Inside National Chengchi University (NCCU) 國立政治大學

Here, I seek to outline all of the major aspects of living and studying at NCCU. This is an evolving list, as I am sure perspectives will change throughout the year and I will always be learning new things. If you have any questions about life at NCCU or corrections about life at NCCU, please do not hesitate to contact me or comment on this post! I look forward to hearing from you!

NCCU in Taipei, Taiwan

• Campus: NCCU’s campus in located in the Wenshan District (文山區, Wénshān Qū), the southernmost point of Taipei City. This means you will not be living in the “downtown” region of the city characterized by large avenues and easy access from one area to another; rather, NCCU lies in a more natural setting. The university is located on the side of a mountain, two small rivers cross through the campus, and the neighborhood around it is entirely residential. Buses run frequently during the day from NCCU that can take you to nearly every part of the city you would need to go to, but the bus routes often take a long while and the campus is still an 8 minute bus ride away from the last stop of the MRT line. Basically, you always have to allot a certain chunk of travel time before you go anywhere.

NCCU Main Gate

Needless to say, however, the campus setting is beautiful. It is one of the few places in the city where the air is always clean and fresh and you can feel like you are really away from busy city life. The campus itself is arranged in two parts. The lower campus is where you will enter and most of the main buildings are located here. The administration building, computer lab, College of Commerce, College of General Studies, College of International Affairs, College of Education, cafeteria, gymnasium, library, girls’ dormitories, etc. are all located on the lower campus. Upper campus has the Chinese and Foreign Language Center, College of Communication, Art & Culture Center, and boys’ dormitories, as well as another 7-Eleven. There is a shuttle bus that runs about every 10 minutes all day to take you to the part of campus that is on the hill. It costs $1(NTD) one way. You can catch the bus on the left side of the Administration Building.

• Office of International Cooperation: This is your initial point of contact to NCCU. The Office of International Cooperation (OIC) handles all international student affairs, from admissions to course selection to counseling to setting up work-study to solving any random problems you have. The office is located on the 8th floor of the Administration Building in the center of campus. The people working here all speak Chinese and English fluently and they can provide contacts in nearly any other major language. I have found every person in the OIC to be extremely helpful and welcoming; e-mails or phone calls are always answered immediately and I can walk in any time (9am-5pm anyway). International student recruitment is still a relatively new phenomenon at NCCU and the program is forever evolving, but it is moving in an excellent direction. The school hired a counselor, Dira Berman, specifically for international students last year. Students can contact her any time any day for any random help they need with guaranteed confidentiality. A series of orientations and group discussions are also provided throughout the semester. More exciting developments to come!

• NCCU Buddy Program: You will be assigned a “buddy,” or local NCCU student, before you arrive to help you with your transition on campus and in Taiwan. It is a good idea to contact your buddy as soon as possible. Some are known to meet you at the airport to pick you up; mine was waiting for me at the front gate of the school with a cold carton of OJ and another friend to help move in. Go to lunch/dinner with your buddy the first day (they may treat you anyway) and pick their ear about the school and campus life. You’ll have a ton more questions when you arrive than you did before. This would also be a good time to exchange phone numbers and Facebook pages if you haven’t already. If they don’t mind, ask them to give you a tour of the campus. You will have the opportunity to go on a campus tour at orientation, but a private tour is definitely better.

My Buddy and friends at Pixar exhibit in Taipei

• Airport Pick-up: I suggest you sign up for the airport pick-up service. You will need to fill out and submit a document at least 10 days in advance of your arrival to the OIC to arrange for a driver. It cost me $1000NTD (about $30USD). The driver will be waiting for you in the lobby pick-up area when you arrive. The car I traveled in was a cool black Benz…talk about arriving in style. Alternatively, you can take public transport. There is a bus that takes you to the nearest MRT stop, from which you can ride the subway and then take another bus to NCCU. With multiple bags and luggage, however, I believe the personal driver is more than worth it.

• International Student Orientation: This is usually scheduled about a week before classes start. It is chock full of useful information, but be warned – it is a full day event in lecture-style format and is quite boring. Bring extra snacks for lunchtime just in case you don’t like the food in the free boxed lunch they provide (mine consisted mostly of pastries, bread, and Taiwanese sweet sausage). This is also the perfect opportunity to meet other international students and the Student Ambassadors. The Student Ambassadors are NCCU students who facilitate events throughout the year for international students and are there to help international students with basically anything. During the orientation they will probably be very rah-rah-cheerleader-like. The campus tour is scheduled at the end of the orientation and lasts about an hour. I skipped this since my student buddy already showed me around; plus I didn’t feel like walking outside in 40°C heat.

