Students who carefully manage their budgets should live quite comfortably. Due to the shortage of land, housing and electricity is quite expensive, however food and transportation is very affordable in Taiwan. Below is a rough financial guide to living and studying at NTU. For detailed breakdown of tuition fees, student should check Financial Affairs Office which is responsible for announcing tuition and collecting tuition fees.
PLEASE NOTE:as of 2011, new incoming international students will face tuition increase. Please refer to the office for more information.
(1) Books:
The cost of books depends on the courses you take. Academic books in Chinese are relatively inexpensive, ranging between 100 to 300NTD. Western language books are much more expensive and range between 1000 to 3000NTD. Typically, at graduate level, most of reading materials can be obtained from the web, however students enrolled in the undergraduate program should budget around 100USD towards books.
(2) Meals:
Eating is a major pastime in Taiwan and inexpensive food can be found at every street corner. Following its invasion of Taiwan, 7-11 convenience stores can now be seen at every street block throughout Taiwan and offer simple meals starting at 55NTD.
Students eating on campus should budget approximately NT$6,000 (about US$200) per month and NT$8,000 per month (about US$267) off campus.
(2.1) Meals on the Main Campus
A: Dormitory Cafeterias
There are cafeterias located in the following dormitory buildings: 1st, 5th, and 9th dorms for women, and 1st, 2nd, and 7th dorms for men. All serve breakfast (6:30-10:30 AM), lunch, dinner and late night snacks. Sandwiches and drinks are served for breakfast. Lunch and dinner is served in cafeteria style setup. Various snacks and noodle dishes are served late into the night. In addition, there are convenience stores alongside each cafeteria. There is also a cafeteria in the No. 2 Graduate Student Dormitory, but it serves only lunch (11:00 AM-1:00 PM) and dinner (5:00-6:30 PM). The cafeteria in the Student Activity Center, next to the main library is the largest, with food served almost without interruption.
B: On-campus Chain Restaurants
The campus is served by a number of chain eateries (fast food, coffee shops and bakeries). Some examples include Subway, Yamazaki, Doutor Coffee Shop, and Dante Coffee Shop. Most of these eateries offer student discounts, so prepare to show your NTU ID during payment!
C: NTU Jiangsu-Zhejiang style Restaurant
NTU has on campus restaurant serving Jiangsu and Zhejiang style cuisine called “Yuan Chao Guang Tang”. It is open to NTU students and to the general public.
D: Boxed lunches on campus
A number of convenience stores on campus also sell pre-packaged “boxed meals” (biandang in Chinese pinyin). These include the 7-11, the “Siao Fu Shop” (located next to the Common Classroom Building) and the “Little Siao Fu Shop” located near the side entrance to the campus on Zhoushan Road.
E: Recreation Center Restaurant
This facility serves breakfast (6:30-10:30 AM), lunch, dinner and late night snacks. Sandwiches and drinks are served for breakfast. Lunch and dinner are served cafeteria-style.
(2.2) Off-campus Dining
There is no virtually no neighborhood in Taipei that is not packed with tasty, inexpensive (or expensive!) restaurants and street vendors. The Gongguan area around the Main Campus is especially convenient since it is one of the liveliest neighborhoods in Taipei. There, one may find countless restaurants serving Chinese food, fast food, Western and other ethnic cuisines and ice cream parlors, in addition to many coffee shops. Moreover, Gongguan MRT station is located right next to the Shui Yuan Market (水源) where students can purchase fresh meat and vegetable products.
The neighborhoods across the street from the campus entrances on Xinsheng Road, Zhoushan Road, and Xinhai Road are also rich in food offerings. The most prominent landmark on Xinsheng is McDonald’s, where NTU students meet up to get lunch and escape the summer heat. Also check out the NTU Ice Store, which is one of the oldest shops in this area. The many “bubble tea” shops and traditional Taiwanese shaved iced dessert shops are common places for students to hang out. Zhoushan Road offers a small number of food stalls, while Xinhai features coffee shops and a beer house as well as still more restaurants and street vendors.
Choices are far fewer near the College of Law since it is located at the back side of the campus, however there are some restaurants and coffee shops in the surrounding area. The College is not too far from Taipei Main Station which can be reached by either the MRT or by bus.
(3) Clothing
As all cosmopolitan cities, Taipei has a large selection of clothing boutiques and department stores. Since Taiwan imports most of its clothing, clothing (particularly the western brands) tend to be more expensive than in the U.S. Students who study on a limited budget should visit the area around Gongguan to shop for discount clothing. Taipei’s many night markets (Shida is the closest to NTU, but Shilin, Jauho, and Tonghua night markets are easily accessible by the MRT) are good for deals on clothing, shoes, and accessories.
(4) Housing:
The cost for on-campus dormitory is set by the school, and costs aproximately NT$5,100 (about US$170) per semester and includes utilities. Renting a single room in a shared apartment outside campus costs about NT$6000-8000 per month , while a studio apartment (a room with an attached bathroom) is offered for about NT$8,000 to 12,000 per month (about US$260 to 400) depending on the area of the city. The Tsui Mama Housing Service, located off Roosevelt Road Section 3 near the Main Campus provides housing searches free of charge.
(5) Transportation:
Transportation costs in Taipei vary depending on the mode of transportation. Bus rides are NT$15 (about 50 cents US), or 12NTD with Easy Card. Taipei has a world class metro system known as the MRT and its ticket price is measured according to the distance traveled. Minimum journey is 20NTD and maximum is NT$55. Generally Easy Card is used when traveling on metro, however single journey tokens are also available. We strongly encourage you to use MRT when traveling around Taipei due to its reliability, safety and convenience.
Many students buy second hand scooters or motorcycles. The cost of gas is about NT$30 per liter. Usually 150NTD is enough for a full tank of fuel which will last about 5 days. Since campus is quite large, most students purchase bicycles and NTU has a number of stores that sell and repair bikes for a very reasonable fee. Students can catch a taxi almost anywhere in Taipei. Taxies have a minimal charge of 70NTD and a trip from the campus to Main Station costs around 170NTD. Students taking taxi after 11P.M must pay additional 20NTD surcharge.
(6) Recreation:
The cost of recreational activities in Taipei can vary anywhere from zero to thousands of dollars! For those on a budget, there are many inexpensive museums and public spaces near the campus, including Taipei Main Station, Taiwan History Museum, 228 Memorial Park, CKS Memorial Hall, the Botanical Gardens, and the National Museum of History.
Taiwan is an amazing island since it has everything: mountains, beaches, hot springs and jungles. The island is very connected by roads, high speed train network, buses, trains and airports. Students are encouraged to explore cities outside of Taipei and experience wonders of Taiwan. The cost of travelling outside Taipei depends on the mode of transportation and the accommodation type. In-country tourism is well developed and students are encouraged to check travel agency listings for deals and travel ideas. For example, a 4 day trip around East Coast with a tour group typically costs 6000NTD, however costs are much lower if you are travelling with friends and stay in hostels.
Tuition Fees:
Students should consult OIA for latest updates on tuition fees. Tuition Fee
2011/2012 Undergraduate / Graduate Programs
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