Details

• Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)
• MAWiRe-21
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

Important preparations include vaccinations (can recommend Reisemedizinischer Impfservice at Klinik Favoriten), your visa (including mandatory travel insurance, e.g. HanseMerkur Young Travel), accommodation, course selection, credit card (e.g. Trade Republic, Revolut) and booking your flights (round trip from Vienna starting around 800€).

2. Accommodation

I applied for the NCCU iHouse, a student dorm offered by NCCU for international students. A single room costs around €1,600 per semester, while a double room is slightly cheaper (around €1,100 per semester). However, I would definitely recommend the single room, as the double room is essentially a single room with two beds and two desks. Allocation is based on a lottery system, so you need to be lucky to get a spot. The iHouse is very conveniently located, about a 3-minute walk from NCCU. There are also dorms on campus mainly intended for local students. These are significantly cheaper (around €600 per semester), but the living conditions are more basic and can feel quite restrictive. Bachelor students usually share a room with three others, while master’s students share it with one other person. If you choose not to live near NCCU, I can recommend Daan, Zhongzheng or Xinyi District. Many students use MyRoomAbroad to find apartments, just check other exchange reports for additional options and tips. Although NCCU is located a bit outside the city center, it is still well connected to these areas via the Brown Line (MRT) and different metro buses (Roosevelt, Nanhuan).

3. Academic life at host university

In terms of size, NCCU is comparable to WU. Some of the facilities are a bit outdated, but there are also some newer buildings. The new library is very nice and the law building, which opened in 2025, is modern and well equipped. The campus offers a wide range of sports facilities, including a running track, football fields, a swimming pool, a gym, a sports hall, as well as volleyball, tennis, badminton and basketball courts. Most of these facilities are freely accessible or available at a very low cost. The courses I chose were Seminar on International Intellectual Property Law, Artificial Intelligence and Ethics, Contract Law, Reviewing and Drafting of English Commercial Documents and SME Innovation. In addition, I enrolled in a part-time Basic Mandarin course, which was a challenging but very interesting experience. The two courses I can recommend most are Reviewing and Drafting of English Commercial Documents (taught by an American professor with a strong practical focus) and SME Innovation (which included visits to different Taiwanese SMEs). Since Taiwanese law is in many parts derived from German law, many law professors have studied in Germany and are even able to speak quite good German. In terms of workload, all courses were quite relaxed and only consisted of written assignments and presentations (no exams!). But at WU Spezialisierungen/Fachseminare also usually do not involve a high workload.

5. Every day life in the host country

Public transport is very good and comparable to Vienna. The bus system is a bit confusing at the beginning, but you quickly get used to it (using a local bus app such as Bus+ is helpful). Your student ID also functions as a public transport card, which you can top up with credit. Taiwan is also very safe and I never had any safety concerns. There is a lot to see and do. Some must-try experiences include visiting night markets (e.g. oyster omelet, stinky tofu), shrimp fishing, claw machines, KTV, relaxing in hot springs and eating at places like Din Tai Fung, Haidilao and as well as trying shaved ice and taiwanese sweet potatoes. I can also recommend taking a look at spectralcodex.com. Most of the nightlife is located around Taipei 101/Xinyi District. Popular trips include Maokong, Yangmingshan, Jiufen, Shifen, Sun Moon Lake and Alishan. Other common destinations are cities along the west coast (e.g. Tainan, Kaohsiung), the smaller outlying islands or a full round-trip around Taiwan. The east coast is compared to the west coast a very remote area but extremely scenic (e.g. Taroko Gorge). Despite its remoteness, most of these places are still well accessible by public transport. And if that is not enough, Taiwan is also the perfect location for traveling to other Asian countries. The university offers a wide range of sports through its many clubs and university teams. It is also a great way to connect with local students. Attending the club fair at the beginning of the semester is definitely worth it.

6. Testimonial

When people think of a semester abroad in Taipei, they often imagine a big, lively city, and that is absolutely true. However, thanks to NCCU’s location on the outskirts, you are also immediately surrounded by nature and mountains, which makes for a unique mix of city life and outdoor escapes. Taiwan itself offers an incredible variety of landscapes, from mountains to coastlines, combined with a rich cultural and historical background. On top of that, there is amazing food everywhere and convenience stores like 7-Eleven and FamilyMart are open 24/7, which quickly becomes something you don’t want to live without. I can really recommend a semester abroad in Taipei to everyone, unless you struggle with chopsticks.