If you are searching for international schools in Taipei, you are probably asking two questions at once: “How much will it cost?” and “Can we even get a place?” Here is the honest answer up front. Annual tuition at Taipei’s international schools ranges roughly from NT$350,000 to over NT$1,000,000 (about USD 11,000–33,000), and the curricula span American, British, IB, and faith-based programs. Just as important, the most sought-after schools — Taipei American School (TAS) and Taipei European School (TES) — often carry long waiting lists, so a place is not guaranteed even when you can afford one. This guide walks through seven real international schools in Taipei, honestly covering fees, curriculum, and how hard each is to get into — so that by the end you can judge which one actually fits your family.
International schools in Taipei: the landscape and fees
Taipei is one of East Asia’s most international cities, with a large community of expatriate and returning families. The metro area has around 19 international schools, offering American, British, IB, and Christian (mission) programs — a genuinely deep bench of choices. Flagship schools such as Taipei American School and Taipei European School are world-renowned, but demand far outstrips places, and some grades run multi-year waiting lists. In Taipei, choosing a school is not only about “which is best” but about “can we get in, and when” — more so than in many other cities.
As a rough guide, mid-sized and mission schools run about NT$490,000–710,000 a year, while a flagship like TAS runs about NT$930,000–1,030,000. On top of tuition, budget for registration, deposits, bus, uniform, and exam fees. Most schools bill in New Taiwan Dollars (TWD); USD figures here use an approximate rate of NT$31 to USD 1 (July 2026). Judge by the total you can sustain over the years, not tuition alone — see our breakdown of international school tuition costs. If you are weighing another East-Asian city, our guide to international schools in Seoul may help too. Note: all figures reflect information published as of July 2026 and can change with fee revisions and exchange rates — always confirm the latest with each school.
7 recommended international schools in Taipei
Below are seven schools across Taipei City and its suburbs, balanced by curriculum and price. This is not a ranking — the right fit depends on your family’s circumstances. Pay particular attention to availability (waiting lists) and the total cost.
1. Taipei American School (TAS)
Founded in 1949 in Shilin District, TAS is Taiwan’s flagship international school. Around 60 nationalities are represented, and it offers a full American curriculum with Advanced Placement (AP) from early years through high school. Its record of placing students at top universities, along with its facilities and activities, is exceptional — which is exactly why demand is so high and waiting lists in some grades are the norm. If your goal is a top-tier, all-English pathway to high school, TAS is the benchmark.
- Curriculum — American (Advanced Placement / AP), taught in English
- Ages — 3–18 (KA–Grade 12), Shilin District, Taipei
- Indicative fees — about NT$930,000–1,030,000/yr total (2025-26 official) ≈ USD 30,000–33,000, plus enrollment fees (confirm latest)
- Best for — families wanting a top American, all-English continuum to high school, with budget headroom
2. Taipei European School (TES)
TES is a distinctive school with British, French, and German sections across primary and secondary campuses in Taipei. Its defining strength is the range of European exit qualifications — IGCSE, the IB Diploma, and the French Baccalaureate. The ability to learn in French or German, not only English, is rare in Taipei and keeps TES popular with European expatriate families. Some sections also have waiting lists.
- Curriculum — British (IGCSE) / IB Diploma / French Baccalaureate (English, French, German)
- Ages — 3–18 (Primary and Secondary), Taipei City
- Indicative fees — about NT$380,000–810,000/yr (2025-26 official, varies by stage) ≈ USD 12,000–26,000
- Best for — families drawn to British/IB routes, or wanting French- or German-medium learning
3. Morrison Academy Taipei (Bethany)
Established in 1961, Morrison Academy offers an American, Christian (Protestant) education. Its Taipei presence is the Bethany campus, serving K–12 with an American curriculum and AP, accredited by WASC. All campuses run AP courses and prepare students for the SAT and ACT for US college admission. It appeals to families who value a smaller, caring, faith-based environment.
- Curriculum — American, Christian education (AP, taught in English)
- Ages — about 5–18 (K–Grade 12), Wenshan District, Taipei (Bethany campus)
- Indicative fees — about NT$590,000–710,000/yr (2025-26 data) ≈ USD 19,000–23,000 (confirm latest)
- Best for — families seeking an American, faith-based pathway to high school
4. Dominican International School (DIS)
Founded in 1957 in Zhongshan District, DIS is a Catholic (Dominican) American-curriculum school. It runs a continuous Pre-K to Grade 12 program with an American curriculum including AP, taught in English, and sends many graduates to North American universities. It has a long history of welcoming foreign-passport students of any background, and its fees are more accessible than the flagship schools.
- Curriculum — American (AP), Catholic, taught in English
- Ages — 3–18 (Pre-K–Grade 12), Zhongshan District, Taipei
- Indicative fees — about NT$350,000–590,000/yr (2025-26 official, varies by grade) ≈ USD 11,000–19,000
- Best for — families wanting an American continuum to high school at a more moderate cost
5. Taipei Kuei Shan School (TKSS)
Set in the foothills of Yangmingshan, Kuei Shan is a Pre-K to Grade 12 IB World Continuum school (PYP, MYP, DP). Around 600 students from over 20 nationalities learn in a bilingual model — roughly half English, half Mandarin in the lower years, moving to mainly English with Mandarin as a subject higher up. It suits families who want to build both English and Mandarin, a real strength of studying in Taiwan.
