Soochow University Defies Declining Birthrate with Full Student Intake in 2025

Soochow University has achieved a 100% admissions fulfillment rate for its bachelor’s programs (excluding arts disciplines), according to the University Admissions Committee. The strong performance underscores the university’s reputation for academic rigor and its success in earning the trust of parents and students. 

SU President Chyan-Long Jan praised the results, calling them “a collective achievement of faculty and students” and “a testament to Soochow’s unwavering commitment to educational excellence.” He emphasized that despite Taiwan’s declining birthrate, the university continues to innovate and enhance teaching quality to help students excel in their future careers. 

For the academic year 2025-26, the Ministry of Education approved 2,777 undergraduate admission quotas for Soochow, with 2,773 students admitted. The minor shortfall occurred only in the Department of Music, which maintains quotas for a diversity of instruments to sustain its orchestra tradition. 

Soochow’s strong academic and administrative performance has also earned record support from the Ministry of Education. In 2025, the university received NT$103,975,000 under the Higher Education Sprout Project—its highest funding to date—reflecting robust recognition of its development initiatives. 

The university also became the only private comprehensive institution invited to join the Ministry’s pilot program for flexible, interdisciplinary degree pathways, promoting both university-wide and college-based bachelor’s programs to strengthen cross-disciplinary learning. 

Looking ahead, Soochow is partnering with NVIDIA to establish an AI learning center equipped with RTX 50-series computers. The university has also launched new “Semiconductor Enhancement Credit/Micro-Credit Programs” in collaboration with Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute to prepare students for careers in semiconductor, sustainability, and AI sectors. 

Soochow’s achievements extend beyond academics. In the Ministry’s 2025 Career Guidance Excellence Awards, the university earned a “Bronze Award for Career Services,” a “Gold Award for Outstanding Counselor,” and a “Bronze Award for Senior Counselor.” Its innovation hub “Soochow Co-Site” also secured four NT$500,000 grants from the Ministry’s U-start Youth Entrepreneurship Program. 

With a mission to cultivate interdisciplinary and socially responsible talent, Soochow University continues to evolve as a sustainable institution. It welcomes the incoming 2025 freshmen to a nurturing learning environment where character, professionalism, and creativity can thrive—carrying forward the university’s proud legacy.