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How to choose a school for studying abroad? Where to find information? Clear the “recognition” hurdle first, then compare rankings.

The first filter for choosing a school is not rankings; it’s “is this diploma recognized when you return to Taiwan?” According to Article 4 of the Regulations for Universities Handling Recognition of Foreign Academic Credentials, a graduate’s school should be included in the Ministry of Education’s reference list; if not, it must be recognized by the competent authority of the local government. So the verification order is: first check the reference list or local recognition, then look at programs and rankings. Agent-provided materials can be useful for reference, but they are not the basis for recognition.

The first filter is “recognition”, not rankings

Taiwanese students have an extra step compared to students from other countries: their academic credentials must be recognized back home to be useful (national exams, civil service, some graduate programs, and teaching positions all check this). According to Article 3 of the Regulations, the reference list is a list compiled and publicly announced by the Ministry of Education that collects the names and addresses of foreign universities and colleges; Article 4 states that the school from which you graduated (or attended) must be one that has been included in the reference list. So before comparing programs, rankings, and tuition, search once using the school’s full English name in the Ministry of Education’s reference list inquiry system. This step takes only a few minutes, but it determines whether all subsequent comparisons are meaningful.

Official source: National Laws and Regulations Database — Regulations for Universities Handling Recognition of Foreign Academic Credentials

Not being on the reference list does not mean it isn’t recognized—this is the most common misconception

Many people see the school isn’t in the list and give up immediately, but that misreads the regulation. The same article (Article 4) continues: “Those not included in the reference list should be recognized by the local government’s school authority…” In other words, there is a second path beyond the list—endorsement by the country’s education authority or its recognized accreditation body. In practice, the reference list is a compiled list, not an exhaustive one; newly established schools, renamed schools, and small specialized colleges can be missing. If you can’t find the school, the right move is to check the country’s official accreditation system, not to declare outright that the school is unacceptable.

Official source: National Laws and Regulations Database — Regulations for Universities Handling Recognition of Foreign Academic Credentials

Where to find study-abroad information: four types of sources, each answering a different question

Separating the sources by type is more useful than hunting for one website that can answer everything: ① Recognition eligibility — the Ministry of Education reference list inquiry system (fsedu.moe.gov.tw) answers “Does Taiwan recognize this school?” ② Official accreditation in the country — for the U.S., check the accreditation field in NCES College Navigator (part of the U.S. Department of Education); for European countries, check the country-specific page on the ENIC-NARIC network; answers “Is this school legal and accredited locally?” ③ Programs and admission requirements — trust only the department page on the school’s official website, and look for the international / non-EU version; the numbers often differ from the local-student version. ④ Costs and living expenses — use the official website’s announcement for the current year; discrepancies in Chinese-language secondary summaries usually come down to the year.

Official source: ENIC-NARIC — gateway to recognition of qualifications

How to use agent-provided information safely

An agent’s value lies in process handling and experience; that’s separate from “official sources.” Both are needed, but neither can replace the other. A practical approach: treat the school list from your agent as a starting point, then run steps ① and ② from the previous section yourself for each school. Ask the agent: “Is this school on the Ministry of Education’s reference list? If not, which local accreditation body recognizes it?” These are verifiable questions, and you can check the answers yourself. Conversely, any pitch that uses “admission is no problem” or “recognition will definitely pass” as a selling point should not be a basis for decisions, because neither admission nor recognition is something an agent can determine. This site only complies public information, does not rank schools, and does not represent any institution.

FAQ

How to choose a school for studying abroad?

The recommended order is: ① first confirm credential recognition eligibility (Ministry of Education reference list, or recognition by the local government’s competent authority); ② then look at the program’s curriculum and admission requirements (using the international version of the school’s official website); ③ finally, compare rankings and costs. If you reverse the order, you may spend a lot of time comparing a school that won’t be useful when you come back to Taiwan.

What if the school can’t be found and isn’t on the Ministry of Education reference list?

It doesn’t mean you can’t attend it. According to Article 4 of the Regulations, schools not on the reference list should be recognized by the local government’s school authority (or its recognized accreditation body). The next step is to verify through the country’s official accreditation system—for example, check NCES College Navigator’s accreditation information for the U.S., or the country page on ENIC-NARIC for Europe.

What is the Ministry of Education reference list?

According to Article 3 of the Regulations, it is a list compiled and publicly announced by the Ministry of Education that collects the names and addresses of foreign universities and colleges. You can search by the school’s English name in the Ministry of Education Foreign University Reference List Inquiry System (fsedu.moe.gov.tw). It is a compiled list, not the only route to recognition.

Where is the most accurate place to look for study-abroad information?

Choose the source by question: for recognition eligibility, check the Ministry of Education reference list; for accreditation status in the country, check the country’s official system (U.S. NCES College Navigator, Europe ENIC-NARIC); for programs and admission requirements, check the school’s official website’s international / non-EU pages; for costs, rely on the current year’s official announcement. The most common problem with Chinese-language secondary information is that it’s from an outdated year.

Are rankings important?

Rankings can be a reference, but they answer “What is this school’s overall reputation?” not “Will my credential be recognized in Taiwan?”, “What does this program teach?”, or “How much will non-EU students pay?” These three questions each have their own official verification channels, so it’s better to confirm those first, then use rankings for your final decision.

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Official source: National Laws and Regulations Database — Regulations for Universities Handling Recognition of Foreign Academic Credentials (amended 2014-08-05), Ministry of Education Foreign University Reference List Inquiry System, Ministry of Education Department of International and Cross-Strait Education — Foreign University and College Reference List Section

This page is a neutral compilation of information for reference only, not admission advice, and does not constitute any admission or enrollment promise.