I-Shou University

About I-Shou University

I-Shou University began teaching in 1990 as Kaohsiung Polytechnic Institute after the Ministry of Education approved its establishment. The institution adopted its present name in 1997 and developed from an engineering-focused college into a multidisciplinary university. Its official 2025 anniversary material identifies eight colleges, while the current international recruitment site groups programs across seven recruiting colleges; this difference appears to reflect presentation or organizational grouping rather than a change in operating status. The university has two principal academic settings in Kaohsiung. The Main Campus in Dashu District houses technology, engineering, management, communication and design, tourism and hospitality, and international programs. The Medical Campus in Yanchao District hosts medicine and medical-science disciplines alongside teaching, research, residential, and recreation facilities. Some health-related students may study on the Main Campus in their first year before moving to the Medical Campus, so applicants should confirm the sequence for their department. I-Shou describes itself as affiliated with E United Group, whose activities include manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, and education-related operations. This connection supports industry-university projects and internship access, but placements and requirements vary by department. The university’s official profile reports a substantial international degree-seeking community representing dozens of countries. For prospective international students, the key decision points are the teaching language, the campus where the program is delivered, any professional-practice requirements, and whether the qualification will satisfy licensing rules in the country where they intend to work.

Admissions routes differ for domestic, overseas Chinese, and international applicants; the following details concern foreign-student admission for 2026–2027. The official guide offered fall 2026 entry with applications from February 1 through July 5, 2026, and spring 2027 entry with applications from September 1 through December 15, 2026. Because the fall deadline has passed as of August 20, 2026, a new applicant should check eligibility for spring entry and confirm that the intended program accepts that intake. Film and Television, for example, was listed as fall-only in this cycle. Applications are submitted online without an application fee. Core materials include the application forms and declarations, passport or nationality evidence, prior qualification documents, complete transcripts, proof of finances, language evidence, and any department-specific portfolio, autobiography, study plan, research proposal, or other material. Bachelor’s applicants generally need an eligible secondary-school qualification; master’s applicants need a bachelor’s degree; doctoral applicants need a master’s degree or recognized equivalent. For non-English-medium programs, the guide requires TOCFL A2 or comparable Chinese evidence. Applicants to fully English-taught programs must provide English ability equivalent to CEFR B1 or above. Some departments impose additional or preferred evidence, so the general threshold is not necessarily sufficient for every program. Admission is based primarily on document review, with telephone or video review possible when needed. Applicants must also satisfy Taiwan’s legal definition and residency rules for foreign-student admission.

I-Shou’s academic portfolio covers intelligent science and technology, engineering, management, communication and design, international studies, tourism and hospitality, medicine, and medical science and technology. Current department listings include fields such as electrical, electronic and information engineering; semiconductor studies; mechanical, civil, chemical and materials engineering; business and finance; communication, film, design, hospitality and culinary arts; and a range of health disciplines. Graduate opportunities include master’s and doctoral study in selected engineering, technology, management, design, and medical-related areas rather than in every undergraduate field. Teaching language is a central selection issue. The 2026–2027 international admissions guide separates primarily English-taught programs from Chinese-taught and Chinese-and-Japanese-taught options. Its English-medium group includes several International College bachelor’s programs in business, finance, media, tourism and hospitality, and artificial-intelligence technology, plus an international management master’s program. Most other programs are taught primarily in Chinese. Applicants should use the current guide for the exact language classification instead of relying on the database’s general language label. The two-campus structure matters academically. Medical and allied-health departments are based at the Medical Campus, though the admissions guide notes that first-year teaching for some departments may occur at the Main Campus. Several health programs require off-campus practical training. These professionally oriented degrees may also involve Chinese-language clinical environments and Taiwan-specific practice requirements. The university provides library study rooms, learning commons, audiovisual and language-learning resources, smart classrooms, and specialist teaching spaces. Prospective students should compare department curricula, research supervision, internship obligations, and professional recognition before choosing a program.

Key Highlights

• Founded in 1990 and renamed I-Shou University in 1997
• Private comprehensive university with Main and Medical campuses in Kaohsiung
• Official 2026–2027 admissions materials cover bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral study
• Affiliated with E United Group, supporting industry and healthcare connections

Student Life & Environment

Student life is divided between the Main Campus and Medical Campus, and the experience differs by program location. The university lists dormitory options on both campuses, including shared rooms on the Main Campus and accommodation associated with the Medical Campus. International students receive priority consideration for housing, but new students must pay the stated reservation fee by the deadline in their admission information. Housing is not automatic, and room formats, contracts, electricity charges, deposits, and vacation arrangements differ. The university reports about 100 student organizations across service, recreation, fitness, arts and skills, student government, and departmental categories. Published examples include music, dance, photography, cooking, English, mountain climbing, martial arts, table tennis, first aid, medical service, and technology-focused clubs. This provides both general social activities and opportunities connected to academic interests. Recreation facilities listed by the university include basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, gyms, swimming pools, fitness and table-tennis spaces, with facilities available across the two campuses. Opening times and booking conditions can change by semester. Campus dining includes food courts and restaurants, while the Main Campus is adjacent to the E-Da World retail and entertainment complex. International students can also use the Office of International and Cross-Strait Affairs for registration, insurance, housing, and arrival guidance.

Location & Surroundings

I-Shou University is in Kaohsiung, but its campuses are outside the city’s central urban core. The Main Campus is at No. 1, Section 1, Syuecheng Road in Dashu District, near the E-Da World hotels, outlet mall, restaurants, and theme park. The Medical Campus is at No. 8, Yida Road in Yanchao District, next to the E-Da Hospital area. Students should use the address for their actual department when planning housing and travel. The university publishes bus connections from major rail hubs. Main Campus passengers can transfer to E-Da Bus route 8501 at THSR Zuoying Station or use route 8506 from Nanzih railway station. The Medical Campus is served from Zuoying by E03 routes and has additional city-bus connections through the hospital area. Travel between campus, transport hubs, and central Kaohsiung therefore requires planning around bus schedules rather than assuming direct metro access. Kaohsiung offers a major international airport, high-speed rail, conventional rail, metro, bus, and taxi services. The suburban campus setting may appeal to students who prefer a contained environment, while those seeking frequent access to downtown should compare commute times and evening transport before choosing accommodation.

Costs & Career Outcomes

The university’s published tuition table is explicitly for 2025–2026, so it should be treated as a planning reference rather than a confirmed 2026–2027 price. Listed semester totals vary by program. Examples include NT$47,994 for several management programs, NT$55,373 for many engineering programs, and NT$72,500 for the listed English-medium International College programs. These totals combine tuition and other academic fees. Applicants should obtain a 2026–2027 invoice or fee schedule before committing, particularly because health, specialist, and post-baccalaureate programs may have different charges. Housing adds a separate and variable cost. The international-student FAQ states a NT$1,500 reservation fee and describes different room charges, deposits, electricity arrangements, and vacation rules. Some residences charge by semester, while International House and hospital-area rooms use longer rental periods. Food, transport, insurance, books, immigration expenses, and personal costs should be budgeted separately. Scholarships are advertised, but eligibility, duration, renewal conditions, and the expenses covered must be checked against the award terms for the relevant intake. Career preparation includes a university Career Development Center, recruitment and employment counseling, internship administration, an employment and internship platform, and career guidance for international students. The E United Group relationship creates potential links across industry, healthcare, and hospitality, while several departments include off-campus practical training. No current, comparable graduate salary or placement-rate data were verified. Students entering medicine, nursing, therapy, radiological science, laboratory science, or other regulated fields should independently confirm licensing and language requirements in their intended country of practice.