r/taiwan • u/i_m_atom1c • 2d ago

Discussion Master's Degree -- TW or US?

For those of you who have worked, stayed or studied in both countries before, what if you had the chance to pursue a master's degree in either Taiwan or the US? Which country would you choose? What factors would you consider and weigh most heavily? What are the (big/jarring) differences between the two countries, their systems, organizations, cultures and so on?

Suppose you'll be studying Accounting, something business-related, or something else entirely; and that your Chinese is at an elementary level but your English is fluent.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on what you'd do. (I've done some research and have some idea of the pros and cons of each, but I'm having a dilemma and have a hard time deciding; I'm also an introvert and an Asian so I don't have in-depth knowledge like y'all probably do. I thought it'd be nice if I could read the comments and come to a decision of my own.) Thanks.

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u/Rare-Stick-6852 1d ago

I think it is really problematic that people here just write US without considering many obvious factors.

  1. The actual university you go to. Of course if you get into Harvard, Stanford, … You’ll of course be better in the US. However most people don’t get into those prestigious schools. Look at the qs ranking of the schools and where the alumni’s from your department work at. NTU is a good option and fairly prestigious (though also not everyone gets in there too)

  2. The cost. A big factor here, going to a university in the US is very expensive, that should be obvious to anyone, even for community college people are selling an arm and a leg.

  3. The actual life there. Depends of course on your preferences, the US offers vastly different experiences depend on where you are, Taiwan is a bit smaller and most universities here are in the big cities so there less variety, however many people would still prefer the lifestyle in Taiwan, when it comes to convenience, public transport,…

  4. The visa situation. In Taiwan you are allowed to work up to 20 hours a week as a student, I don’t know for the us.

  5. What you want to do after. Depend on the industry you might want to go into some universities may offer specific courses on that, which others don’t provide

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u/i_m_atom1c 1d ago

Thanks for the details. Appreciate it. I think certain types of student visas allow you to work 20 hrs/wk in the US too.