Orientation

• NCCU Mandarin Language Center: This is an interesting system, I think. The Mandarin Language Center at NCCU is not actually part of the university; it is a separate school solely for Chinese language learning and people who are not university students can go study there. Tuition for this school is also separate from the university. However, exchange and degree seeking students at NCCU can set up a special arrangement to take classes. Most exchange students will take the “Special Course,” which is broken up in to two three hour classes per week. At the beginning of the Language Center’s semester, all students will take a placement exam which includes a written section and an oral section. Don’t be nervous. The point is to place you at the level you are meant to be at, and for the most part the exam works. Still, if you feel like you were put in the wrong class (ie: put in the beginner level 1 class when you already know how to say “你好“) you can talk to your teacher and be switched.

My first Chinese class at NCCU Mandarin Language Center

The Language Center follows its own four-quarter term system, which is both different in the length and dates of the the two-term system used by the university. Thus, your Chinese class will most likely start at least a week later than all of your other university classes. The final exam for the Chinese class will also be at least a month earlier than all of your other final exams. Basically, the fall term for Chinese courses runs from September through end of November. The winter term starts at the beginning of December and ends at the beginning of February. This is important to note if you want to take Chinese classes during the winter, but only plan to stay at NCCU for one semester. NCCU (specifically, the OIC) offers a Mandarin Language Scholarship for exchange students who want to take the Chinese classes. An application will be sent out to everyone who is signed up to take language classes, and I believe they are pretty generous with the amount of awards they hand out each term.
In my personal experience, I have found that two classes per week is not enough if you really want to learn the language. Mandarin Chinese is something that needs to be diligently practiced and repeated every day to acquire better ability to communicate. Therefore, I have chosen to take the “regular” course during the spring term. This course meets every day in three hour increments and all of the students are better focused on truly learning the language; interest amongst students in the “special” course usually wanes because they are not learning fast enough. Of course, the Mandarin Language Scholarship offered by NCCU does not cover the entire cost of the “regular” course tuition, but it can cover approximately 1/3. The rest you will have to finance out of pocket or find a separate scholarship elsewhere.

For more information, check out the Center’s website.

• Club/Organization Fair: This is usually scheduled during the first week of classes. Most student organizations host a table on the main walk in campus to recruit members. Sign up for as many clubs/organizations as you can. In all likelihood you will not join more than half of them, but it’s good to be on their mailing list just in case you are ever interested. There are over 200 clubs on campus ranging from sports and fitness to art and performance to community service to debate and leadership. Students are very active on campus, so don’t be hesitant to participate.

Club Fair...It rained the first day

• ID Number: You will be given your student ID number before you arrive to campus. Memorize it. ASAP. You will have to write it down on a million different documents within the first few weeks, so it’s better just to know it rather than have to fumble to find your ID card every time.

• Dorms: Dorms are single-sex at NCCU. Girls dorms are on the main campus and boys dorms are up on the mountain. There is no such thing as a co-ed dorm in Taiwan. The newest dormitory was renovated a decade ago—that’s the one I lived in. Local students think it’s good because there is a TV lounge and vending machine; however, in my opinion the inside looks like a US high school built in the 1970s. There are mostly four students to one dorm room, though I think you do have the option of being in a 2-person room (costs more) or a 6-person room. Each room is slightly longer than a typical dorm room at AU. In my dorm, the first floor only had international students housed in it. Dorms are air-conditioned, but you have to purchase an AC card at the student store (you can recharge it there too). There are two bunk beds, four desks, four three-tiered shelves, four closets, and four cabinets on top of the closets in every room. There are laundry facilities on every floor (including washers and a drier), showers, and toilets. There is one western-style toilet; the rest are Eastern-style – “squatty potties”(they’re not as bad as they seem, though they do take some getting used to). Make sure you purchase your own toilet paper/tissues and always take it with you. Toilet paper is not provided.

Laundry room

Washer! It's a no brainer--same one we use at AU!

oThe school does not provide mattresses/bedding. You can purchase one at the student store, the 7-11 on campus, or other small bedding stores on the main street by campus for about $12USD. These are all very flat and do not provide much padding. If this is a big problem for you, ask your student buddy to take you to IKEA.

o International students also have the option of living in the Taipei International House. Avoid this at all costs. I have many friends that lived there initially, but the commute took more than 40 minutes and it is in a very isolated area of Taipei. Buses stop running there at 11pm. Moreover, internet connection is very shoddy.

UPDATE: There is a new International House opening for NCCU students this fall (2010). For a little more info go here: http://oic.nccu.edu.tw/data/ihouse.pdf and check the comments at the bottom of this page for my opinion.

o You have the final option of finding your own housing off campus. You can try to arrange this beforehand (talk to your student buddy and the OIC for help). I found the website tealit.com especially helpful. I ended up doing this after I arrived and discovered I wasn’t too happy in the dorms.

My dorm

• Food: There is no meal plan, nor is cooking allowed in the dorms. There is a ‘cafeteria’ on campus set up much like a small food court. There are also three 7-11s on campus, two across the street from campus, a Hi-Life (same thing), and the student store that all have quick to-go food. I often bought the onigiri (rice balls), yogurt, or noodle-meals for lunch/snack.

