Study abroad in Taiwan: The European Health Insurance Card does not apply there, and we found no social security agreement that covers health insurance. For tourist entries with a confirmed return or onward flight, no visa is needed for up to 90 days. Stays longer than 90 days need a visa that you apply for before entry. There is no travel warning. The DAAD uses 800 euros per month as a benchmark for students.
Study abroad in Taiwan at a glance
| Point | Information (status October 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | European Health Insurance Card does not apply, we found no agreement with health insurance cover, travel health insurance with repatriation cover is recommended | European Commission, Federal Foreign Office |
| Visa | No visa up to 90 days with a confirmed return or onward flight, longer stays need a visa applied for before entry | Federal Foreign Office |
| Tuition fees | No verified amount, fees depend on the exchange agreement | Host university |
| Living costs | 800 euros per month as a benchmark for students | DAAD, scholarship rate list (undated) |
| Study abroad BAföG | Possible, responsible office according to the DSW assignment: Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim | German Student Union, leaflet (status January 2026) |
| Travel warning | No partial or full warning, only security information | Federal Foreign Office |
All information is general guidance and not individual advice. The official pages linked below are binding.
How are you insured in Taiwan?
European Health Insurance Card and social security agreements
Taiwan lies outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland. The European Commission names the EU states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland as the scope of the European Health Insurance Card. Taiwan is not on this list. Your card from your statutory health insurer therefore does not count as proof of cover for treatment there.
We did not find a social security agreement with Taiwan that covers health insurance, so we do not name one. Ask your statutory health insurer in writing which benefits it provides for a stay outside the EU, and get the answer confirmed. The basics for statutory insured people abroad outside the EU are summarised in our guide on private health insurance for students outside the EU, which is available in German.
Health care in Taiwan
For direct entry from Germany, no vaccinations are required. The Federal Foreign Office recommends the standard vaccinations according to the STIKO schedule, especially against measles, and hepatitis A and B vaccinations. For a long stay, the page adds dengue and Japanese encephalitis. A rabies vaccination can make sense if you have contact with animals. According to the page, dengue is transmitted from June to October and Japanese encephalitis by mosquitoes.
The Federal Foreign Office points out that in many countries hospital bills must be paid or advanced before discharge. A hospital can demand advance payment or refuse departure while bills remain open. Before you leave, ask your insurer how it settles bills in an emergency.
Private travel health insurance and repatriation
The Federal Foreign Office recommends a travel health insurance with repatriation cover for the whole stay. The page advises checking whether the insurance covers an air ambulance flight. Without sufficient cover, treatment and the flight home must be paid by you. Which benefits you need depends on your contract, your university and the length of your stay. Background information is in our guide on travel health insurance for Erasmus, USA and Work and Travel, available in German.
Do you need a visa for Taiwan?
According to the Federal Foreign Office (status of the page 25.10.2026), no visa is needed for up to 90 days if you have a confirmed return or onward flight on entry. This rule applies only to entry through international airports or the named seaports. An extension is excluded by the page. For stays longer than 90 days, you need a visa that you apply for online before entry through the Consular Affairs Bureau.
On entry, the passport must be valid for at least six months. Accepted are the passport and the children’s passport. A temporary passport is accepted only with a visa, and an identity card not at all. With a temporary passport, a short-stay visa for up to 30 days can be applied for at Taoyuan airport. At other airports this is possible only to a limited extent.
The Federal Foreign Office gives no information on study. Which visa you need for your studies is decided binding by the Taiwanese diplomatic mission. We do not give a rule of our own, because we have no official statement on it. Keep these documents ready:
- Passport with at least six months of validity on entry
- Confirmed return or onward flight for the visa-free entry of up to 90 days
- Visa applied for before entry if you stay longer than 90 days
- Taiwan Arrival Card, a free digital entry card that can be completed at the earliest seven days before arrival
- Proof of travel health insurance with repatriation cover, as recommended by the Federal Foreign Office
There is no travel warning for Taiwan. The Federal Foreign Office gives security information, among other things on pickpocketing, bag snatching and credit card fraud, mainly in big cities. It describes the domestic situation as stable. Demonstrations in big cities can disrupt traffic. According to the page, Taiwan lies in a seismically very active zone, and tropical storms occur mainly from May to November.
