National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, known as NYCU, is a public research university with campuses in Hsinchu and Taipei. It was established on 1 February 2021 by merging National Yang-Ming University, known for biomedical research in Beitou, Taipei, and National Chiao Tung University, known for electronics research in Hsinchu. The Ministry of Education approved the merger on 24 June 2020, with a budget of 400 million Taiwan dollars. The biologist Lin Chi-hung was the first president.
The university is spread over several campuses. Hsinchu, in the East District, is the former main campus of NCTU. Beitou in Taipei is the former main campus of NYMU, mostly on a hillside. Yilan hosts the NYCU Hospital, a teaching hospital of the School of Medicine. In Zhongzheng, Taipei, the Institute of Business and Management is located. The College of Hakka Studies is in Zhubei, in Hsinchu County, and the College of Photonics and the College of Artificial Intelligence are in Guiren, in Tainan.
The figures for 2026 give an academic staff of 2,135, with 8,914 undergraduates, 22,521 postgraduates and 2,721 doctoral students. The university has 19 colleges, 74 university or college level research centers and one hospital, located in Yilan. The number of postgraduates is high compared with the number of undergraduates, which shows the research orientation of the institution.
The merger combined two strengths that matched well. Electronics, computing and photonics came from Chiao Tung, and biomedical sciences and medicine from Yang-Ming. This allows work in fields where both are needed, such as biomedical engineering, medical devices and artificial intelligence in healthcare.
The university is one of six national research universities selected by the Ministry of Education, and one of four universities in the Global Taiwan Program. QS World University Rankings placed it 202nd in the world and third in Taiwan in 2023, and 219th and fourth in Taiwan in 2025. In the 2023 QS subject rankings it was in the 101 to 150 band for nursing and the 151 to 200 band for electrical and electronic engineering. Fees depend on the programme. Check the current tariff.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Bioengineering, Data Analytics, Electrical and Electronics, Life Sciences, Optics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Campuses in Hsinchu, Beitou, Yilan, Zhongzheng, Zhubei and Guiren, NYCU Hospital in Yilan.
Research:
Biomedical research, electronics, photonics, artificial intelligence and management.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
2135
Current students***:
34156
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
One of six national research universities in Taiwan, merger of a leading electronics university and a leading biomedical university, 19 colleges, 74 research centers.
Cons
Campuses in several cities, recent merger, competitive admission.
Best For
Students interested in electronics, computing and biomedical science in Taiwan.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
National Cheng Kung University overlaps with this university on electrical and electronics, life sciences and data analytics, so the two are easy to compare, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba.
National Taiwan University shares the core fields of this institution, namely electrical and electronics, life sciences and data analytics; it has almost the same size, at about 34,483 students, and is also a public institution.
National Tsing Hua University works in much the same fields, chiefly electrical and electronics, life sciences and data analytics, and it is smaller, enrolling about 18,125 students against roughly 34,156 here, and is also a public institution.
Also strong in bioengineering and life sciences, China Medical University Taichung makes a sensible second look at home; it covers microbiology and genetics as well, and is far smaller, with about 8,000 students against roughly 34,156 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Shenzhen University (China) works on the same fields as this university, chiefly optics, electrical and electronics and life sciences; it covers marine science and physics as well, and is slightly larger, at about 48,865 students against roughly 34,156 here.
University of California, San Diego, based in the United States, is built around bioengineering, life sciences and data analytics much like this university, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba.
Johns Hopkins University, based in the United States, is built around bioengineering, life sciences and data analytics much like this institution, and it has almost the same size, at about 31,500 students, and is private, whereas this institution is public.
For a study option in China with a comparable spread of electrical and electronics, life sciences and data analytics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen is the reference point: it runs the same bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba programmes, and covers finance and robotics as well.
For a study option in the United Kingdom with a comparable spread of optics, bioengineering and life sciences, Aston University is the reference point: it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba, and covers engineering as well.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is NYCU?
With campuses in Hsinchu and Taipei, Taiwan, and others in Yilan, Zhubei and Guiren.
When was it established?
On 1 February 2021, by a merger.
Which universities merged?
National Yang-Ming University and National Chiao Tung University.
Who was the first president?
The biologist Lin Chi-hung.
How many colleges does it have?
19.
How many students does it have?
8,914 undergraduates, 22,521 postgraduates and 2,721 doctoral students in 2026.
Where is the university hospital?
In Yilan.
Where is the College of Hakka Studies?
In Zhubei, Hsinchu County.
How is it placed in the QS ranking of 2025?
219th in the world and fourth in Taiwan.
What does it cost?
Fees depend on the programme. Check the current tariff.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Biology, Electronics, Innovation, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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