Health Insurance

What health insurance do I take ?

You have an ARC

The National Health Insurance (NHI) is Taiwan’s official medical insurance operated by the Bureau of National Health Insurance in the Executive Yuan’s Department of Health. Taiwan residents must register for the NHI. Scholars who hold an ARC are required to enroll in the National Health Insurance (NHI).

You don’t have an ARC

You need an ARC to be eligible for the NHI. Without an ARC, you may want to enroll in other insurance programs. Your host department can assist you in enrolling in the program of your choice. Two insurance agencies offer discounts to NTU faculty and staff：

 

Cathay Life Insurance (Ms. Liao)

Tel：+886 (0)2 89281188 ext.2899 OR +886 (0)920-349135
Email： eliayu18@cathaylife.com.tw

How to apply for the NHI

If you have a work contract with NTU, please bring your application form and work contract to the NTU Personnel Department’s Section 4.

If you have an ARC but do not have a fixed employer nor family members with whom dependency can be claimed, you must, after a continuous residence within Taiawn for six months, enroll through the local administration offices of your residence.

To receive your NHI Card, simply send your application form and legal ID to local NHI offices via mail or file your application at the nearest NHI office.

If your NHI Card is lost, bring your ARC to the nearest NHI office to apply for a replacement card. A processing fee may be charged.

For detailed information on National Health Insurance (NHI), visit the website of Bureau of National Health Insurance.

 

 

Banking and tax

Opening a bank account

Most banks in Taiwan open from 10am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday. Most banks offer services such as money deposit, money transfer, currency exchange, and online banking.

On-Campus Banks

To open a bank account, you have to be there in person.

Please remember to bring：

• passport
• Alien Resident Certificate ( ARC; if you are ineligible to apply for one, please apply for ROC ID Number instead )
• NTU ID or Work Contract
• legal stamp ( if applicable )
• a minimum deposit of TWD 1,000

To close your bank account, bring your bank passbook, legal IDs and stamp ( if applicable ).

To apply for an ROC ID Number, please bring your passport and one photocopy of it and fill out an application form at the National Immigration Agency.

ATM Card

It is safe and convenient to deposit, withdraw, transfer money, and check balances at ATMs with an ATM card. If your ATM card is lost, please report to your bank immediately.

Tax

Foreigners who work or study in Taiwan are required to file an income tax return every year. The filing starts on May 01 and ends on May 31. Your tax rate will depend on how much you earn and how long your stay is.

Please refer to the website of National Taxation Bureau for the latest rates and regulations.

You can use your ARC to obtain your income tax information from local tax offices and pay your tax online.

Guidelines for paying your income tax can be found on the website of the National Taxation Bureau.

 

 

Transportation

Transportation in Taipei

Taipei MRT

The Taipei MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) currently has nine lines in the greater Taipei area). You can either use your NTU ID/EasyCard or purchase a single-journey ticket at the ticket machines or simply visit the information kiosk at the MRT station.

Taipei buses

Taking the bus is another way to get around the city, and different bus routes offer more destinations than the MRT system. You can pay with an EasyCard or with cash. The fare for a journey within a single zone is TWD 15. If you pay with cash, please note that bus drivers do not provide change. Most buses run until 11pm.

For route maps and bus schedules, please visit the Taipei Bus and Transportation Information System.

Taxis

There are many taxis in Taipei. The initial flag fall is TWD 70. The price goes up TWD 5 for each additional 250m. An additional TWD 20 may be charged after 11pm. Women passengers have a choice of using radio-dispatched cab services at night.

Travelling to other cities

Long-distance bus

To purchase long-distance bus tickets, passengers can choose to buy directly from bus drivers (cash only and no change will be given) or at the Main Bus Station, which neighbors Taipei Railway Station. Below are the main two bus companies, the websites are in Chinese only.

King Bus 國光客運 (KuoKuang)

U-bus 統聯客運

Taiwan Railway

There are seven railway lines operated by Taiwan Railway. Each line has its own characteristics and sightseeing routes. There are two lines that travel down the west coast and three lines servicing the north. The other lines go through the southern and eastern parts of Taiwan.

Taiwan High Speed Rail

Taiwan High Speed Rail takes only 1.5 to 2 hours to travel from Taipei to Kaohsiung (Zuoying Station). This is a good choice if you want to travel to Central or Southern Taiwan in the fastest possible way.

Driving in Taiwan

Drivers in Taiwan are required to hold a legal ROC driving license. If you have an ARC or ROC ID Number, you can obtain an ROC driving license by making a license replacement or taking the driver’s license examination.

ROC license replacement

You are able to replace your foreign driving license with a legal ROC driving license if it complies with ROC reciprocity agreements (i.e. whether the license was issued by a reciprocating country or state). Please check the reciprocity policy chart to see if you are eligible to apply.

ROC driver's license examination

If your country does not have reciprocity agreements with the ROC, then you are required to take the driver's license examination — both written and driving — to obtain an ROC driver's license.

Motor Vehicles Office

Address：No. 21, Sec. 4, Bade Rd, Taipei
Tel：02 2763 0155

 

 

Family support

Family's visas

If your family members are coming with you to Taiwan, you need to send their visa application together with yours. Your family, while having no formal proof of employment, will still be able to apply for a visa for they are traveling with you.

Children's education

Child care services and schools close to NTU may suit your children’s needs.

