Taiwan's legislature passed changes to its student aid laws, good news for lower-income students and families facing rising school costs.

• Student loans will now cover computer and internet bills, on top of fees, books, housing, and living costs.
• Families below a set income line get tuition and fee waivers, with the education ministry funding the gap.
• Vocational school students in their later years qualify for free tuition if their household income falls in the bottom fifth.
• The government has to offer relief measures for graduates already paying loans back, with separate rules worked out for Indigenous students.
• Non-citizens and students repeating a year are excluded from the waivers.

Outlook: The education ministry now has to set the loan limits and eligibility rules before the changes reach students.