Anyone here have experience with either applying to or studying for an MBA in Taiwan? I’m considering the GMBA program at NTU due to the fact that it’s actually affordable.
The thing is I’ve been out of the loop for a long time. For most of my time here in Taiwan (6 years), I’ve been teaching. Granted I was one step up from being a buxiban monkey; I was teaching math and science at private schools. I do know one Indian guy who got in. He moved to Australia, but I lost contact and don’t know what he does now.
But now I want out. I maybe need to try and turn my life around if I don’t want to work for shitty bosses again. NTU’s GMBA seems decent and I won’t go broke trying to fund my education.
Is it hard to get into these programs for foreigners? What are job prospects like for Taiwan or the US?
Not sure Why would you like to do ab “MBA” from Taiwan. The Financial industry /sector is as outdated as the stone ages , and I personally feel unlike other Asian Tigers such as Singapore, HK and China , Taiwan is still not that international or financially open , negatively affecting the financial/banking sector here.
I do not see or expect foreign enterprises to invest here, hence the lack of a proper international environment, and this cycles goes on. Taiwan might be (with a lot of caveats) a decent place to invest in IT/Semi-Conductor, but Finance - No.
Further, Regarding NTU GMBA; I will be dead honest, The MBA’s here are not as prestigious when compares with those from Singapore/HK (Considering you are looking at Asian business schools). In fact as of now, Even Mainland has more prestigious MBA programs that are rank higher in QS Rankings. Not to forget, the Salaries here are peanuts (Considering you will have an MBA but will be payed very average) .
My suggestion: If staying in Taiwan is something that is top priority for you, you could consider NTU (probably the best option in that scenario); however, I would really ask you to look in the long run and advice you to give a shot at GMAT, get a decent score (650+) and look for business schools in and around Asia such as HKUST, University of Hong Kong, Singapore Management University, NSU etc. Of course, When it comes to MBA admission, a lot depends on your overall profile and assuming you have been teaching English, which doesn’t add a lot to your overall profile, getting admitted to a top MBA school might prove a bit of challenge, but do keep your options open because getting admitted to NTU GMBA is neither difficult nor competitive.
Been teaching Math and CS which is one step up from teaching English, I guess.
The pay wasn’t all that shitty (I was making about 90k last year from the day job, and maybe 20k on the side from tutoring and another 20k from investing), but let’s face it, it wasn’t a glamorous job.
You do know how much do MBA degree holders make ? 100k?150k? That’s a joke!!!
But then again, you reap what you sow! The MBA’s are dirt cheap here, and hence the low ROI .
Further, it is not about just the pay, it is about the value of the degree and the prospects, which both of them are limited. You might be getting 100k, Heck even 150 K today, but think about the 6 years ahead, Will getting an MBA help you double that salary or perhaps give you an entry into the finance/investment sector? Not sure with NTU MBA.
Madhawan gave you very good and objective opinion, I agree with what he said.
If you want to stay in teaching, an MA in education will probably open doors for you for education management and will be better than an MBA.
If you want to do an MBA to change a career path, better do it outside of Taiwan
My American friend easily got into an MBA program here in Taiwan about 4 years ago, after having taught in buxibans for a couple of years. After graduation he ended up getting hired by a Taiwanese company. They told him they wanted him to supervise their American office that they were planning to open in the next year.
He got firsthand experience in the culturally different/negative aspects of working in a Taiwanese company, but bided his time until the office opened. Each year that passed there was another excuse as to why the office wasn’t opening. He and his American wife waited three years, but nothing ever came of the American office, and it didn’t look like the company was working very hard to make it happen.
After ten years in Taiwan, last year they moved their family back to the US for what they felt would be better job opportunities and better schooling for their kids. He found a good job in the US, and they recently purchased their first home. They liked Taiwan, but they seem much happier with their decision.
We’re talking in NT/month right? That’s on the low side, for sure.
That’s the thing. I got into teaching because I had the chance to get a decent salary. As I alluded to before, I was able to make 90k/month at my last job until they gave me the boot. I did initially try looking for teaching jobs around Taiwan, but I haven’t been able to find anything. I’m not sure if I want to go back to teaching though, given that I’ve often experienced favoritism and nepotism, even among foreigners. My last boss was an American and for whatever reason, he simply decided he didn’t like me and gave me the boot back in March.
I do have a Master’s degree in Engineering, but I haven’t used it since graduating. It seems difficult for foreigners to get jobs outside of Teaching, Translation/Editing or Trade here.
What is keeping you here if i may ask? Marriage? or you just like the food and weather?
Taiwan in general is experiencing a down turn, economy is not doing well and the glory days are over.
if you want to make a career change and use the MBA for it, i would recommend to do the MBA somewhere more competitive like HK/SG.
for admissions: if you have a good GMAT you can tell a nice story in your application essay about how you were attracted to explore life overseas and saw a calling in being an educator. it will push many of the “right buttons” admission officers look for…
if you want to stay in teaching - try to get into international schools maybe? if you have the right credentials they pay well, have good benefits and you can see the world.
MBA in Taiwan is a good idea. Programs, like at Chenghchi University, allow for night and weekend classes so I was able to keep working while getting my degree. When it comes to MBA, unless its top top tier they are very similar. Also, very affordable and many scholarships.
If you have Masters degree I’d look for work in that field but it’ll be hard to find here unless you have great Chinese.
Don’t waste your time with an MBA in Taiwan. While it’s affordable, you aren’t getting any younger and these days time is money. Post-secondary in Taiwan is seen as an asset for South East Asians that aren’t wealthy enough to go to the US/Canada/Singapore/Hong Kong, as well as low-quality Europeans that are perpetually in school but can’t muster the grades to get into INSEAD.
I did an MBA in Taiwan.
I work in non-teaching field and if I were you, I wouldn’t bother studying an MBA here.
My company paid for over half of my MBA here or else I wouldn’t have done it.
I met great people, made awesome friends, learnt a bit but honestly I would’ve benefited more (career-wise) going to a better school in another part of Asia/US/EU. I had a good GMAT score (700+) but was comfortable in my role and it was sort of given to me as a reward for good performance at work, so I just went with it.
I worked full time and studied full time so I didn’t lose much time or money doing it here, but in the end it doesn’t really count for much since Taiwan isn’t really a known country globally and your classmates aren’t going to be the type that area tearing it in wall street or killing it in silicon valley.
Ultimately, if you have any ambition, you’d go elsewhere for an MBA or to further your career.
Do you think that holding an MBA from NZ or Australia with CELTA would help getting a better teaching job in Taiwan as opposed to having a BA alone? I completed mine in NZ and learnt a lot and met heaps of good people as what @wick3d wrote. However I don’t think it was the best choice for post-grad study. Perhaps it will come in handy in Taiwan? I still think it would be best to do an MBA outside Asia… perhaps you would learn more?.. Good luck with ROI.
Definitely bull when it comes to STEM and especially microfabrication stuff. Semiconductor expertise is for reals here.
As for the OP’s question. I definitely would only consider a Taiwanese MBA if I wanted to stay here for at least 5 or 6 years after graduation, otherwise its not worth much.
I still think it would be best to do an MBA outside Asia… perhaps you would learn more?.. Good luck with ROI.
! Will need a job…