Laws and Regulations Retrieving System

These Regulations are established in accordance with Article 38 Paragraph 2 of the Junior College Act (hereafter referred to as this Act).

Article 2.

The assessment and recognition of foreign academic credentials for junior colleges shall be transacted in accordance with these Regulations.
Herein, the aforementioned junior colleges include universities of technology, junior college divisions of colleges of technology, and junior colleges of Open University, as indicated in Article 6 of this Act.

Article 3.

Terms herein for these Regulations are defined as follows:
1. Assessment and Recognition: A course of verification, examination and recognition of foreign academic credentials by junior colleges to ensure documents presented by an applicant are academically equivalent to those granted by junior colleges within Taiwan.
2. Reference list: The list of names and addresses of foreign academic institutions of higher education collected and published by the Ministry of Education.
3. Verification: A request for verification of the validity to the Republic of China’s overseas missions, representative offices, as well as economic and cultural offices (hereafter referred to as overseas missions and offices) concerning the applicant’s academic credentials and transcripts granted by schools abroad.

4. Examination: For junior colleges in Taiwan to examine and prove whether or not the overseas school is accredited by the competent authority of the foreign government concerned, or a dedicated educational accreditation entity indicated by the government, in addition to examination through the applicant’s admission requirements, term of study, and curriculum.

Article 4.

Academic credentials shall be recognized if the requirements in the following paragraphs are met:
1. The diploma (or certificate of non-completion) shall be awarded by an academic institution listed in the Republic of China Ministry of Education’s reference list, or those accredited by the competent authority of the foreign government concerned, or a dedicated educational accreditation entity.
2. The term of study and curriculum for the applicant’s foreign school shall be the same as those prescribed by equivalent academic institutions within Taiwan.

Article 5.

To apply for assessment and recognition of foreign academic credentials, applicants shall submit the following documents to the junior colleges to which they are applying for verification, examination and recognition:
1. A photocopy of proof of foreign academic credentials and transcripts for years in which school was attended.
2. A certificate of entry and exit dates, issued by the competent authority of immigration during the period of study abroad. However, foreign citizens or overseas Chinese are exempt from this requirement.
3. Other relevant documents required by junior colleges: The junior colleges shall perform examination through the applicants’ foreign schools, make a request in writing to the Republic of China’s overseas missions and offices for assistance with the examination, or request the applicants to facilitate examination with respect to the documents referred to in Paragraph 1.

Article 6.

The term of study indicated in Article 4 Paragraph 2 refers to the applicant’s period of stay at a school and the period of study as prescribed by the school system for that country.
With regard to the prescribed principles and the comparison of domestic and foreign academic systems for the aforementioned period of study, junior colleges shall make judgment according to the academic system and school calendar of the foreign school, and the applicant’s entry-exit records. Periods not falling within the term of study prescribed by the school system or announced in the school calendar will not be deemed as part of the term of study.
The required term of study may be reduced for those who are deemed physically and mentally challenged under the Special Education Act based on a weighting of the foreign school system regulations and the actual situation.

Article 7.

For curriculum defined in Paragraph 2 of Article 4, academic credentials obtained via distance learning shall be from schools complying with stipulations of Paragraph 1 of Article 4 for curriculum and credits, in addition to complying with the stipulations for distance learning within the Republic of China.

Article 8.

Verifications and recognition for foreign academic credentials shall be carried out in accordance with the following procedures, except for art qualifications for which credential verification and recognition shall comply with these Regulations:
1. Verifications and recognition for academic credentials for foreign secondary schools, or credentials from schools on the reference list, shall be carried out by the junior college in accordance with these Regulations.
2. Recognition will be granted after examination by the junior college for foreign schools not on the reference list in accordance with these Regulations.
In case of doubt, the junior college shall organize an assessment and recognition panel to undertake review. The junior college shall stipulate regulations for the organization and operations of the panel.
If the panel’s review is unable to assess the documents, the junior college shall submit an explanation for the doubt to the Ministry of Education along with related supporting documents to facilitate recognition.

Article 9.

The junior college shall receive a letter of consent, as well as other relevant documents, from the applicant, to undertake examination through his or her overseas academic credentials,
Items which the junior college must examine concerning the applicant’s school abroad, or for which a written request for assistance must be submitted to the Republic of China’s overseas missions and offices in examining the applicant’s overseas academic credentials, are as follows:
1. Admission requirements;
2. Term of study;
3. Curriculum undertaken;
4. Whether or not the school is recognized by the competent authority of the foreign government concerned, or a dedicated educational accreditation entity indicated by the government; and
5. Other necessary items.

Article 10.

The following academic credentials awarded in foreign countries are ineligible for recognition:
1. Diplomas from correspondence programs.
2. Certificates of attendance for programs such as training courses, seminars, and so forth.
3. Diplomas from programs administered in non-Mandarin speaking regions, for which Mandarin was the language of instruction, with the exception of secondary education diplomas.
4. Diplomas from programs administered by campuses or branches of foreign academic institutions established within Taiwan not accredited by the Ministry of Education or obtained from entities that recruit students in the Republic of China by acting on behalf of foreign academic institutions.

5. Academic credentials obtained via distance learning which do not comply with Article 7.

Article 11.

If any documents provided by an applicant are proven to be forged, altered, or falsified, the accreditation for the diploma of the applicant shall be cancelled. In addition, admission will be revoked in cases where the accreditation has been granted, and students who have already registered will lose their status as students. Furthermore, the junior college shall not issue any documentation in support of the student’s studies. Graduation status will be revoked, and diplomas recalled or cancelled for students who have graduated. In case of any criminal responsibility, the applicant shall be dealt with according to the law by a prosecutorial organization.　

Article 12.

These Regulations shall be effective as of the date of promulgation.