Taipei: The number of foreign students in Taiwan's universities has been increasing steadily for four consecutive years, reaching a total of 123,188 in the 2024 academic year. This figure is nearing the pre-pandemic level of 128,157 recorded in 2019, as reported by the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Friday.
According to Focus Taiwan, Vietnamese students experienced the most significant rise, with an increase of approximately 12,000 in just one year. This brings the total number of Vietnamese students to 39,695, accounting for 32.2 percent of Taiwan's foreign student population. The MOE data indicated that around 76 percent of these Vietnamese students are pursuing degrees.
Indonesia maintained its position as the second-largest source of foreign students, making up 13.2 percent of the total. Although there was a slight decrease in the overall number of Indonesian students, the number of those seeking degrees rose by 20 percent.
Malaysia was ranked third, contributing 7.9 percent of foreign students, followed by Japan at 7.1 percent and Hong Kong at 5.6 percent. The number of students from China has continued to decline since Beijing halted new enrollments in Taiwan in 2020. As of 2024, there were only 3,489 Chinese students, representing 2.8 percent of the foreign student body.
The number of students from Myanmar showed rapid growth, increasing from 928 in 2020 to 2,973 in 2024. Many of these students are considered "overseas compatriots," with their numbers likely boosted by political unrest, conscription policies, and instability in Myanmar, as noted by the MOE.
The ministry attributed the overall increase in foreign student numbers to policies aligned with Taiwan's New Southbound Policy and its immigration strategy. These policies provide support through scholarships, New Southbound talent programs, and Mandarin language scholarships.
The decline in Malaysian student numbers may be linked to factors such as lower birth rates among its overseas compatriot population, the higher costs of studying abroad, and the expansion of higher education opportunities in Malaysia itself, the MOE added.