National Taiwan University & Tulane SPHTM Exchange Program

Announcing a new master’s level semester abroad exchange program between the schools of public health at National Taiwan University (NTU) and Tulane University

We are no longer accepting applications for Fall 2024. Stay tuned for the Spring 2025 call for applications announcement.

The Tulane Office of Global Health (OGH) and the SPHTM Office of Student Experience (OSE) are pleased to offer a new semester abroad opportunity for SPHTM master’s degree program students in partnership with National Taiwan University (NTU) in Taipei, Taiwan. Students spend one full-time semester (9-12 credits) at NTU, and work with their advisor and program staff to select courses from the list of courses offered in English (see below). Tulane students may apply to participate in fall or spring semesters only - the program is not open for summer terms.

Tulane University bills participating students per credit hour taken at NTU at the same rate as SPHTM courses and participating students are eligible for federal financial aid, as this program requires full time enrollment status for the semester at NTU. Students are responsible for the cost of room and board, flights, insurance, and personal expenses abroad.

Program eligibility – You are eligible to apply if you are enrolled in good standing in any SPHTM master’s level program AND you have completed at least 2 semesters (18 credits) of coursework at Tulane

Accepted applicants will receive:

  • Travel grant in the amount of $2,000
  • Tulane-NTU Exchange Program Certificate recognizing your semester at NTU

How to apply – please visit the online application to apply to the exchange program. The application requires the following:

  • A completed application form 
  • A personal statement describing career goals and reasons for applying for this exchange program
  • Academic transcript for SPHTM courses taken to date
  • Two letters of support (one must be from your current academic advisor)

Courses taken and transfer of credit to Tulane – you can select courses to take during the study abroad semester in conjunction with your exchange program advisory team, which includes:

  • 1) Your faculty academic advisor from your primary master’s degree program, 
  • 2) Dr. Oberhelman, Associate Dean for Global Health, as the SPHTM study abroad faculty coordinator, and
  • 3) NTU study abroad staff. 

Credit for courses you take at NTU are counted as elective credits toward the credit hour requirement for your Tulane master’s degree. Grades earned for courses taken at NTU appear on your final transcript but are NOT counted toward calculation of your grade point average.

CURRENT LIST OF NTU COURSES AND DESCRIPTIONS OFFERED IN ENGLISH OPEN TO EXCHANGE PARTICIPANTS (please note that this course list is subject change and NTU will provide an updated version closer to the fall 2024 semester)

Program Schedule:

  • Semester 1 (Fall Semester) - starts in early September and ends in late December.
  • Semester 2 (Spring Semester) - is from late-February to mid-June.  Spring semester participants may be able to register for winter intersession courses prior to starting coursework at NTU. The 2024 spring semester will begin on February 19th and end on June 7th. International exchange students are expected to arrived at NTU before February 7th.

Housing – You must arrange your own housing for the semester with housing resources provided by NTU. The cost of housing is around $300 to $1040 a month, depending on the room type. Please find more details on NTU's off-campus accommodations webpage.

Passport and visa – Your passport must be valid throughout the intended length of stay and you must have a confirmed return or onward air ticket. Since the program is longer than 90 days in Taiwan, you will need a Taiwan visa prior to traveling. Visit the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO)’s website for the most current visa information. OGH and NTU staff can assist with the visa process.  

Insurance – You will be required to purchase a GeoBlue health insurance plan or equivalent for the study abroad period. You must book all air travel through Concur or World Travel, as this is Tulane-related travel. 

Other Expenses – OSE recommends that students prepare budgets based on cost of living in the host city along with student habits and lifestyles. Upon acceptance to the program, OGH staff will provide more information and be available to assist you.

Monitoring changes in conditions for international exchange programs – All Tulane-related international travel must be approved by Tulane Global, which will review health and safety risks for participating students. Travel approvals are continuously reassessed and subject to change if needed based on current health or safety conditions.

Links to Additional Resources:

For more information, please contact Robert Palestina, senior program manager for the Office of Global Health, at rpalesti@tulane.edu.