Not Japan or Korea! One Country Loves Studying in Taiwan, 'Student Numbers Surge 78.7% in 3 Years', Top 5 Majors Revealed

Taiwan's higher education influence in Southeast Asia has significantly increased. According to the latest statistics released by the Ministry of Education, the total number of Filipino students studying in Taiwan reached 5,536 in 2025, up from 3,098 in 2022—a surge of 2,438 students in just three years, representing a 78.7% growth. Among them, 3,590 are degree-seeking students, making the Philippines the sixth-largest source of international degree students in Taiwan, following Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Myanmar.

What fields are Filipino students pursuing in Taiwan? How are industry-academia collaboration bases functioning?

According to the Ministry of Education, Filipino students’ academic choices are highly focused, primarily in engineering, manufacturing, information and communications technology (ICT), business management, and medical and health sciences. To precisely meet industry talent demands, Taiwan has been actively promoting the 'Promotion and Retention Program for International Students in Taiwan,' establishing 'Taiwan-Philippines International Industry-Academia Talent Circulation Bases' in Manila, Bulacan, Iloilo, and Mindanao. These bases provide local students with Mandarin language courses and consultation services for specialized programs.

What were the key focuses of the Taiwan-Philippines education meeting? Dual degree programs and credit recognition are being comprehensively advanced.

To further strengthen bilateral higher education exchanges, the Ministry of Education and the Philippine Commission on Higher Education held the 'Taiwan-Philippines Education Working Group Meeting' on the 27th. The meeting discussed and planned several core cooperation initiatives, including building a database for Filipino students in Taiwan, establishing Mandarin regional training centers in the Philippines, expanding transnational higher education (TNHE) dual degree and credit recognition mechanisms, and developing flexible learning programs and lifelong learning systems for Filipino migrants and overseas workers.

Which key industries will be the focus of future collaboration? Scholarship quotas are also being expanded.

The Ministry of Education announced that it will fully promote dual degree programs and short-term faculty training workshops with major Philippine universities in three key areas: 'semiconductors,' 'smart agriculture,' and 'fisheries.' To attract more outstanding local talent to study in Taiwan, the government continues to offer attractive scholarship programs. In 2026, 24 Taiwan Scholarship slots and 38 Mandarin Language Scholarship slots will be allocated to Filipino students, aiming to deepen academic exchange and talent circulation between the two countries.