What this is — and who it's actually for
The Chinese Language Learning Class (新住民華語文學習班) is a free Mandarin program run by Taiwan's National Immigration Agency together with local governments and NGOs. Classes cover practical spoken Mandarin, everyday-life conversation, Taiwanese culture, and basic legal and rights knowledge — built for people settling here, not for tourists.
Read the eligibility section first. These classes are designed for new immigrants. If you're in Taiwan on a work or student permit, this particular program is usually not aimed at you — but the "Not a new immigrant?" section below points you to the right route, and the 1990 hotline can confirm your case in minutes.
Are you eligible? Read this first
The program is built for new immigrants — generally the foreign or mainland-Chinese spouse of a Taiwanese national, and family members residing with them on that basis, plus their children. Holders of a valid ARC who have not yet naturalized are typically the priority.
If your residency is based on a work permit or a student visa, this specific new-immigrant program is usually not for you. Two things to do:
- Call the 1990 hotline (24 hours, service in Chinese, English and Japanese) to confirm exactly what's open to your situation.
- See "Not a new immigrant? How to learn Chinese in Taiwan" below for programs built for work and student-visa holders.
What you get
- Tuition: free.
- Textbooks: free — materials are covered, you don't pay for them.
- Childcare: at some locations only — certain classes provide on-site childcare so you can attend. Confirm with the host before you count on it.
Course structure
There isn't one single class — it's a family of new-immigrant Mandarin and basic-literacy courses, and details vary by host and track:
- Hours: vary by class. Basic adult-education classes commonly run around 72 hours per term; other tracks differ. Confirm the specific class.
- Schedule: usually weekday evenings or weekends.
- Where: community colleges, local schools, or New Immigrant Family Service Centers in each city or county.
- Levels: vary by host — ask whether the class matches your current Mandarin level before enrolling.
How to register (step by step)
- Find a class near you. Check the New Immigrant Development Information Website for current openings by city, or call 1990.
- Contact the host listed for your area — registration is usually by phone to the organizing unit.
- Bring your documents. A copy of your ARC (居留證) is the basic requirement; the host may ask for more.
Terms are local and intermittent — they open on a rolling basis per host, not continuously. If nothing's open near you now, ask the host or 1990 to flag the next term.
Does it count toward naturalization?
Finishing a class (attendance of 2/3 or more earns a certificate of completion) can serve as supporting documentation toward the language requirement when you apply for naturalization. Whether it gives a formal hour-credit or simply supports your application depends on the current rules — confirm with the Immigration Agency or 1990 for your specific case.
Not a new immigrant? How to learn Chinese in Taiwan
If you're here on a work or student permit, this free program usually isn't your route. Your realistic options:
- University Chinese Language Centers — most major universities run Mandarin programs open to all foreigners already in Taiwan (for example, the Mandarin Training Center at National Taiwan Normal University). Paid, structured, beginner to advanced. This is the usual route for working or studying foreigners.
- Community / city classes — some city governments and NGOs run low-cost or free community Mandarin classes; eligibility varies, so ask whether non-immigrants can join.
- MOE Huayu Enrichment Scholarship (HES) — a Ministry of Education scholarship for studying Mandarin in Taiwan, but it is applied for from your home country before you arrive and excludes people already enrolled at a language center, so it is generally not an option once you are already living here on a work or student visa.
- Language exchange and apps — free and informal; a good supplement, not a substitute for a structured class.
Quick reality check
This program is genuinely free and a real way in — but two things trip people up:
- Eligibility. It's for new immigrants, not every foreigner. Don't assume; check above or call 1990.
- Availability. "Free" doesn't mean "always open near you." Terms are local and intermittent — plan around the next one.