NTU Expands Mental Health Support, Introduces Leave Policy
National Taiwan University (NTU) has expanded its mental health support for students, introducing mental health leave and hiring more full-time counselors. The university now employs 40 full-time staff, including psychologists and social workers, following the ministry's increased counseling staff-to-student ratio requirement in 2022.
NTU's mental health leave policy, introduced in 2023, allows each student up to 3 days per semester without documentation. This aligns with the ministry's official guidelines, which recommend 3 days of mental health leave per semester, classified under its own category. Around 400 to 500 NTU students apply for mental health leave each month, totaling 1,500 to 2,000 applications per semester.
The university's policy also includes automatic notification to student affairs and counseling centers for follow-up care if a student applies for more than 2 days or twice. This proactive approach aims to provide additional support when needed.
The increase in mental health leave offerings is significant. In 2022, only 11 institutions provided this benefit, but as of 2023, 135 universities and colleges in Taiwan, covering over 90% of higher education institutions, now offer mental health leave. National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) also began offering this leave in 2023.
The expansion of mental health leave and increased counseling staff at NTU reflects a growing recognition of the importance of mental health support in higher education. With more institutions adopting similar policies, over 90% of Taiwanese students now have access to mental health leave, ensuring they have the support they need to thrive academically and personally.
