International Schools in Taiwan 2026: Tuition NT$700K-1.2M, TAS vs TES vs KAS
We pulled current 2025–26 tuition schedules from TAS (Taipei American School), TES (Taipei European School), KAS (Kaohsiung American School), AISA (American International School Atlanta-Taiwan), TIS, and Morrison Academy, then cross-checked with Ministry of Education enrollment data and recent admissions waiting-list info from parent communities. "Capital levy" (NT$200K–500K refundable on departure) catches new families off-guard more than tuition itself.
For foreign families with kids, picking the right international school is the single largest financial decision after housing.
Annual tuition ranges from NT$700,000 to NT$1,200,000+ per child, with capital fees and busing on top.
The choice also locks in a curriculum path (AP vs IB vs national curriculum) that affects university pathways years later.
This guide breaks down the actual costs, waitlist realities, and where each school's curriculum lands graduates.
The Six Main International Schools
Taiwan has about a dozen schools licensed as international schools by the Ministry of Education, but six dominate the foreign-family market. They are clustered in Taipei (4), Taichung (1), and Kaohsiung (1).
| School | Location | Curriculum | Languages | Approx. enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taipei American School (TAS) | Taipei (Tianmu) | US + AP | English | 2,300 |
| Taipei European School (TES) | Taipei (Tianmu / Yangmingshan) | British + German + French sections, IB | EN / DE / FR | 1,400 |
| Taipei Japanese School | Taipei | Japanese national curriculum | Japanese | 700 |
| Morrison Academy | Taichung (and 2 satellite campuses) | US + AP | English | 1,000 |
| Kaohsiung American School (KAS) | Kaohsiung | US + AP | English | 600 |
| AISA (American School in Taichung) | Taichung | US + AP | English | 350 |
Citizenship matters. TAS, KAS, AISA, and Morrison technically require at least one parent to hold a foreign passport (or for the child to hold one). TES has more flexible eligibility — many Taiwanese-passport children whose families opted out of the local system attend the British section, sometimes via a foreign passport for one parent.
2026 Tuition: Apples-to-Apples Comparison
"Tuition" alone doesn't tell the full story. Most schools have separate capital fees, application fees, busing, lunch, and ECA charges.
Annual costs for 2025–26 academic year (Grade 5 / Year 6 as a midpoint reference):
| School | Tuition | Capital fee (first year, refundable) | Application fee | Busing (annual) | Total first year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAS | NT$971,000 | NT$500,000 (refundable) | NT$10,000 | NT$60,000–90,000 | ~NT$1,541,000 |
| TES (British section) | NT$870,000 | NT$300,000 (refundable) | NT$7,000 | NT$55,000–80,000 | ~NT$1,232,000 |
| Morrison (Taichung) | NT$680,000 | NT$200,000 (refundable) | NT$5,000 | NT$50,000–70,000 | ~NT$935,000 |
| KAS | NT$735,000 | NT$200,000 (refundable) | NT$5,000 | NT$45,000–65,000 | ~NT$985,000 |
| AISA | NT$720,000 | NT$200,000 (refundable) | NT$5,000 | NT$40,000–60,000 | ~NT$965,000 |
The capital fee (建校基金 / capital levy) is technically refundable when your family leaves, but in practice schools deduct administrative costs and inflation eats away at the value. Don't budget on getting all of it back.
High School Years Cost More
Grades 11–12 / Years 12–13 cost an additional NT$80,000–150,000/year per child due to lab fees, AP/IB exam fees, and college counseling.
The high school premium breaks down roughly:
- AP exam fees: USD 100/exam × 4–6 exams = ~NT$15,000–25,000
- IB Diploma fees: ~NT$30,000–40,000 over the 2-year program
- College counseling: built into tuition at TAS / TES; ~NT$50,000 add-on at smaller schools
- SAT / ACT registration: NT$2,000–3,500 per test, 2–4 attempts is typical
Waitlists Are Real (Especially in Taipei)
TAS and TES typically have 2–3 year waitlists for popular grade entries (Pre-K, K, Grade 1, Grade 6). Mid-year transfers are sometimes possible into specific spots that open due to relocations.
What helps move up the list:
| Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
| Sibling already enrolled | Very high — most schools give priority |
| Parent is alumni | High at TAS specifically |
| Parent works for a major sponsor (Microsoft, TSMC, AmCham member) | Moderate — schools maintain sponsor relationships |
| Older grade (Grade 9+) | Generally shorter waitlists than primary grades |
| Specific section gap (German section at TES) | Shorter waitlists |
Taichung and Kaohsiung schools usually have shorter waitlists (0–6 months for most grades), which is why some Taipei families consider commuting from northern Taoyuan to Morrison's Bei-tun campus.
