Number of Filipino students in Taiwan rises nearly 80% in 3 years: MOE

Taipei, July 28 (CNA) Taiwan and the Philippines are expanding educational cooperation, with the number of Filipino students studying in Taiwan growing by nearly 80 percent over the past three years, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said Tuesday.

At a Taiwan-Philippines education task force meeting held Monday between the MOE and the Philippine Commission on Higher Education, the two sides agreed on several initiatives to strengthen bilateral education ties, the ministry said in a statement.

The planned measures include establishing a database of Filipino students studying in Taiwan and setting up a regional Mandarin training center in the Philippines.

The two sides also agreed to expand dual-degree programs and academic credit recognition under transnational higher education arrangements, while offering more flexible learning programs and lifelong education opportunities for Filipino migrants and overseas workers.

The MOE said the number of Filipino students in Taiwan reached 5,536 in 2025, up from 3,098 in 2022 -- an increase of 2,438, or 78.7 percent, over the three-year period.

Among them, 3,590 were degree-seeking students, making the Philippines the sixth-largest source of international degree students in Taiwan, behind Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Myanmar.

Most Filipino students in Taiwan are enrolled in engineering, manufacturing, information and communications technology, business administration, and health-related programs, the ministry said.

As part of its efforts to attract and retain international talent, Taiwan has established Taiwan-Philippines International Industry-Academia Talent Circulation Centers in Manila, Bulacan, Iloilo and Mindanao, offering Mandarin courses and promoting enrollment in specialized academic programs.

Looking ahead, the MOE said it will continue working with the Philippines to develop dual-degree programs and short-term faculty training workshops in three priority fields -- semiconductors, smart agriculture and fisheries.

The ministry added that Taiwan will continue encouraging outstanding Filipino students to study in the country through scholarship programs. In 2026, it has allocated 24 Taiwan Scholarship slots and 38 Huayu Enrichment Scholarship slots for students from the Philippines.