What does a study abroad in Taiwan cost?
Tuition fees
Which fees arise at the host university depends on the exchange agreement of your university. We do not name a general amount, because we found no official figure. Ask your university and the host university before you accept a place.
Living costs
For students in Taiwan, the DAAD uses a monthly scholarship rate of 800 euros. This is a benchmark, not a budget. The DAAD scholarship rate list carries no date, so you cannot read off its status. Living costs depend strongly on whether you live in Taipei or another city. Ask the host university what it expects exchange students to budget.
Funding: Erasmus+ and study abroad BAföG
Taiwan is not one of the Erasmus+ programme countries. Whether your university awards funds through a partnership is for the International Office to clarify. For more on planning, see our guide Planning Erasmus and study abroad, available in German.
Study abroad BAföG is possible for a part of your studies abroad. According to the DSW assignment, the responsible office is the Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim. According to the leaflet (status January 2026), you must have a permanent residence in Germany, and funding starts at the earliest with the month of application. Outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, a foreign-stay supplement may be added. Under the BAföG foreign-stay supplement regulation, it is a percentage of the need that the Federal Foreign Office sets. We have not verified a euro amount for Taiwan.
Worked example: For a study period of five months, the DAAD benchmark of 800 euros per month gives 4,000 euros for living costs. Tuition, visa, insurance and flights are not included, because we have no verified amounts for them. The sum is a guide, not a promise.
Steps before you leave
- Have your statutory health insurer confirm in writing which benefits it provides for a stay outside the EU.
- Take out travel health insurance with repatriation cover and check whether an air ambulance flight is included.
- Check that your passport is still valid for six months on arrival.
- Book a confirmed return or onward flight if you want to use the visa-free entry.
- Ask the Taiwanese diplomatic mission whether your studies need a visa, and apply before entry if you stay longer than 90 days.
- Complete the Taiwan Arrival Card no earlier than seven days before arrival.
- Clarify your vaccinations: measles, hepatitis A and B and, for a long stay, dengue and Japanese encephalitis.
- Ask the International Office about fees, insurance requirements and the host university’s budget.
- If you receive funding, file the study abroad BAföG application about six months before the start. The required details are in our guide to study abroad BAföG, available in German.
Frequently asked questions
Is my European Health Insurance Card valid in Taiwan?
No. The European Commission names the EU states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland as the scope. Taiwan is not among them. We found no social security agreement with Taiwan that regulates health insurance.
Do I need a visa for Taiwan?
No visa is needed for up to 90 days with a confirmed return or onward flight, according to the Federal Foreign Office. For stays longer than 90 days, you need a visa applied for before entry. For study, the Taiwanese diplomatic mission decides binding.
Do I have to pay tuition in Taiwan?
That depends on the exchange agreement of your university. We do not name a verified amount. Ask your university and the host university before you accept a place.
What are living costs in Taiwan?
The DAAD uses 800 euros per month as a benchmark for students, without a dated list. It is not a budget. Ask the host university what it expects exchange students to budget.
Is there a travel warning for Taiwan?
No. The Federal Foreign Office names no partial or full travel warning for Taiwan (status of the page 25.10.2026). It gives security information, for example on crime in big cities and on natural hazards.
Who handles study abroad BAföG for Taiwan?
According to the DSW assignment, the Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim. The assignment is in the leaflet of the German Student Union (status January 2026).
Sources
- Federal Foreign Office, Taiwan: travel and security information (status of the page 25.10.2026, German)
- European Commission, FAQ social security: European Health Insurance Card (undated)
- DAAD, scholarship rates for students and graduates (undated, German)
- BAföG foreign-stay supplement regulation, section 2 (undated, German)
- German Student Union, leaflet study abroad BAföG (status January 2026, German)
Sources accessed on 25.10.2026 unless stated otherwise.
Related
- Study abroad in Japan: health insurance, visa, costs
- Study abroad in Singapore: health insurance, visa, costs
- Study Abroad Countries: Insurance, Visa and Costs
You can find the online check at check.academycon.de.
Status: October 2026. This guide gives general information and does not replace individual advice.
