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QS Best Student Cities ranking: Joint 68^th

Although not as well-known as many of the cities in the QS Best Student Cities ranking, Hsinchu is a great option for those who want to study in Taiwan but would prefer a smaller, more laid-back student city to the bustling capital, Taipei. And while you may think the nickname ‘the Windy City’ belongs to the US’s Chicago, Hsinchu also lays claim to this title, thanks to its similarly windy climate. Hsinchu rises five places this year to take joint 68^th place in the city ranking, thanks to improved scores in several indicators, including employer activity, showing how sought after the city’s graduates are by employers.

You can explore more than 400 years of Hsinchu’s history in its many museums – but it’s also very much forward-thinking and fast-developing place, with the nearby Hsinchu Science and Industrial Park dubbed the ‘Silicon Valley of the Orient’.

This focus on innovation is reflected in the city’s universities, with National Tsing Hua University and National Chiao Tung University both in the top 250 of the QS World University Rankings® 2020. Both universities are also highly international, with 12 percent of their students coming from outside of Taiwan.

Hsinchu receives a very high score for affordability in the cities ranking – the cost of living is low and international tuition fees are also on the low side (averaging US$2,900 per year).

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Internationally ranked universities in Hsinchu

More about Hsinchu

To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.