Taiwan is geographically small, but it has built a strong public health and healthcare system. Taiwan’s National Health Insurance provides universal, mandatory coverage for citizens and legal residents through a single-payer system. Taiwan also continues to perform strongly in international perception-based healthcare rankings; in Numbeo’s 2026 Health Care Index by Country, Taiwan ranked first with a score of 87.1.
With a healthcare backdrop like this, it is not surprising that Taiwan offers strong public health study options. Read on to find out which schools to consider for an excellent Taiwanese public health education:
Top Schools Offering Public Health Programs in Taiwan
1. Taipei Medical University
Taipei Medical University has been home to one of Taiwan’s established public health schools since 1989. Its School of Public Health has offered master’s and doctoral training since 1996 and 2001, respectively, with the goal of preparing future health professionals for work in health promotion, disease prevention, research, and public health practice. Its current concentrations include Environmental Health, Epidemiology, and Community Health.
The Master in Public Health is a two-year, four-semester program requiring 30 credits, including 16 required credits, and a thesis defense. The Ph.D. in Public Health requires at least 36 credits, including 24 required credits, publication-related requirements, and a thesis defense.
Graduates may pursue careers in academia, research, health organizations, and public or private sector institutions.
2. National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University is one of Taiwan’s leading institutions and offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Global Health through its Global Health Program. These programs train students to use empirical research and scientific evidence to analyze and address current public health challenges.
In line with its global focus, the program is taught in English and targets international talent. Current admissions information also includes local-student admission routes for the master’s program, so it is no longer best described as accepting international students only. The Global Health Program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health, and NTU describes it as the first CEPH-accredited public health program in Asia. It is also affiliated with organizations worldwide, including academic and public health networks across Asia and beyond.
The curriculum includes compulsory and elective courses in areas such as global health science, biostatistics, epidemiology, social and behavioral foundations, evidence-based policies, global environmental health science, research methods, and seminars. Students may also pursue fieldwork or internship opportunities. Graduates may pursue work in academia, research, development agencies, and health positions in the private or public sector.
3. National Cheng Kung University
The National Cheng Kung University Department of Public Health was established in 1983, expanded to graduate-level education in 2000, and added a doctoral program in 2008. Its public health education and research cover areas such as health policy, community health, epidemiology, and biostatistics. The department also lists coursework in areas including epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, and health behaviors.
Current program information lists a part-time Master of Public Health for full-time professionals, typically completed in 2.5 years and taught in Chinese, and a Ph.D. in Public Health, typically completed in five years with core courses sufficient for graduation taught in English. Because admissions pages and course structures may change, students should confirm the latest master’s and Ph.D. details directly with NCKU before applying.
4. National Yang-Ming University
National Yang-Ming University is now part of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, following the 2021 merger of National Yang-Ming University and National Chiao Tung University. Its International Health Program was established in 2002 and offers M.S. and Ph.D. programs in International Health. The program recruits both domestic and international students and provides a global approach to public health education.
The M.S. curriculum is based on courses jointly offered by seven graduate institutes and covers areas such as public health, health and welfare, environmental health, healthcare and hospital administration, health information and decision making, nursing, and clinical medicine. The M.S. program requires at least 24 credits plus a six-credit thesis and usually takes two academic years to complete. The Ph.D. program requires at least 18 course credits, or 30 credits for students without a master’s degree, as well as a Ph.D. thesis and publications in international scientific journals. Its duration is three to seven academic years, and it usually takes five to six years. Both programs are full-time.
5. Kaohsiung Medical University
Kaohsiung Medical University offers graduate training in public health through its Department of Public Health. The department’s core focus areas include health administration and healthcare management, environmental and occupational health, biostatistics and epidemiology, and health promotion and behavioral interventions. Its graduate programs emphasize problem identification, data collection, statistical analysis, and evidence-based solutions for public health issues.
The master’s curriculum is organized into groups such as epidemiology and environmental and occupational health. The department also states that its Ph.D. program is delivered fully in English and supports international graduate education.
FAQs: Public Health Studies in Taiwan
Is it Cheap to Live and Study in Taiwan?
Taiwan remains relatively affordable compared with many popular study-abroad destinations, but costs vary by city, lifestyle, and institution. Study in Taiwan estimates monthly living expenses at about NT$19,000 to NT$21,000 in Tainan, NT$21,000 to NT$23,000 in Kaohsiung, NT$23,000 to NT$25,000 in Taichung, NT$22,000 to NT$24,000 in New Taipei City, and NT$28,000 to NT$30,000 in Taipei. For tuition, the same source lists typical tuition and miscellaneous fees of about USD 1,500 to USD 1,800 per semester for bachelor’s degrees and USD 1,600 to USD 2,000 per semester for master’s and Ph.D. degrees, though individual universities and programs may charge different rates. At the moment, there are no specific courses we can recommend for international students who want to study in Taiwan, but you can check out our Available Courses for International Students for available programs in Canada, the USA, the UK, and Europe.
Public health is an area of high interest for governments in many countries; therefore, public health professionals are sought after globally. Beginning or continuing your public health studies in Taiwan can be a strong choice for international students. As discussed above, Taiwanese universities offer several promising public health study options. Apply today!
We hope that you found this article on the best public health universities in Taiwan informative and helpful. Make sure to also check out the Study in Taiwan and Available Programs for International Students pages to learn more!
