Information on Clinical Electives for Foreign Medical Students

The National Cheng Kung University Hospital, affiliated with the College of Medicine, offers clinical electives for foreign students who have completed the basic medical sciences and a portion of the required observership at their enrolled medical school. To be eligible for a limited number of clinical clerkship positions for foreign medical students, shall meet the following requirements:

1. Students must be healthy and in good academic standing at their home medical school.
2. Students must have done clinical rotations in their home institution.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

The applicant must submit the following documents six months prior to the beginning date of the elective observership:

1. A completed application form with a recent photo attached
2. A letter of recommendation from the Director of Academic (Student) Affairs or the Dean of Medical School where the student is enrolled
3. A certificate of curricular credits (with transcript information if applicable)
4. Curriculum vitae
5. Statement of clerkship purpose
6. A photocopy of passport (bio page)

Upon receipt of the above documents, the application will be reviewed by chairperson(s) of the respective department(s). A formal invitation will be issued directly to the applicant once the applicant is accepted.

FEE

1. No training fees will be charged for students from partner universities with an exchange student bilateral agreement. 
2. For those whose home institution does not have a mutual student exchange contract, a weekly NT$1,500 training fee will be charged according to the Education Center at NCKU Hospital. 
3. Starting from January 1, 2027, administrative and ID card/certificate processing fees of NT$500 will be charged to all international students applying for clinical observerships at NCKU.
4. Any subsidy or stipend for the applicant’s stay in Tainan during the elective term will not be available from NCKU or the affliated NCKU Hospital. The applicant is also responsible for his/her own health care and is obligated to purchase personal health (travel) insurance in advance.

ELECTIVE DEPARTMENTS

Students can apply any month except Jul to September, which are the summer vacation period.  

The Department of Internal Medicine offers sub-specialties that rotate every two weeks. Applicants applying to this department should specify the sub-specialty of their choice. These include: Cardiovascular, Chest/Pulmonary Medicine, Hepato-gastroenterology, Rheumatology and Immunology, Hemato-oncology, Nephrology, Infectious Diseases, and Endocrinology. 

For applicants whose preference is the Department of Surgery, please specify the sub-specialty as well.

CREDITS & EVALUATION

Credits for the clinical electives taken by foreign students are not available from our hospital or medical school. However, the students can provide the home university’s evaluation form to assess the student’s performance and achievement by the training physician.

PERSONAL INSURANCE

• Elective exchange students at NCKU must have proper personal medical insurance or overseas travel insurance while in Taiwan, obtained before the elective starts.
• Email a photocopy of your insurance policy at least one month before arrival.

LIVING COSTS

Living expenses vary depending on lifestyle, including food, shopping, and travel. Estimated cost: NT$10,000–12,000 per month. Students can refer to websites such as Expatistan or Numbeo for comparisons.

Application Form and Handbook

Please CLICK for application form and handbook information.

Contact

Completed application and other necessary documents should be emailed to: