to get a job, apply for the work permit/ARC and see what happens.

Schools will hire anyone - the validity of your degree does NOT depend on the school, it’s up to the govt department that processes things.

3

I would be careful about taking the advice you got as the final word. For one thing, the matter really isn’t about you having a master’s degree and not a bachelor’s. It’s about whether or not your degree granting institution is recognized here for the purposes of obtaining a work permit. It’s not up to the schools to accept or reject a particular credential. If it were up to the schools, very few would need degrees at all.

It’s a shame it’s been hard to get useful info out of them. If I were in your shoes, I’d want to know too. You may have to give the process a whirl to find out for sure whether your degree will get you a work permit.

4

Ok I got it!! Are you guys ready?

I got the official word from an agent that check it for me:

In California I get my degree notarized. They verify it is an accredited university. Then I go to the Taiwan Embassy here in the US, show them my authorization, and then they authorize it, since the US already authorized it. I receive two stamps. One from the US and one from Taiwan. If so, I am good to go.

Brilliant!

5

[quote=“Acujer”]Ok I got it!! Are you guys ready?

I got the official word from an agent that check it for me:

In California I get my degree notarized. They verify it is an accredited university. Then I go to the Taiwan Embassy here in the US, show them my authorization, and then they authorize it, since the US already authorized it. I receive two stamps. One from the US and one from Taiwan. If so, I am good to go.

Brilliant![/quote]

That’s good news. I was going to suggest you contact a big school or recruiter who deals with large numbers of work permit applicants. Seems you already did so. Well, looks like we’ll see you here soon.

6

I feel like I just won this huge battle! This has been weeks of this.

Now the only thing I got to figure out is what organization exactly do they want me to use to get it authenticated?

And also, where to live?

I am thinking Taipei. I like Sandman’s idea of living in the suburbs and working downtown.

7

You’ll have to find out where the nearest Taiwan representative office to your school is. Either that, or the one nearest where you live now.

8

I just love the professionalism in this country. This, from a government department:

I just love it. I wish things were like that back in Australia.

9

Haha! totally man! It’s like a bunch of kids running a country.
The People’s Republic of Children.

I got to figure out where to get the US degree authorized before going to the Taiwan Embassy to get it authorized. I mean, this is such a game.

10

[quote=“Acujer”]Ok I got it!! Are you guys ready?

I got the official word from an agent that check it for me:

In California I get my degree notarized. They verify it is an accredited university. Then I go to the Taiwan Embassy here in the US, show them my authorization, and then they authorize it, since the US already authorized it. I receive two stamps. One from the US and one from Taiwan. If so, I am good to go.

Brilliant![/quote]

Danger! Sharp learning curve ahead!

11

Yes, clearly they are plotting against you. The list does not exist. None of these people who have lived in Taiwan for several yeras or even the better part of their adult lives teaching English, translating, or working as legal consultants know what they’re talking about. Actually they do, but they are just trying to deceive you. Ignore them.

I think you have provided us with an amazing example of confirmation bias in action. We were just talking about that the other day. Thank you.

12

GBH are you taking the piss out of me or being serious?

I have been on the phone for hours with over 5 people discussing this.

This supposed “LIST” that I was told is crucial is for Taiwanese students to study abroad in America. This has nothing to do with teaching, as far as I know.

The person at the San Francisco Taiwan Embassy Education Department, told me that if I was to get hired, the government would issue me a work permit. It is the school that checks degrees and authentication.

All I have to do is have my Masters Degree authenticated by the Taiwan Embassy in San Francisco for $15. It takes a week.

Why did everyone make this so difficult for me? Am I wrong?

13

[quote=“Acujer”]GBH are you taking the piss out of me or being serious?

I have been on the phone for hours with over 5 people discussing this.

This supposed “LIST” that I was told is crucial is for Taiwanese students to study abroad in America. This has nothing to do with teaching, as far as I know.

The person at the San Francisco Taiwan Embassy Education Department, told me that if I was to get hired, the government would issue me a work permit. It is the school that checks degrees and authentication.

All I have to do is have my Masters Degree authenticated by the Taiwan Embassy in San Francisco for $15. It takes a week.

Why did everyone make this so difficult for me? Am I wrong?[/quote]

Taiwan Embassy? I believe you mean “Taipei Economic and Cultural Office” hehe.

It isn’t just the school that checks your degree. As others have told you, when you apply for a work permit/ARC the government will check too.

And I was being sarcastic before. I trust the judgment of a lot of the folks who replied to you…many have been teaching English or working other jobs in Taiwan for a long time and have a lot of experience with this kind of thing.

