Taiwan testing new path to U.S. universities without TOEFL

Taipei, Nov. 17 (CNA) The Ministry of Education (MOE) has launched a pilot program that will allow students who complete a required threshold of English-medium instruction (EMI) courses to apply to four American schools without submitting TOEFL scores.

The Pilot Program for TOEFL Waiver with EMI Courses, jointly launched by the MOE and the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (Fulbright Taiwan), is the first initiative of its kind for a non-English-speaking country, the ministry said at a news briefing on Monday.

In its initial phase, it can be used to gain admission to four partner U.S. universities -- Arizona State University, New York University, Teachers College at Columbia University, and the University of Maryland -- without TOEFL scores.

On the Taiwan side, four bilingual universities -- National Sun Yat-sen University, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), National Taiwan University, and National Taiwan Normal University -- will offer EMI instruction, according to the ministry.

Education Minister Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) said the program reflects strong international recognition of Taiwan's bilingual education standards.

Previously, Taiwanese students applying to U.S. institutions were required to invest additional time preparing for the TOEFL exam, he said.

According to the MOE's Department of Higher Education, representatives from the four U.S. universities will visit Taiwan during the pilot period to observe EMI classes and assess teaching quality.

In February 2026, eight Taiwanese students will be selected for a two-week exchange at the partner institutions, giving U.S. universities a chance to evaluate how well EMI-trained students adapt to an English-speaking academic environment.

These assessments will help determine the future criteria for EMI-based TOEFL exemption, including eligible course types, credit requirements or GPA standards.

If the trial proceeds smoothly, the program is expected to officially begin in September next year, with plans to expand to additional Taiwanese universities, according to the ministry.

Fulbright Taiwan Executive Director Randall Nadeau said the initiative both recognizes Taiwan's progress in EMI development and encourages more students to pursue English-based coursework.

Hung Chi-shan (洪啟善), a mechanical engineering student at NCKU, said that while EMI courses were initially difficult, he gradually adapted to the instruction style.

Over time, he improved his English note-taking, comprehension, and ability to think in English -- skills he believes will benefit his goal of pursuing graduate studies overseas.