Child care

Taipei Child Care Resource Center http://kidstp.npo.org.tw/ can help you find licensed nurses or nursery schools providing proper care and pre-school education.

Kindergartens

NTU’s Kindergarten is an on-campus kindergarten where faculty’s children can receive care and education. To enroll your child for the fall semester, please register at the beginning of June. For more information, visit the NTU Kindergarten website http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~ntukids/or call +886 (0)2 3366 4428.

Local elementary schools

If your children can communicate in Chinese, the following elementary schools are all close to the NTU campus and provide standard education：

Ming Chuan Elementary School ( 銘傳國小 )
Tel: +886 (0)2 2363 9815

Long An Elementary School ( 龍安國小 )
Tel: 02 2363 2077

Gong Guan Elementary School ( 公館國小 )
Tel: 02 2735 1734

International schools

There are several international schools in Taipei which offer education in English, French, German or Japanese.

 

Museums, libraries, concert halls and theaters

Museums

Concert halls and theaters

Public libraries

 

Climate, electricity, time zone

Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons in Taiwan, when the temperature is cool and comfortable. The monsoon (“plum rain”) season begins in May and signals consecutive rainy days. In winter, the northern and eastern parts are normally cold (below 15°C) with abundant rain. On the other hand, the central region and the southwest are usually cool or even sunny. Occasionally there may be snow in the central mountains in altitudes above 2,500 meters. Summer in Taiwan is hot and humid, with temperature hovering above 30°C and frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Typhoons hit quite frequently in Taiwan, causing frequent floods in low-lying areas and mud slides on the mountains.

Electricity

Taiwan uses electric current of 110 volts at 60 cycles, which means appliances from regions such as Europe, Australia or South-East Asia will need an adaptor or transformer. Taiwan uses a flat blade plug：

If your appliance’s plug is shaped differently, you may need to buy a plug adaptor.

Time zone

Taiwan is eight hours ahead of GMT, and shares the same time zone with Beijing, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

 

Phone

Mobile phone

It is possible to bring your own mobile phone and simply purchase a Taiwan number (SIM card). Buying pre-paid cards at the telecom service centers in the Taoyuan International Airport upon your arrival is recommended.

A pre-paid card is recommended for short term visiting scholars. You can get a pre-paid card at telecom service branch offices or at most convenience stores. You will need two forms of photo ID to apply.

If you prefer to apply for a phone plan, you will have to present your ARC and passport and be accompanied by a native guarantor (his/her ID card and National Health Insurance Card are necessary). You need to apply in person at the service branch offices.

The most common telephone operators include：

• Chunghwa Telecom 中華電信
• Taiwan Mobile 台灣大哥大
• Far EasTone 遠傳電信

Making telephone calls

Dialling from Taipei to Taipei

This applies to both Taipei City (臺北市) and New Taipei City (新北市). Simply dial the eight-digit number, e.g. 3366 2007. The area code is not necessary.

Dialling across counties in Taiwan

When making a long-distance call within Taiwan, dial the area code, then dial the number, e.g. to call Kaohsiung: 07 123 4567. The main area codes are：

• 02 – Taipei
• 03 – Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Yilan, Hualien
• 04 – Taichung, Changhua
• 06 – Tainan
• 07 – Kaohsiung

Dialling from Taiwan to another country

International prefix code (009 or 002) + country code + area/city code + telephone number.

For example, to make a call from Taiwan to New York, dial 009 (or 002) + 1+ 212 + telephone number. The initial zero of the area/city code is usually omitted when dialling international calls, e.g. the area code for Tokyo is 03 but you only need to dial 3.

The Country Calling Codes website allows you to choose which country you are calling from and which country you want to call. You will then be given the code you need.

Dialling from outside Taiwan to Taiwan

To dial an area in Taiwan from abroad, dial the international dialling prefix for the country you are in (e.g. 00 from the EU, 010 from Japan, 011 from the USA) followed by the country code for Taiwan (886). Proceed to enter the local code without the initial zero (e.g. 2 for Taipei) followed by the remaining telephone number.

 

Recycling and waste

Caring for the environment The government and people of Taiwan make a lot of effort in protecting the environment by reducing waste and conserving energy. When eating out, it is environmentally friendlier to bring your own utensils instead of using disposable utensils at the restaurant. Also, you should bring your own bag for groceries – most stores and supermarkets charge for shopping bags according to the government’s regulations to reduce waste. Recycling and waste Taiwan has a garbage disposal policy that has been practiced for many years. Waste should be separated into three categories: recyclable garbage, kitchen waste, and ordinary garbage. Recyclable garbage and kitchen waste will both be recycled. Recyclable garbage includes paper, metal, glass, plastic, dry batteries, motorized vehicles (automobiles and motor scooters), tires, lead-acid batteries, electrical apparatus, CDs, light sources and cell phones. Kitchen waste includes raw and cooked foods and other organic wastes. These two kinds of garbage should be disposed in individual bags. Before you take out your garbage, please classify them first and deliver the garbage to the designated location at the scheduled time. Different areas have different regulations regarding the classification of garbage. Failure to dispose garbage correctly can result in a fine from TWD 1,200 to TWD 6,000. For more information and for garbage collection times and locations, contact your local cleaning squad or environmental protection bureau, or call the special recycling information line. Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Tel：02 2311 7722

 

Post

Chunghwa Post offers postal services like domestic and international express mail delivery, and it also serves as a bank. There are many post branches available in the city, including two post offices at NTU. Several post branches are open during the weekend.