- Curriculum — IB (PYP/MYP/DP), bilingual English + Mandarin
- Ages — 3–18 (Pre-K–Grade 12), Shilin District (Yangmingshan foothills)
- Indicative fees — inquire directly (not published; third-party databases indicate roughly NT$360,000–500,000/yr ≈ USD 12,000–16,000 — confirm latest)
- Best for — families wanting IB while developing both English and Mandarin
6. Grace Christian Academy (GCA)
Located in Nangang District, GCA is a small Grades 1–12 Christian, American college-prep school. With about 160 students from over 20 nationalities and a student–teacher ratio of roughly 5:1, it offers a close-knit alternative to the big campuses. It teaches an American college-prep curriculum in English, with language options including Mandarin, Spanish, and French. For families frustrated by flagship waiting lists, a calm small-school setting is a genuine option.
- Curriculum — American, Christian college-prep (taught in English)
- Ages — 6–18 (Grades 1–12), Nangang District, Taipei
- Indicative fees — tuition about NT$490,000–580,000/yr (2025-26 official) ≈ USD 16,000–19,000 (first-year one-time fees apply; confirm latest)
- Best for — families who prefer a small, attentive setting over a large campus
7. Taipei Adventist American School (TAAS)
On Yangmingshan in Shilin District, TAAS is a Seventh-day Adventist, American-curriculum school. It centers on K to junior-high (around Grade 8), delivering a values-based American education accredited by WASC and aimed at US college readiness. Among Taipei’s international schools its fees are on the lower side, making it a practical way to establish an English environment in the elementary years. If you plan to continue beyond middle school, check the onward pathway in advance.
- Curriculum — American, Christian education (WASC-accredited, taught in English)
- Ages — about 5–13 (K–around Grade 8), Shilin District (Yangmingshan), Taipei
- Indicative fees — about NT$480,000–530,000/yr (2026-27 data) ≈ USD 15,000–17,000, plus first-year fees (confirm latest)
- Best for — families wanting an affordable, solid English environment in the elementary years
Comparing the options: which fits your family
What the seven schools reveal is that in Taipei, cost and availability both bite at the same time. To make sense of it, let’s group Taipei’s international schools into three types — large continuum schools, mid-sized mission schools, and online international schools — and compare them lens by lens.
On-campus grounds, facilities, and full daily English immersion are strengths of in-person schools; lower cost and commute, and freedom from postcode and waiting lists, are strengths of online. In Taipei, the sharpest issue is the uncertainty of when a place at a popular school will open up — and relocation or repatriation dates rarely wait. Fees, sustained across primary, middle, and high school, become a decade-long investment. Weigh commute, budget, your child’s temperament, and availability together, and choose a form you can keep going. You can see how online learning connects children to the world in how learning works online →.
When fees or a place are the barrier: online as an eighth option
By now, you may be thinking, “TAS is wonderful, but NT$1M a year isn’t sustainable,” or “I can’t read the waiting lists, and I’m not sure a place will come through in time for our posting or return.” In Taipei, these barriers are real, and in-person schools are not the only answer. We are NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY (NGA), an online international school opening in September 2027. It is operated by NIJIN Inc.; our domestic alternative school, NIJIN Academy, already enrolls more than 1,000 students.
NGA aims for learning that does not rank children by test scores, at a fee designed to be roughly one-fifth of an in-person international school. It serves ages 6–18 across Asia and Oceania, so it works in Taipei — and wherever your family moves next. It is built around Japanese-language support while children gradually build English, so a beginner is welcome. In fairness, NGA has not opened yet, so we have no track record to show, and it cannot replicate the grounds and labs of a physical campus. Even so, against Taipei’s barriers of waiting lists and cost, we believe it is an option worth comparing.
Frequently asked questions
From what age can children enroll in Taipei’s international schools?
Many schools accept children from around age 3 in pre-kindergarten. Taipei has plenty of full continuum schools — TAS, TES, Dominican — so entry or transfer in the elementary and middle years is possible too. That said, the most popular schools have longer waiting lists, and English-language requirements tend to rise with each grade. Enrollment quotas and conditions change year to year, so always confirm directly with each school.
What about Japanese-language support and returning to Japan?
Most international schools in Taipei teach entirely in English (or English with Mandarin), and typically offer no Japanese-language classes. If there is any chance of repatriating to Japan, it is wise to support Japanese and kokugo in parallel through home study or a supplementary school. Pairing an online Japanese service such as ともだちじゃぱん can help keep a Japanese foundation intact while your child lives in an English environment.
When is the best time to transfer in?
Most international schools start in August or September, and the change of term is the easiest time to transfer. Popular schools may still admit mid-year if a place opens. Because many Taipei schools carry long waiting lists, the moment your posting or return date becomes clear, it pays to ask several schools about their waiting-list status as early as you can.
Don’t let “because it’s Taipei” be the reason you give up.
Taipei offers a wide spectrum — from world-class names like TAS and TES to more accessible mission schools, a bilingual IB school, and online. But the popular schools carry long waiting lists, and the fees weigh heavily on a household. You don’t have to chase only “the most famous school” in a hurry. Weigh the total cost, the commute, your child’s temperament, and above all “can we get in, and how many years can we sustain it” — and choose, without rushing, the place where your child can learn most fully as themselves.
NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY opens in September 2027. We’ll share how our model works — beyond test-score rankings, at an affordable fee, with small-group dialogue that connects children to the world — and first-cohort news, straight to your inbox.
