The Number of High School Graduates in Taiwan Studying Abroad Has Stably Increased for the 5th Year

Post date: Jan 10, 2019 10:42:05 AM

In the academic year of 2017-2018, the number of high school graduates in Taiwan enrolling in overseas bachelor programs is approaching 1,584, 2.52 times the number in 2011, 627, based on the most recent statistic by Ministry of Education in Taiwan. It comprised merely 0.72% of the total number of graduates; however, the percentage has been stably growing since then, regardless the decreasing birthrate and population. The possible reasons are Influence of the globalization and the active recruitment of students in Taiwan by internationally renowned schools, and the uncertainty caused by the changeable education policies.

Here are the key findings.

1. The ratio of the number from the top 10 schools to the total number of high school graduates studying abroad is around 37%.

2. In 2017, the five schools with the most graduates choosing to study abroad were as follows (ranked in descending order): the private Kang Chiao Bilingual School (187 students), National Experimental High School at Hsinchu Science Park (61 students), Ming-Dao High School (50 students), I-Shou International School (47 students), and Washington High School (47 students). Among the traditional elite public schools, The Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University had the most number of graduating students studying overseas (47 students), followed by Taipei First Girls High School (45 students). National Wu-Ling Senior High School increased to 26, and National Taichung First Senior High School surged from 1 to 11. Some private schools have a higher percentage of students studying abroad because of the operation mission and/ or the smaller number of students. For example, Kang Chiao Bilingual School had 74% of its graduating students studying overseas in 2017, same as at the private I-Shou International School, with a figure over 60%, while at the Taipei Fushing Private School, it was over 25%. Research indicates that this is also related to the fact that these schools label themselves as bilingual schools, or they have special courses for studying overseas purposes. On the other hand, the National Experimental High School at Hsinchu Science Park was purposefully set up to provide schooling for the families working at Hsinchu Science Park, families with foreign nationality children born to Taiwanese parents or children of returning scholars from overseas; the school had almost 30% of its students studying overseas after graduation.