Senior Professional and Technical Examinations Regulations for Speech Therapists

Establishment of the complete text of 16 articles, promulgated on April 21, 2009 as per Examination Yuan Kao-Tai-Zu-(1)-Yi-Zi Order No. 09800031851.

Amendment to Article 7, promulgated on February 8, 2010 as per Examination Yuan Kao-Tai-Zu-(1)-Yi-Zi Order No. 09900011471.

Amendments to Articles 1, 4, and 12, promulgated on August 6, 2013 as per Examination Yuan Kao-Tai-Zu-(1)-Yi-Zi Order No. 10200066911.

Amendments to Articles 7, 8, 9, and 13, promulgated on November 20, 2013 as per Examination Yuan Kao-Tai-Zu-(1)-Yi-Zi Order No. 10200097011.

Deletions of Articles 14 and 15 and replacement of Articles 14 with Article 16, promulgated on March 24, 2017 as per Examination Yuan Kao-Tai-Zu-(1)-Yi-Zi Order No. 10600015091.

Amendments to Articles 4, 7, and 13, promulgated on December 11, 2018 as per Examination Yuan Kao-Tai-Zu-(1)-Yi-Zi Order No. 10700098961.

The text of these Regulations is as follows:

Article 1

These Regulations are established as per Article 11, Paragraph 1 of the Professional and Technical Personnel Examinations Act.

Article 2

Senior Professional and Technical Examination for Speech Therapists (hereinafter “the Examination”) is administered annually and may be held at other times when necessary.

Article 3

The Examination is administered in written format.

Article 4

Those who are disqualified from practicing as speech therapists according to the Speech Therapists Act or who are ineligible to take national examinations according to other laws and regulations may not take the Examination.

Article 5

To qualify for the Examination, R.O.C. citizens must have graduated from a department, division, graduate institute, degree program in speech therapy, or department of speech-language pathology and audiology, division of audiology and speech-language pathology in the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation, division of communication disorder in the graduate school of special education, graduate school of audiology and speech-language pathology, graduate school of speech and sound disorder science, communication disorder education graduate school, or bachelor’s degree program in communication disorder at a public or registered private university or independent college in the R.O.C or at a foreign university or independent college recognized by the R.O.C. Ministry of Education, and must have completed an internship of at least six months (375 hours).

Documents issued by the school proving the candidate as a major in speech therapy and the completion of internship must be provided.

Candidates must have taken and passed at least three courses in speech and language impairment for ten credits or more, course in language handicap for least four credits, at least two courses in speech and language impairment for eight credits or more, courses in hearing impairments for at least four credits, and at least two basic-level courses in speech-language pathology and audiology for at least eight credits.

Candidates must complete internship of at least six months or 375 hours at qualified locations medical institutions, schools, speech-language pathology and audiology institutions, or other relevant organizations recognized by the competent central authorities – and the internship work must include speech and language impairment, language handicap, swallowing disorder and hearing impairment.

Article 6

The exam subjects include:

1.Basic speech science (including anatomy, physiology, acoustic phonetics, and speech perception) .

2.Neurogenic communication disorders.

3.Speech disorders in children.

4.Voice and swallowing disorders.

5.Articulation and fluency disorders.

6.General introduction to communication disorders (including professional ethics).

All exam subjects consist of multiple-choice questions.

Article 7

R.O.C. nationals who have passed Level Three Civil Service Senior Examination or Grade Three Civil Service Special Examination for Speech Therapists before the promulgation and enforcement of the Speech Therapists Act may apply for a full exemption from the Examination.

Applications for a full exam exemption will be reviewed by a committee established by the Ministry of Examination (MOEX). Results of the review are approved by the MOEX and reported to the Examination Yuan for record.

Applicants who are granted a full exemption will receive the qualification certificate, whose effective date should be the date following the effective date on the applicants’ civil service qualification certificate. For applicants whose civil service qualification certificates took effect before the enforcement of the Speech Therapists Act, the newly issued qualification certificates shall be retroactive to July 4, 2008.

The first paragraph is effective until December 31, 2021.

Article 8

When registering, candidates should submit the following documents and fees by mail:

1.Registration form.

2.Proof of exam eligibility.

3.Copy of citizen identification card. Overseas Chinese should submit their Overseas Chinese Identity Certificate issued by the Overseas Community Affairs Council, or submit their valid R.O.C. passport with approval from an overseas embassy or consulate, representative office, economic and cultural office, or other agency authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (hereinafter “Overseas Missions”) proving them to be R.O.C. nationals residing in a foreign country.

4.A 2.5-cm by 3.5-cm close-up photograph showing the head and top of the shoulders. Head coverings should not be worn and the photo should be taken within one year.

5.Registration fee.

6.Other documents.

Documents and fees for online registrations should be submitted in accordance with guidelines found in the Examination Information Pack and on the MOEX registration website.

Article 9

Candidates who apply for a full examination exemption in accordance with Article 7 should submit the following documents and fees:

1.Exemption application form.

2.Proof of exam eligibility.

3.Copy of citizen identification card. Overseas Chinese should submit their Overseas Chinese Identity Certificate issued by the Overseas Community Affairs Council or submit their valid R.O.C. passport with approval from an Overseas Mission proving them to be R.O.C. nationals residing in a foreign country.

4.A 2.5-cm by 3.5-cm close-up photograph showing the head and top of the shoulders. Head coverings should not be worn and the photo should be taken within one year.

5.Exemption application fee.

Applications for an exemption should be submitted by mail at any appropriate time.

Article 10

For submissions of overseas documents including diplomas, certificates of degree, academic transcripts, credit verifications, copies of regulations, or other relevant verification documents, original documents must be provided along with Chinese translations and copies of verification from overseas missions or from a domestic public notary.

Original copies of the abovementioned documents may be replaced with copies that have been verified to be identical to the original by both a local public notary and an Overseas Mission.

Article 11

The passing score for the Examination is 60 points across all exam subjects.

The passing score in the preceding paragraph is defined as the average score of all exam subjects.

Exam takers who receive a grade of zero will not pass. Absence from an exam session will result in a grade of zero for that subject.

Article 12

Foreign candidates who meet eligibility requirements set out in Article 5 and who do not meet conditions set out in Article 4 may take the Examination.

Article 13

The list of candidates passing the Examination will be submitted by the MOEX to the Examination Yuan for the issuance of qualification certificates and to the Ministry of Health and Welfare for reference. So will be list of candidates who obtain a full exemption.

Article 14

These Regulations shall come into effect upon promulgation.

In case of any discrepancy between the English version and the Chinese version, the latter shall prevail.