MEDICAL CARE

  • Health Examination
    Every newly admitted student will take a health examination by their universities. However, if you are going to apply for the Alien Resident Certificate (ARC), you will have to take the health examination in the designed hospitals by yourself.
    The health examination for the ARC application usually including 5 categories:
    1. Chest X-Ray for Tuberculosis check.
    2. Stool Examination for Parasites (Not required for students from certain areas)
    3. Serological Tests for Syphilis.
    4. Proof of Positive Measles and Rubella Antibody or Measles and Rubella Vaccination Certificate. 
    5. Hansen’s Disease Examination (not required for students from certain areas).
     
    If you need further information about the categories of examination, please check the Application Form from the Center of Disease Control. Also, you can find designed hospitals near you for the health examination through the list of Center of Disease Control.
  • Pharmacies and Medication

    In Taiwan, you can find non-prescript medication, such as painkillers, common cold capsules, rhinitis capsules, gastrointestinal medication etc. in local drugstores. Prescript medication can only be found in Pharmacies after you have seen a doctor. If you want to find a nearest pharmacy, you can search on the website of Taiwan Pharmacist Association (in Chinese only).

  • Insurance
    There are two kinds of medical insurances available for international students:
     
    1. The National Health Insurance is for the international students who have an ARC for more than 6 months.
    2. The Medical Insurance is for the international students who don’t have an ARC or staying less than 6 months.
    Students only need to apply for either one of them.
     
    National Health Insurance
     
    If you are staying in Taiwan for over 6 months and have the Alien Resident Certificate (ARC), you will be entitled to the National Health Insurance of Taiwan. 
     
    The definitions of staying in Taiwan for 6 months:
    If you have a resident visa, received an ARC and stayed in Taiwan for 6 consecutive months.
    If you have a resident visa, received an ARC, and left Taiwan ONCE for fewer than 30 days within your actual period of stay (eg. 2 years), amounting to 6 months (after deducting your days away from Taiwan).
     
    Fee and cost
     
    The cost of National Health Insurance (NHI) is included in your tuition fee every semester. The cost is NT$ 749 each month (according to the fee criteria set by NHI), so payment per semester is TWD 4,494 (from September to February and March to August). Insurance Premium Payment is subject to change.
     
    Application documents:
    1. One 2 X 2 inch photo
    2. One photocopy of front and back of ARC
    3. NHI application form
     
     
    Medical Insurance
     
    Since students can only get NHI after 6 months of arrival, in order to safeguard the right to health care during the first 6 months, universities will help students get medical insurance that can cover the medical treatments in Taiwan. Students need to apply for it during registration week and usually it will be given to the students as soon as the tuition is paid. Please make sure to contact the international office in your university.
     
    Fee and cost
     
    Medical Insurance is different from the NHI. While the NHI directly discounts from the medical cost when paying, Medical Insurance on the other hand, needs to be paid by the student first and then compensated after certain amount of time. The Medical Insurance cost is NT$4,000 for one semester. Fee is subject to change.
     
    Application documents:
     
    Students need to pay the full fee for the treatment by oneself first. Make sure to get both the payment receipt and the diagnosis for the compensation procedure.
    1. One Photocopy of the Post Office / Bankbook cover (to get the refund to Post Office / bank account )
    2. Compensation application form
    3. Passport photocopy
    4. ARC photocopy
     
    For more details, please refer to the Bureau of National Health Insurance
    Address: 5th through 9th floor, No 15-1, Gong Yuan Rd, Taipei
    Tel: 02 2191 2006; 0800-030-598
    National Health Insurance English Service Line: 0800-030-598
    Office Hour: Monday to Friday, 8.30am-12.30pm; 1.30pm-5.30pm

     

     
  • Medical Treatment in Taiwan
    There are over 12,000 medical facilities around Taiwan covering all divisions. In order to properly distribute the medical resources, the medical facilities in Taiwan are categorized as 4 levels:
    1. Clinics (over 11,500 around Taiwan)
    2. District Hospitals (379 hospitals)
    3. Regional Hospitals (77 hospitals)
    4. Medical Centers (25 Centers)
    Thus, if you feel sick or got injured, we suggest you to go to your nearest clinic for medical attention. However, generally you can go to any clinic or hospital near you with your NHI card (or cover by your own insurance).
    To find the clinic or hospital near you, you can search on the National Health Insurance Administration website (in Chinese only).