Cafeteria, Separate restaurant on 2nd fl., 7-11

The street in front of NCCU is filled with numerous restaurants, street food shops, and bubble tea shops. One meal on average is $2USD or about $50-90NTD. Most people in Taiwan eat out rather than cook at home because it is so cheap. There is a Starbucks across from campus, as well as a McDonald’s and Subway if you need some good-ole corporate American cuisine. Try the dumpling shops and the shaved ice at the dessert restaurant “Meet Fresh”.

Tea drinks at Meet Fresh

• Computers and Printers: Go to the computer center. There are many computer labs throughout this building with free computers to use anytime. When you go to a lab you need to use your student ID card to swipe in and choose a computer. When you are done, simply swipe the card again and choose the seat you were out to log off. There are also printers, scanners, and copiers in the computer center. You can put money on your ID card on the 5th floor of the computer lab to use for printing. That way, you can print from any computer in the building. Otherwise, you can also pay by coin, but then you are relegated to one specific computer and there is usually a line. One tip: don’t wait for the elevator in this building. It is notorious for being the slowest on campus…you can probably run up and down all of the stairs faster. If you have a laptop I suggest you visit the 4th floor of the computer center on your first day and have them set up your network access to NCCU’s internet service. It is much less hassle than trying to figure out the complicated process by yourself. You can also get help here with any computer issues. You will need a network cable for the dorms. Everywhere else on campus (except the cafeteria) is completely wireless and has great connection.

EDIT: Some places on the upper campus (such as the Language Center) don’t also have great wireless connection.

Computer Center Building

• Library: The library is very big, spacious, and filled with natural light. The furniture is comfortable and quite modern. There is a great wealth of resources. The first floor has many large flat-screened computers used for viewing DVDs. You cannot check out DVDs, but must watch them there. Hard copies of international newspapers are also available on the first floor. The library has a pretty good collection. There are English books on the fourth floor, but this isn’t as extensive. You can borrow books for up to four weeks with your student ID. I was also very impressed by the comprehensive library website. It is quite user-friendly for English speakers. NCCU also has a separate library for international affairs, a music library, a commerce library, and a communications library.

Quad view of the Library

• Gym & Recreation Facilities: The gymnasium looks much like a high school gymnasium. There is a basketball court in the main area. Students can sign out smaller side rooms to play ping pong, badminton, etc. but you need to provide your own equipment. There is a well-kept track located beside the gymnasium. Many students and locals crowd the track in the evenings during the hotter months. There are also outdoor soccer fields, basketball courts, badminton courts, tennis courts, and a baseball diamond behind the gym. You also need your own equipment to play. Across campus and opposite my dorm there is a separate facility that houses a weight/fitness room and a pool. Students have the option of buying a “season pass” or can pay per day-use. The pool is very large and clean, but is only used for laps. For other exercise, I recommend hiking the mountain NCCU is located on—it’s about 45-60 minutes walking round trip on the road depending on the heat; however there are also separate trails that lead off the road and into more wooded areas eventually leading to an old temple. In addition, there are biking and jogging paths along the river.

Outdoor basketball courts

Track and gymnasium

• Professors: Many/most have studied in the United States or at other western universities. NCCU offers a growing list of English-taught courses each semester. The other day I met a professor who studied at George Washington University and another at Georgetown University (for all my DC companions). I currently have an American professor who has taught at UC Berkeley and UCLA. Some are better than others, as with any university.

EDIT: I hate to name names, but if you happen to be placed in the Department of Diplomacy, avoid Professor J. K. T. Chao at all costs. He teaches International Law, International Etiquette, and Cases of the ICJ, and Cases on Armed Conflict. Why in the world they continue to allow this man to teach is beyond my knowledge, but he is persistently complained about by students–and for good reason. Arriving to class more than 30 minutes late, never providing a syllabus or course outline, assigning mountains of homework and then forgetting about it, talking on the phone during class when he should be teaching, lecturing in Chinese when it is scheduled to be an English-taught class, conducting a surprise mid term exam…orally: these are just a few of the many situations you will enjoy if you enroll in one of his classes. I promise I am not bitter.

· Hillside Learning Lounge: I think I found the best spot on campus. Up on the hill on the first floor of the Boys’ No. 9 dormitory is a wonderful place to study, get a cheap cup of coffee, ask for homework help, and perhaps meditate a while. There is a computer lab, copy and print machine and some great learning resources material (though most of it is in Chinese). I’m not sure how new this place is, but it is quite modern and it’s spotlessly clean. For $8NTD (they do this by the honor code; just drop your $8 in the piggy bank on the counter) you can fix yourself up your own cup of coffee or tea at the bar. Giant mugs and utensils are provided, but don’t forget to clean up your things in the sink afterward. Across from the bar is a raised wooden floor area with ultra-comfy couches, sleek black coffee tables, and plenty of space to spread out. There are also many outlets on the walls if you want to use your laptop. There are never many students here (I can’t fathom why not, except that perhaps it’s a bit of a haul to get here being on top of a mountain and all) so it very quiet. I highly recommend!

Hillside Lounge Study Area and Coffee Bar

New academic calendar for 2010-2011