Curriculum Choice: AP vs IB vs National
The curriculum decision affects which universities your child can target most efficiently. AP suits US-bound students; IB is more globally portable; national curricula (German / Japanese) lead back to those countries' university systems.
| Curriculum | Best fit for | University outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| US + AP | Students targeting US or Canadian universities | ~70% of TAS graduates go to US universities |
| IB | Students targeting UK, Europe, Hong Kong, Australia | UK red-brick acceptance via IB Diploma is common at TES |
| British (IGCSE → A-level) | Students targeting UK specifically | Direct A-level → UCAS route |
| German Abitur (TES) | Students returning to Germany | Direct German university qualification |
| Japanese national | Students returning to Japan | Direct Japanese university entrance qualification |
Switching curricula mid-stream (e.g., Year 9 from US to IB) is academically painful and rarely worth it. Pick at entry and commit.
Admission Tests and Documents
Most schools test prospective students before offering enrollment. The test depth scales with grade level.
Testing structure typically:
- Pre-K / K: Play-based assessment, parent interview
- Grades 1–5: Reading + math test, parent interview, school records from previous school
- Grades 6–9: Standardized testing (MAP test most common), writing sample, interview
- Grades 10–12: SAT/ACT-style entrance assessment, transcript review, in-person interview
Documents required: passport copies, previous school transcripts (translated to English if not already), immunization records, sometimes recommendation letters from previous teachers (Grades 6+).
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Most international schools in Taiwan have very limited financial aid; this isn't like US private schools. Plan to pay full tuition.
Where aid exists:
- TAS: limited need-based aid, primarily for current students whose families face hardship
- Morrison: mission-affiliated aid for missionary families
- TES: a small number of scholarships for high-performing students entering Year 12
- Employer reimbursement: many tech companies (TSMC, Google, Microsoft) reimburse 50–100% of international school tuition for expat employees
"Tuition assistance" via employer is the realistic financial-aid path. Negotiate this into your job offer before signing, especially for senior tech / finance roles.
Where International Schools Aren't the Right Answer
- Your child speaks Mandarin already and would thrive in the Taiwanese public school system (which is free and academically rigorous). NT$1M/year saved compounds quickly.
- You'll be in Taiwan for less than 2 years. The settling-in cost (academic + social) for short stays is high relative to the academic benefit.
- Your child has specific learning differences that the school doesn't accommodate. International schools in Taiwan have varying capacity for IEPs.
- You're stretching financially. Family stress over tuition can outweigh the academic upgrade.
- The "international" branding is what you want, not the actual curriculum. Bilingual private schools (双语学校) are now strong middle-ground options at half the cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the public school system + supplement with after-school English? Yes, and many families do exactly this. Total cost: NT$0 for public school + NT$50,000–150,000/year for English supplementation = a fraction of international school cost, and the child gains fluent Chinese.
What about the bilingual schools (双语学校)? A middle path. Schools like Kang Chiao (康橋), Pacific American (PAS), and Sheng-De (聖德) offer bilingual education at NT$300,000–500,000/year — half the international school cost. Curriculum is a Taiwanese-international hybrid; works well for stay-long-term families with one Taiwanese parent.
Does international school enrollment help my visa / APRC? No direct link. School enrollment is independent of your visa status. However, having children in school is one factor NIA considers when evaluating "settled in Taiwan" for APRC discretionary review.
Do I need to be a foreign national to enroll my child? TAS, KAS, AISA, Morrison: yes (at least one parent or the child must hold a foreign passport). TES: more flexible, especially in the British section. Bilingual schools (康橋, PAS): no — Taiwanese-only families enroll there too.
What to Actually Do Next
- Decide curriculum target first (US-track vs UK/IB-track vs national curriculum). This narrows the school choice.
- Apply to 2–3 schools in parallel — capacity is unpredictable.
- Budget for capital fee + first-year tuition together (NT$900,000–1,500,000+) — schools require capital fee upfront, before classes start.
- Negotiate employer tuition assistance into your job offer. The post-hire negotiation window closes quickly.
- Visit the campus in person (or virtual tour) before committing — the social fit varies hugely between schools.
Related Reading
- Living in Taiwan Complete Guide 2026 — how international school costs reshape overall family budget
- Taiwan Cultural Etiquette 2026 — what your child will encounter outside school
- Marrying a Taiwanese Citizen 2026 — dual-passport children enrollment considerations
- Renting in Taiwan 2026 — Tianmu, Yangmingshan area rentals near top Taipei schools