National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) Admission Guide for International Students

About NCKU and who it suits

National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) is a comprehensive public research university in Tainan, in southern Taiwan. It runs bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes across engineering, the sciences, medicine and health, management, planning and design, the social sciences and the liberal arts. NCKU is a common choice for international students who want a research-focused Taiwanese university outside the Taipei area, on a large campus with a mix of Chinese-taught and selected English-taught degrees. This guide explains how the international admission route works and where to confirm the details that change every year.

Programmes and language of instruction

NCKU offers degrees taught in Chinese and a growing set of English-medium-instruction (EMI) programmes. Whether you need Chinese depends entirely on the specific programme, so check each department's programme page for the exact medium and any language-test requirement before you apply — these differ by department and can change.

• English-taught (EMI) programmes: taught in English; you typically evidence English proficiency, for example with TOEFL or IELTS.
• Chinese-taught programmes: you typically evidence Mandarin ability (often a TOCFL level).

How international admission works

International degree applicants apply directly to NCKU through the Office of International Affairs (OIA) online application system — this is a separate track from Taiwan's local entrance examinations. You choose your programme, create an account, upload documents and pay the application fee online, and the department or college makes the decision. There is no single nationwide common application for international students in Taiwan; you apply university by university.

Eligibility and proficiency

General eligibility follows the standard pattern for Taiwan: hold (or be about to complete) the qualification below the level you are applying for — a secondary-school certificate for a bachelor's, a bachelor's for a master's, a master's for most doctorates — and meet the programme's language requirement. Applicants must also meet Taiwan's rules on international-student status, for example on nationality and prior enrolment. Confirm the exact eligibility, required grades and language scores on the OIA admission page for your intended programme and cycle.

Documents you usually need

NCKU publishes the definitive checklist per programme, so treat the official Required Documents page as the source of truth — requirements differ by department.

• Completed online application form
• Academic transcripts and your highest diploma, with certified English or Chinese translations if the original is in another language
• English or Chinese proficiency evidence, as the programme requires
• Study plan or statement of purpose and, often, recommendation letters
• Passport copy and any financial or health documents the programme lists

Fees, funding and scholarships

Tuition, miscellaneous fees and the application fee are set by the university and change every academic year, so do not rely on third-party figures — check NCKU's official fee schedule. International students at NCKU can be funded through Taiwan's national scholarships (the MOE Taiwan Scholarship, and the TaiwanICDF scholarship for eligible countries) and through NCKU's own university scholarships and tuition waivers. See the companion guides on the MOE Taiwan Scholarship and on university scholarships and tuition waivers, and always verify current amounts and deadlines on the official sources — no one can guarantee a scholarship, and you should never pay a third party to 'secure' one.

Deadlines, visa and how to verify

NCKU generally has separate application windows for the autumn intake and, for some programmes, a spring intake; the exact dates move each cycle, so use the NCKU OIA degree-application schedule as the authoritative source. Once you hold an offer, you apply for the appropriate visa and, after arrival, an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC). Visa and residency rules here are general information, not immigration advice — verify the current requirements on the official source and see the Taiwan resident visa and ARC guide. Confirm every fee, deadline and requirement on the official NCKU pages before you apply.