Taiwan universities see zero enrollment in 54 graduate programs

台灣大學54個碩博生課程招生人數零

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Education reported Monday that 54 graduate programs in Taiwan received no student registrations this year, mainly due to applicants’ scores not meeting admission standards and an insufficient number of applicants.

The ministry said that 17 graduate programs at national universities, including full-time and programs for working professionals, received no student registrations this year. National Central University led with eight doctoral programs — from economics to mechanical engineering — enrolling no new students, per CNA.

According to National Central University, many master’s graduates choose to enter the workforce rather than pursue doctorates, attracted by higher salaries in certain industries. The university emphasized that doctoral education is a key foundation for research and said it will continue strengthening industry partnerships to cultivate research talent.

National Taiwan University reported that its doctoral program in the Department of Physical Therapy had no new registrations this year, as the two applicants failed to meet the program’s academic or research requirements.

National Chengchi University’s doctoral program in sociology and master’s program in Slavic languages and literatures received no registrations this year. At National Cheng Kung University, doctoral programs in International Business and Statistics also had no new students, which the university attributed to most of the departments’ master’s graduates choosing to work in the technology industry.

At National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, two medical-related graduate programs and the International Program in Inter-Asia Cultural Studies also had no new registrations this year.

Taiwan’s master’s programs in ICT, semiconductor, and AI fields drew strong interest. At National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, 2,167 applicants competed for 56 spots in the Institute of Computer Science and Engineering, while 391 applied for 10 places in the Institute of Artificial Intelligence Innovation.

Chen Yong-sheng (陳永昇), dean of academic affairs at the university, said the computer science and engineering program, covering AI, algorithms, and software engineering, prepares graduates for roles as algorithm or software engineers. As companies increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making in marketing, finance, and supply chain management, the program equips students with analytics and big data skills.