Frequently Asked Questions

Tunghai GMBA is a fully English-taught Global MBA program in Taichung, Taiwan, launched in 2018 and accredited by AACSB. The curriculum is built in four layers — Research Foundation, AI & Data Core, AI Analytics Across Functions, and Leadership & Strategy — and enrolls students from more than 20 countries. Tunghai ranks #1 among Taiwan's private, non-medical universities in the QS Asia rankings, and #85 worldwide (3rd nationally, after National Taiwan University and NYCU) in the THE Impact Rankings.

A GMBA (Global MBA) is designed from the start for an international cohort, so every course, assignment, and thesis runs in English and the classroom itself is multinational. Tunghai GMBA differs from most Taiwanese IMBA programs in three ways: AI capability is embedded in every course rather than offered as an elective track; faculty are drawn from five colleges instead of business alone; and the program sits in Taichung, at the center of Taiwan's AI-integrated manufacturing belt.

Taiwan gives you direct access to the world's AI hardware ecosystem at roughly one-third the living cost of Singapore. TSMC alone accounts for about 73% of the world's pure-foundry market, and servers and AI hardware make up around 40% of Taiwan's 2026 merchandise exports. Monthly living costs in Taichung run about USD 340–505, compared with USD 1,070–1,635 in Singapore and USD 745–1,080 in Tokyo. Campus is under an hour by high-speed rail from the Hsinchu and Southern Taiwan science parks, so company visits and internships happen inside that supply chain.

Yes. Tunghai University's College of Management holds AACSB accreditation, which fewer than 5% of business schools worldwide have achieved. The GMBA degree is also approved by Taiwan's Ministry of Education, so the diploma is a recognized master's degree valid for further study and employment internationally.

Each GMBA cohort has 30–40 students from 10 or more countries. Across the 2018–2026 classes, students have come from 22 nationalities across 8 world regions: Southeast Asia 65.4%, East Asia 21.1%, Europe 3.9%, South Asia 3.1%, Central Asia 3.1%, Africa 1.3%, the Americas 1.3%, and the Middle East 0.9%. The class is small enough that you know everyone by name.

The curriculum follows a four-layer framework — Research Foundation, AI & Data Core, AI Analytics Across Functions, and Leadership & Strategy — with each layer building on the one before it. Every course is taught entirely in English.

No. Tunghai GMBA does not require GMAT or GRE scores. Admission is based on document review — your bachelor's degree, English proficiency evidence, autobiography, and study plan. Applicants already in Taiwan also attend an interview.

Yes. Prior study in business, management, or economics is not required — a bachelor's degree in any field is acceptable. The Research Foundation layer at the start of the curriculum is designed to bring students from all academic backgrounds to a common baseline before the core courses begin.

GMBA is a thesis-based master's program. Students work with a faculty advisor, submit a supervision agreement and topic evaluation form, and complete an oral defense before graduating. All thesis forms are available in the Downloads section.

Students can complete the degree in as little as 1 year with full-time, intensive coursework; most graduate in about 1.5 years, with a maximum allowed duration of four years, depending on course selection and thesis progress. The degree requires 30 credits in total — 22 required credits (thesis included) and 8 elective credits. From the third year onward, students pay per credit enrolled — NT$2,090 per credit plus NT$440 in miscellaneous fees — substantially less than a full semester's tuition.

Yes. GMBA students can pursue exchange semesters and joint-degree programs at nearly 400 partner universities across more than 40 countries, coordinated through Tunghai's Office of International Relations (OIR). Credits earned abroad transfer back to Tunghai, and students on exchange pay only Tunghai tuition.

GMBA faculty are drawn from five colleges at Tunghai University, not from the business school alone, which is what makes the cross-disciplinary curriculum possible. Teaching areas include supply chain management, finance, marketing, operations, entrepreneurship, and AI applications in business.

You need a bachelor's degree and evidence of English proficiency. There are three application routes with different portals and windows: International (Overseas), In Taiwan / Taiwan Nationals, and Overseas Compatriots. Find your route on the Admissions page and apply through the linked portal.

Deadlines depend on your applicant category, and the same application windows repeat every year. International applicants from overseas apply in October for the spring intake, or between January and May for the fall intake. Taiwan nationals and applicants already in Taiwan apply in two fall rounds: October–November and December–February. Overseas Compatriots apply April–June for the fall intake. Exact opening and closing dates for the current cycle are published in the official Tunghai University admissions announcement, and appear in the banner at the top of this site while applications are open.

Only international applicants from overseas have a spring intake; all other routes enroll in the fall. The curriculum and degree are identical — the spring intake simply lets you start six months earlier without waiting a full year. If you are applying from outside Taiwan and your documents are ready by October, the spring intake is worth considering.

Work experience is not a formal admission requirement — recent graduates are welcome to apply. Professional experience does strengthen your study plan, since it gives you concrete cases to write about, but the program admits students at a range of career stages.

International and Overseas Compatriot applicants submit an autobiography in English, a study plan in English, and supporting documents (English certification, certificates, awards). Applicants already in Taiwan or holding Taiwanese nationality submit a transcript and a CV instead.

An interview is required only for applicants already in Taiwan and for Taiwanese nationals, who also attend an information session. International applicants from overseas and Overseas Compatriots are admitted by document review alone, with no interview.

