【Important】 Should I rely on an agent to study in Taiwan? And how to prepare for it on your own!

Hello everyone! I’m @olivertomolife and I’ve studied abroad in Kaohsiung!





One of the first things to do when studying in Taiwan is to choose an agent.





The first thing to do when studying in Taiwan is to choose an agent, but I recommend that you prepare for your study abroad by yourself.





This is because you can use the money you spend on the agent to pay for your living expenses in Taiwan.





I will talk about how to prepare for studying abroad based on my own experience.

I experienced a working holiday in Kaohsiung for one year from February 2020. I am currently writing a blog based on that experience.





By reading this article, you’ll learn about preparing to study in Taiwan on your own!

Should I rely on an agent to help me study in Taiwan?

My personal opinion is that you should not rely on an agent.





Because you can get enough information on your own.





My acquaintance also made all the preparations for studying abroad by myself.





In my case, I only hired an agency to prepare my visa, but I chose a school and lived there by myself.





The reason why I asked for a visa is because the procedures for a working holiday visa are more complicated than those for a student visa, so I decided to ask for one as a safety measure.





The rest of the visa-related procedures are not that difficult, so I think it is possible to handle them on your own.

How do I prepare to study abroad on my own?

If you want to prepare personally, you will need to do all of the following

You may find each of these difficult, but using the translation function will make the process easier!

How to go to a language school at a low price

If you choose a language school through an agent, the tuition fees may be high.





That’s why we recommended applying directly to the school as an individual.





Many of the international students I met at the language school applied by themselves, so I think this is the mainstream method.





Many language schools offer English language services when you apply, so you can even use the translation function to apply!





A recommended translation function is the German translation function called deeple, which has a very high translation accuracy.





It is a higher level of translation than Google Translate, so please try it.





The language school process can take about three weeks, so make sure to apply well in advance.

What types of visas are available?

There are two types of visas that allow you to study abroad: the student visa and the working holiday visa.





The characteristics of each are as follows.

1 Suspended visa (student visa)

If you plan to attend a language school for more than 90 days, you can apply for this visa.





There are two types of this visa: single visa (expires after leaving the country once) and multiple visa (you can leave the country as many times as you want).





Choose the multiple-entry visa since there is a possibility that an emergency event may occur.





Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months before it expires.





If you plan to stay for more than 180 days, you will need to switch to a residence card.





Check next to Working Holiday for information on how to extend.

2 Working Holiday Visa

This is a visa that allows you to stay in Taiwan for about one year, and allows you to work or study.





This visa is recommended for those who wish to visit, study, or work part-time in Taiwan.





Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 30, and must not have been issued a working holiday visa in the past.





You must enter Taiwan within one year of the visa being issued, and you will be eligible to stay for 180 days from the date of entry.





The visa can be extended once locally for a total stay of 360 days.





You must leave Taiwan before the expiration date.

How can I extend my visa locally?

You can extend your visa two weeks prior to the expiration of 180 days from the date of entry.





You can do this at any of the immigration bureaus located throughout Taiwan, so it is a good idea to find one beforehand.





It is recommended that you calculate your return date before you apply for the extension.





Please note that if you miss the extension period, you will not be able to extend your visa.

Conclusion

I have talked about whether you should rely on an agent to study in Taiwan.





I will continue to provide information on Taiwan in the future, so please stay tuned.





Thank you for reading to the end!