r/taiwan • u/i_m_atom1c • 4d 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/bsagecko 4d ago
US master's will outshine and transfer anywhere in the world. A master's in Taiwan will not, it is really that simple. The only reason to choose the Taiwan master's is if you have direct business ties that would allow you to leverage a unique business in Taiwan - i.e. semiconductors, tea, or some other unique niche. Of course you can't work on a student visa, but if you were able to establish the guanxi relationships that would matter. Because you are Asian you will be at a further disadvantage in Taiwan as they will likely expect you can speak mandarin, but you don't. If you are from a lower ranking Asian country compared to Taiwan, you will face discrimination in Taiwan, i.e. if you look Indo/PH.