I am Lai Guanyu, a senior student majoring in Applied Physics at Donghai University. In February of this year (2018), I will be going to Lanzhou University in mainland China to become an exchange student for the next six months.
The main motivation for the exchange is because I have always wanted to travel and learn about different cultures and customs during my university years. However, due to the heavy workload of required courses from the first to the third year, it was difficult to plan for an exchange. When I reached the first semester of my fourth year, there were no compulsory courses scheduled, and coincidentally, I came across information about exchange programs with my classmates. After some consideration, I found many aspects suitable for exchange. Mainly because mainland China has progressed rapidly in recent years, and many Taiwanese companies have expanded into the mainland region. There may be many opportunities for employment in the mainland after graduation, so I hope to go there for an exchange in advance. Also, since the language is the same, there is no need for other language proficiency tests, and communication is not a barrier. Furthermore, choosing the fourth year for exchange is because the application process for graduate schools has mostly concluded by then, which would not affect the application for graduate schools. Additionally, there are no compulsory courses for fourth-year students in the physics department, so it would not delay my graduation. Moreover, mainland China has many unique landscapes that I can explore during the exchange period. Chinese culture has a long history, and there are many cultural sites that were previously only seen in history textbooks and geography textbooks. The thought of visiting these places during the exchange excites me. Chinese cuisine is also one of the reasons that attracted me to go to mainland China for the exchange. Chinese cuisine is very diverse, with many dishes, and I also want to take the opportunity to taste authentic Chinese cuisine during the exchange.
During my time at school, I often heard people say that mainland China has made rapid progress in recent years, and with a large population, competition there is fierce. However, "hearing" often cannot truly understand the actual situation. Only by actually going there can one truly understand the competitiveness and strength of mainland students. Moreover, having the opportunity to visit different places can also broaden one's horizons.
I had considered going to other countries for exchange before, but considering the distance and cost of living, compared to European and American countries, the burden is much lighter. Additionally, Donghai University and Lanzhou University are sister schools, so I only need to pay the tuition and miscellaneous fees of Donghai University in terms of expenses. There is no need to bear too many additional costs. Compared to the English department, China does not require foreign language proficiency, so for the above reasons, I chose to go to mainland China for the exchange.
For students interested in becoming exchange students, pay attention to the information provided by the International Office. The application deadline for spring semester exchange students is usually around mid-October of the previous year. The International Office of the school will announce the information on its webpage and hold exchange student briefing and sharing sessions. The application conditions are not particularly strict. Mainly, applicants need to have completed at least one semester of study at the time of application, and the score for the labor education course must be at least 70 points each semester to be eligible to apply. The school will announce the quotas provided by each sister school, and it is noteworthy that the College of Science has additional quotas, which do not need to compete with other colleges for quotas. However, some schools may have additional requirements. For example, the Xi'an Jiaotong University, which I initially planned to apply to, stipulates that exchange students must not have failed subjects, and some schools may prefer not to have fourth-year students exchange. For detailed reasons, you can learn more at the exchange student briefing session.
The documents required for application include the selection application form and recommendation qualification consent form, as well as the parent or guardian consent form and student health declaration form. Additionally, a deposit of 5000 yuan needs to be paid. The process includes an interview and review, but since I applied for the additional quota in the College of Science, there was no interview. Many issues regarding the review were handled by Professor Lin Zongxin of the department, and the department teachers are willing to help with any problems encountered during the exchange.