Overseas applicants can meet the language requirement with any one of the following: CEFR B1 or above, TOEFL iBT 47, TOEFL ITP 500, IELTS 4.0, or TOEIC 550. Applicants who graduated from an English-medium school or majored in English can submit a school certificate instead of a test score.

Tuition is NT$69,020 per semester (about USD 2,124), and all students pay the same rate regardless of nationality. Scholarships come from three sources: the Taiwanese government (MOE Taiwan Scholarship, MOE Huayu Enrichment Scholarship, MOFA Taiwan Scholarship), Tunghai University's Office of International Relations, and the GMBA program itself.

Budget roughly NT$150,000 (about USD 4,615) per semester covering tuition, housing, health insurance, and living expenses — so about NT$450,000 (USD 13,850) for the 1.5 years most students take, before any scholarship. Scholarships can reduce this substantially: the MOE Taiwan Scholarship alone provides NT$20,000 per month plus up to NT$40,000 per semester in tuition support.

Government scholarships and university scholarships run on separate timelines. Taiwan government scholarships (MOE, MOFA) are applied for through the Taiwanese representative office — TECO or AIT — in your home country, with a typical deadline of March 31 each year, and they are awarded before you arrive. Tunghai and GMBA scholarships are handled after admission, and the GMBA program scholarship amount is announced each semester at the information session.

On-campus dormitories are available but spots are limited, so housing is not guaranteed. Tunghai has 46 dormitory buildings, and on-campus housing costs NT$10,560–41,360 per semester depending on room type. Off-campus rental in the Xitun area near campus runs about NT$30,000–48,000 per semester.

From the third year onward, you pay per credit rather than a full semester's tuition — NT$2,090 per credit plus NT$440 in miscellaneous fees per credit. For a student finishing a thesis with few or no remaining courses, this is far cheaper than a full semester.

Apply for a Resident Visa (type FS) at a ROC representative office before you travel — do not enter on a landing or tourist visa, because it cannot be converted to an ARC. After you arrive, the Office of International Relations helps new students obtain the ARC collectively. The ARC is renewed annually, and you should renew at least three months before it expires.

All international students are automatically enrolled in Group Medical Insurance when they arrive. After six months of continuous residence, you transfer to Taiwan's National Health Insurance, which costs NT$4,956 per semester. To make a claim, bring your diagnosis certificate and receipt to the Office of International Relations.

No. All courses, assignments, and the thesis are conducted entirely in English, and the Office of International Relations handles administrative procedures — ARC, insurance, work permits — in English.

Monthly living costs run about NT$24,000 (roughly USD 740) for food, transport, and daily expenses, with housing budgeted separately. Total monthly costs including accommodation come to about USD 340–505 — compared with USD 640–940 in Seoul, USD 745–1,080 in Tokyo, and USD 1,070–1,635 in Singapore.

Yes, up to 20 hours per week during the semester and with no hour limit during breaks. Both part-time work and internships require a work permit, which you apply for online at ezwp.wda.gov.tw with your student ID, passport, ARC, and enrollment certificate. Working without a permit carries a fine of NT$30,000–150,000 and forced departure, so apply before you start.

Tunghai's campus covers 134 hectares of tree-lined paths and traditional architecture, including the Luce Memorial Chapel designed by I.M. Pei. There are more than 150 student clubs and 46 dormitory buildings. The campus sits away from the noise of the city center while remaining within Taichung.

Taichung offers the food and amenities of a major Taiwanese city at a cost of living well below Taipei, Singapore, or Hong Kong, which means a scholarship stretches considerably further. The city also sits at the center of Taiwan's AI-integrated manufacturing belt, under an hour by high-speed rail from the Hsinchu and Southern Taiwan science parks, so industry visits and internships are close at hand.

Yes, and many students do. Master's students can take elective beginner and intermediate Chinese courses, and the Chinese Language Center runs a full Mandarin program that pairs classroom learning with real-life practice. See the OIR Chinese Learning page for details. Basic Mandarin is also a real advantage when you enter Taiwan's job market.

Yes — and it became much simpler on 1 January 2026. Graduates holding an associate degree or higher from a Taiwanese institution can apply to the National Immigration Agency to extend their residence for up to two years, and during those two years you may work without applying for a work permit — full-time, part-time or an internship, with no restriction on industry, job title, or which employer hires you. Work that requires a professional licence or practice registration under other laws still needs that qualification first. Once the two years end, continuing in a professional or technical role means your employer applies to the Ministry of Labor for a work permit, either under the general professional and technical rules or through the Point-Based System. Details: EZ Work Taiwan.

Graduates go in three main directions: the AI hardware and semiconductor supply chain (supply chain planning, sourcing and procurement, overseas sales); cross-border trade and market expansion (business development, regional marketing, trade and risk compliance); and family business transformation (succession and general management, founding a venture, operations transformation). Taiwan's semiconductor and AI ecosystem generates steady demand for bilingual professionals, and since January 2026 graduates can stay and work for up to two years after graduation without any work permit.

GMBA does not yet have a dedicated alumni association. Graduates can use Tunghai University's campus-wide Internship & Student Achievement Center (ISAC), which offers career counseling, resume and interview coaching, corporate mentor matching, and job fairs open to all students and graduates. Details: isac-net.thu.edu.tw