I recently finished my mandatory 3 days plus 4 health monitoring period in Taiwan. The process of me getting here this summer has been somewhat unique. I share these experiences in hopes that it will be useful to future students who may find themselves in a similar situation.
I initially applied to ICLP at National Taiwan University, but after some consideration I decided the MTC at National Taiwan Normal University might be a better fit for me, so I applied there too.
Right now, the only way to get into Taiwan as a student is either to be studying for at least 6 months or to be a recipient of the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship (HES). These two are not mutually exclusive. There is a lot of information on the internet about this scholarship so I won’t go into detail here, but suffice it to say you have to submit your application to the TECO (defacto consulate) for the region in which you live.
Unfortunately, in my HES application I had written that I would be attending ICLP, so when I won the award my records were sent to ICLP (Apparently the school you attend has to fill out some paperwork and work with the Taiwanese Ministry of Education to get your visa approved). After weeks of back and forth trying to figure out what was going on and get the different agencies talking with one another I finally discovered the problem. By that time, the semester was fast approaching, and MTC basically said “it’s too late, we can’t help you.”
I decided to turn back to ICLP (whom I had already informed I would not be attending) to see if they would still accept me and help me get my visa. ICLP was eager to help, they were communicative and professional. They assured me that I could start the semester online and join in person as soon as I made it to Taiwan and completed my mandatory quarantine and health monitoring period. It still surprises me when I think of how unwilling MTC was to help.
As expected, I started classes while still in the States. The time difference meant that I wasn’t done with classes until 2 am every day. After 3 days of that I finally made it to Taiwan, and I have been attending classes virtually since then throughout my quarantine. Being the only student attending virtually in my classes is not ideal, but my teachers have been accommodating.
Taiwan’s current requirement is 3 days plus a 4 day self-monitoring period. The rules are somewhat vague, but what is clear is that you have to stay at the same quarantine hotel for the entire 7 days. On the fourth day you can venture out but there are limitations on what you can do and where you can go. You also have to show a negative covid test (every 2 days) and fill out a form explaining why you need to go out and when you will be back.
My quarantine hotel was chosen by ICLP. It included a twin size bed, a tiny desk, mini fridge, and a bathroom. They also provide things like dish soap and laundry detergent in case you need to hand wash dishes or clothes in the bathroom sink. I paid about $700 USD for the week, and that included 3 square meals a day. Some meals were delicious, others just passable. I appreciated that most meals came with a piece of fruit—usually an apple, banana, or kiwi. The food was almost exclusively Taiwanese cuisine, but you are allowed to order from companies like Uber Eats if you want to mix it up.
The Taiwanese government has hinted at opening up the borders and loosening quarantine restrictions even further, but I don’t expect that to happen anytime soon. If you are planning to come to Taiwan this fall, I would prepare for the 3+4 quarantine policy to still be in effect.
Caleb Darger, M.A. Global Communication 2022
Sigur Center 2022 Asian Language Fellow
National Taiwan University, Taiwan
