u/Dear_Comfort_4044

Hi everyone, I’m looking for input from people who have studied Mandarin in both Taiwan and China, particularly anyone working in policy, international affairs, NGOs or related fields.

I’ve worked for over a decade in trade diplomacy and the nonprofit sector in the U.S., primarily focused on the LATAM region as I'm fluent in Spanish and English. I lived and volunteered in Taiwan for a year nearly a decade ago and have wanted to return to Asia long-term ever since. My broader goal is to shift my professional regional focus more toward Asia-Pacific and develop fluency in Mandarin that will help me land a job with an international NGO/think tank or get into a decent master's program focused on the region. 

I started studying beginner Mandarin last July and currently take private online classes once a week with the Taiwan Chinese Academy, but would like to study much more intensively abroad. I’ve been leaning toward Taiwan because I felt traditional characters would be best to start with if I decided to also learn simplified further down the line (I heard it's harder the other way around but correct me if I'm wrong). However, I’d really appreciate perspective from people who have experience with both Taiwan and China and can address how the language learning in each might factor into my specific career context. For example:

- Was the class instruction or general program structure in your experience more organized or effective in Taiwan versus Mainland?

- Which option did you find more affordable or sustainable long term? I know there's the Huayu Scholarship in Taiwan but am not as familiar with funding/scholarship opportunities in the Mainland. I'm both a U.S. and Colombian citizen so could apply through either of the two countries

- Has traditional versus simplified Chinese mattered in your career or to your employer?

I know there’s no single “correct” answer, but I’d appreciate hearing from people who’ve navigated similar decisions. Thanks!

Hi all, looking for some information as my plans for attending grad school in Taiwan have changed. I originally had enough savings to cover my master's degree and living expenses, but some unexpected and severe medical complications drastically changed my financial situation over the past few months. Despite being accepted to NCCU, I can no longer realistically afford to attend out of pocket. I was also rejected by Fulbright and wasn’t invited to interview for the MOE Scholarship, so that route is looking unlikely as well.

At this point, I don't think taking out loans would even be worth it or a smart decision financially, but I want to make sure I’ve at least explored every possible option before giving up on the opportunity entirely. Has anyone here taken out private loans to fund a degree program in Taiwan? I’m from the U.S., and have had no luck with the 10+ lenders I’ve researched so far. Most seem geared toward semester-abroad programs, degrees in Europe, or international students studying in the U.S. and NCCU never appears on the eligible school lists.

I’m also curious whether anyone here has successfully deferred admission to a degree program in Taiwan. I’m considering asking NCCU for a one-year deferral so I could try to save more money and reapply for scholarships for 2027, but I’m not sure whether deferrals are commonly allowed. Thanks in advance.