But I think you’re doing the right thing by communicating with your local TECO and calling the MOE. That’s definitely the way to go. However, as many others here will attest, you can’t necessarily rely on just anyone at those government offices. I would be very very sure that your degree will be accepted by the MOE to get a teaching position. What you DON’T want to happen is you go to Taiwan, get a job, apply for your work permit/ARC, then find out a month later the government doesn’t recognize your school. THAT is what people on here are trying to help you prevent. The reason for my sarcasm is that you seemed to either ignore, or get offended at, any information that made it sound like that is exactly what will happen to you.

But seriously, it’s great you’re in direct contact with the Taiwanese government on the issue, and it’s great that things seem to be looking up as far as you being able to legally get a job. However, I would only recommend you re-read these threads and take people’s advice and words of caution seriously. Especially ironlady’s. If anyone on here is a reliable source, it’s her.

Best of luck to you. Hopefully in a few months you’ll be updating us, telling everybody what a great job in Taiwan and how you got your work permit/ARC without any hassles.

14

The bold part is wrong. Whoever told you that is either ignorant or lying. The school DOES NOT have the say as to whether your degree is valid or not. It’s up to the government.

15

Amen. Schools like to see that you have a degree… but they don’t follow up and authenticate it… that’s what the government does. Most schools couldn’t give two rats if you’re legal or not… they just want your pretty white face to act as a cash-vacuum for them~

Remember this in future: Unlike our schools back home, most schools here are business first, education second. The majority of cram-schools that open and a lot of kindies too - they all saw a good investment opportunity and jumped on the bandwagon.

16

So what else do I do? I don’t know what else to do. I read everyone’s thoughts and advice and took it very seriously. That is why I am still not in Taiwan. But there is a discrepancy:

The government authenticates your degree. Yes. We all agree on that! But I have not seen proof that the school needs to be on this list. My school is not on the list that was posted in the other thread, but my school sure as hell is on the accredited list in the US. By the way, the list that was posted on the other thread was a website for Taiwanese students to study abroad in America. I have yet to hear an official word or see an official site that demonstrates that there is an actual school list your degree MUST come from to get an ARC.

Furthermore, even if this list does exist, by getting my degree “Authenticated” here by the Taiwan Cultural and Economic Office (Embassy), don’t you think that would override the list once in Taiwan? That is really the real issue.

Once in Taiwan, lets say I get hired; they send my diploma, and its authentication certificate I receive here, and my TEFL certificate. to the gov’t. Shouldn’t that do it? I am going to have an authorized degree. I already sent in my papers and a check already to the San Francisco “Embassy” to do this.

I’m trying to get this all legit as best as I can.

17

It may or may not override it… depends on your luck as to who checks it…

I too have heard of a list of accredited schools that are recognised in Taiwan - but I have never seen this list. I think that they don’t release it to try and make it more difficult to obtain fake degrees. My thoughts are that if it’s a real school, and accredited in the states - it may be Ok~

I’m no expert though… I’m married and don’t have to worry about all this hodge-podge~

18

Doesn’t the authentication certificate prove my Master’s Degree was an accredited real Master’s Degree? WOuld they really say,
“Sorry. even though your school is accredited and your degree is legit, you are not on our list. You can’t work here.”

Maybe they would. I don’t know. That would be insane if they did.

Wouldn’t it make more sense to look on a official US website of accredited schools in the US?

19

[quote=“Acujer”]

Wouldn’t it make more sense to look on a official US website of accredited schools in the US?[/quote]

Sure that’d make sense, but Taiwanese govt departments are not known for making sense. :smiley:

20

Well this is what we DO know so far:

To re-cap, I miraculously obtained a Master’s Degree without a Bachelor’s degree. I went to about 7 years of College. But no Bachelor’s Degree, even though I have the amount of credits for one.

In Taiwan you can definitely get a job with an Associate’s Degree and TEFL. This leads me to believe that what they want is some sort of Degree of an accredited University. If you can get in with an Associates and no Bachelor’s, obvious a Master’s and no Bachelor’s should do.

Now the issue at hand is:

Is there an official Taiwanese list that the school MUST be on? Accredited, legit, etc, would make no difference if you aren’t on the Taiwanese list of accepted US schools. Sorry, I find this hard to believe. Though I am open to it being true. I am still waiting for some proof of this list. There is a list of accredited schools in the US, that my school is on.

Now if this Taiwanese list does exist, will a Taiwan “Embassy” authentication certificate of diploma and degree, override the list? This authentication proves I received the Master’s Degree, as well as that the school is an accredited university. More importantly, it shows it has been accepted.

Quite a mystery we got here. All we need is to find the guy who actually does the ARC signing.