UWM2+2

Q&A

UWM2+2

Q&A

 General Information

It is an international dual degree program featuring a complete 4-year curriculum based on a 2+2 model. Students spend the first two years studying at Chung Yuan Christian University (CYCU) in Taiwan, and the final two years at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM) in the United States. Upon successful completion of the program, students will be awarded two bachelor’s degrees, one from each university.

There are two application channels available for this program:

  1. Direct admission through the International Dual Bachelor’s Degree Program.

  2. University individual application process (domestic admission route).
    For detailed information about the admissions process, please refer to 問鼎中原網

To be eligible to study at UWM starting from the third year, students must meet the following requirements:

  1. Achieve a minimum average grade of 75 over the first two years at Chung Yuan Christian University (CYCU).

  2. Obtain a minimum English proficiency score of TOEFL iBT 65 or IELTS 5.0

During the first and second years at Chung Yuan Christian University (CYCU), the annual tuition and fees are approximately TWD 283,480.
During the third and fourth years at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM), the annual tuition is approximately USD 22,020
(please refer to the UWM Office of International Education website for the latest information).
During this period, students are only required to pay the student safety insurance fee at CYCU to maintain their enrollment status.

Note: The amounts listed above do not include additional expenses such as insurance, housing, living costs, or transportation during the study period.

After enrollment, the department will continuously monitor the student’s academic progress.
If it is determined that the student cannot meet the admission requirements, the department will communicate with both the student and their parents to provide guidance and assist the student in planning alternative pathways, such as advising on suitable department transfers.

 CYCU

All courses in this program are taught entirely in English within a specialized class.
The courses will be automatically added to the students’ enrollment list according to the prescribed curriculum (refer to the 應修科目表）Students do not need to manually select these courses.

According to the GPA conversion system,
a semester score of 63 points or above is considered passing for all courses in this program.

No, if a course is failed, students can only retake the course within their own program.
Alternatively, students may retake failed courses during their third and fourth years at UWM.
Retaking courses offered by other departments at Chung Yuan Christian University is not allowed.

  • Male students with conscription status must comply with the “Regulations for the Exit Procedures of Conscripts” issued by the Ministry of the Interior,詢問中原大學學務處辦理。

UWM

Learning-related

Please click the link https://uwm.edu/internationaladmits ,visit the International Students Office website for more information.

All students in the College of Engineering must complete at least 120 credits before graduation.
The total number of credits each student needs to complete may vary, mainly depending on their chosen major and whether they need to take language courses after enrolling at UWM.

Please note: Chung Yuan Christian University requires students to complete 128 credits to earn a degree. Therefore, students still need to complete 128 credits in total to obtain degrees from both universities.

Students must enroll in at least 12 credits per semester to be considered full-time students. This status is also required by the immigration authorities to recognize the student’s valid enrollment.

Depending on the chosen major and whether language courses are required, the school provides course-taking recommendations to graduate within four semesters.

Some students may only need to take 12 credits per semester to graduate in four semesters, but others who need to take language courses initially might need to take more credits in subsequent semesters to catch up and complete the required credits on time for graduation within four semesters.

  • Before graduation, students can apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT)申請OPT ,in STEM fields, the OPT period can be extended up to three years. Graduates may work in the United States in jobs related to their degree.

  • OPT (Optional Practical Training) allows international students holding visas who have completed at least 9 months of academic study at the undergraduate or graduate level to be authorized by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to work in their field of study. The standard OPT duration is generally 1 year. Regulations for OPT are subject to the latest government announcements each year.

  • The STEM extension permits students who have earned degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) from U.S. colleges or universities to apply for an additional 24-month OPT extension.

  • OPT and the STEM extension allow students to stay and work in the U.S. for up to 3 years.

F-1 Visa

The U.S. F-1 visa is a student-specific visa. If a student does not have U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status and is about to enroll in or has already been accepted by a full-time school in the United States, they must apply for an F-1 student visa in order to enter the U.S.

After being admitted to UWM, students will receive an admission letter and the I-20 form. Once you receive these documents, you can start applying for the U.S. F-1 student visa.

Currently, the F-1 visa can be issued up to 365 days before the program start date listed on the I-20, which provides several more months of preparation time compared to the previous limit of 120 days.

Now, as soon as you obtain the school’s I-20, you can schedule your visa interview early with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).

Because the application process for the U.S. F-1 visa is relatively complex, preparing documents and waiting times can be lengthy. Therefore, it is recommended to allow plenty of time and apply early. The application process for the U.S. F-1 visa is as follows:

  1. Receive the admission letter from UWM and the Form I-20.

  2. Submit financial proof to UWM so that they can issue and send the I-20 form.

  3. Pay the visa application fee (currently $160) and schedule a visa interview appointment.

  4. Pay the SEVIS fee online—this is a mandatory prepaid fee for F-1 visa applicants (currently $350).

  5. Attend the visa interview at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).

  6. Pass the visa interview.

  7. Wait about one week to receive the visa.

UWM CIE網站

To obtain the I-20 form, students must provide financial proof dated within the past six months. The financial proof should demonstrate sufficient funds to cover one academic year’s tuition, living expenses, student fees, and health insurance costs.

For international undergraduate students in 2023, the required financial proof amount is USD $39,313.

All applicants for the F-1 student visa should be aware that new students are only allowed to enter the United States within 30 days before the program start date listed on their I-20 form.

Daily life

UWM provides on-campus housing for students. After admission and receiving your student ID number, you can apply for housing through the UWM website. In past years, most students have chosen to apply for the Kenilworth.For more information about housing options, please refer to the UWM Hosing official website and the blog of the Taiwanese Student Association president.

UWM Off Campus Resource Center assists students in finding safe and quality off-campus housing locations and roommates.

UWM collaborates with the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) through the U-PASS transportation program to serve commuting students and those living near campus. Milwaukee County has 7 city bus routes and 3 rapid bus routes that provide direct access to the campus.

After completing registration and course enrollment at UWM, students can obtain a free U-PASS card, which allows unlimited rides on MCTS buses throughout the semester.

The U-PASS is valid from the start of the fall semester until the end of the winter break, and then again from the beginning of the spring semester until before the summer break.

If students need to use the bus during the summer break, they can pay $25.05 at the U-PASS Desk in the Union or by enrolling in summer courses. This fee covers unlimited bus rides throughout the entire summer break.

According to information provided by the president of the Taiwanese Student Association, the minimum monthly living expenses (including food and housing) are approximately USD $1,000 to $1,200 (about NT$30,000 to NT$40,000).

There is a UW Credit Union (UWCW) branch on the UWM campus. Students can choose to open an account there first before opening accounts at other banks in the U.S.

The documents required for opening an account include cash (USD), the I-20 form, and passport.

For the detailed account opening process, please refer to the blog of the president of the Taiwanese Student Association.

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