International school fees in Taipei: 2026 guide

The 2026 headline tuition

Taipei international school tuition for 2026 falls into three clear tiers. The top tier, anchored by Taipei American School (TAS) and Taipei European School (TES), runs TWD 920,000 to TWD 1,080,000 a year at the secondary level. The mid tier, covering Taipei Adventist American School, the Dominican International School, Bethany Christian School and the smaller faith-based providers, runs TWD 680,000 to TWD 870,000. The smaller boutique and community schools, including Morrison Academy Taipei branches and the Japanese and Korean community schools, run TWD 590,000 to TWD 750,000. Early years and primary fees are typically 15 to 25 percent below the secondary headline, and sixth form fees usually sit at or near the top of each school's range.

These figures are the published tuition. The realistic family cost is materially higher once the standard add ons are included, which the rest of this guide covers in detail. For an exact figure for your specific situation, run your school choices and year of entry through our cost calculator.

Fees by school

The table below shows 2026 published tuition by school across early years, primary, secondary and sixth form. Figures are in New Taiwan Dollars and assume the standard, non-discounted annual fee. Where a school offers two campuses, the figure shown is for the senior or flagship campus.

TAS and TES sit at the top of the Taipei market and have consistently moved fees ahead of the rest of the sector. TES has two language sections (British and German) with broadly equivalent fees and a French section delivering the French national curriculum. The Christian and Catholic schools (Dominican, Bethany, TAAS, Morrison) cluster in the mid tier with smaller fee gaps between them. The national community schools (Japanese, Korean) serve their specific communities at materially lower fees but with narrower English-medium provision. For the full ranking of which school sits at which price point and academic tier, see our best international schools in Taipei piece.

The hidden fees parents miss

Published tuition is rarely the final number. The fees that catch out new families in Taipei usually fall into one of seven categories. The first is the capital levy, also called the development fee or facilities contribution. Most Taipei international schools charge a one-off capital levy at registration of TWD 100,000 to TWD 250,000 per child, contributing to ongoing capital projects. TAS and TES sit at the upper end of this range; the mid tier schools at TWD 100,000 to TWD 150,000. Some schools allow payment in two instalments; most require the levy in full at enrolment.

The second is the registration fee itself, typically TWD 10,000 to TWD 40,000, non refundable. The third is the lunch fee, which most Taipei schools include in tuition but a handful charge separately at TWD 40,000 to TWD 70,000 a year. The fourth is the school bus, which runs TWD 60,000 to TWD 120,000 per year depending on the distance from the school and the route popularity. Taipei's geography (the schools are clustered in Tianmu and Yangmingshan in the north of the city) means many families further south face longer routes. The fifth is uniform, set up cost TWD 15,000 to TWD 35,000 in the first year and a smaller annual replacement cost thereafter.

The sixth is the examination fee at sixth form, which runs TWD 30,000 to TWD 60,000 for IB Diploma examinations and a similar range for AQA, Edexcel or Cambridge A-Level series, plus the AP fees of around TWD 4,000 per paper at TAS and the other American schools. These are charged in Year 12 and Year 13 (or the equivalent senior years) separately. The seventh is the trip and excursion fees, including the IB CAS or MYP service expedition fees, residential trips and overseas immersion programmes, which can add TWD 40,000 to TWD 100,000 per year at the senior schools. Add to these and the realistic loading sits at 15 to 22 percent on top of headline tuition for most families.

Building the all in number

For an honest 2026 to 2027 family budget, build the all in number school by school and child by child. A typical TAS family with two children at primary and secondary level should plan for tuition of TWD 1,840,000 (two children at primary and secondary mid-range), plus capital levies in the first year of TWD 400,000, school bus TWD 200,000, lunch and trips TWD 100,000, uniform TWD 50,000, registration TWD 50,000, and exam fees in sixth form years for the older child of TWD 40,000. The all in first-year cost runs around TWD 2,650,000 (USD 81,000) for two children. The steady-state cost from year two falls to roughly TWD 2,200,000 (USD 67,000) once the one-off capital levies and registration drop out.

At the mid-tier (Dominican, TAAS, Bethany, Morrison) the equivalent two-child first year sits around TWD 1,750,000 (USD 53,000), with steady state from year two around TWD 1,450,000 (USD 44,000). At the national community schools (Japanese, Korean) the equivalent figures sit around TWD 1,300,000 and TWD 1,050,000 respectively.

Payment plans and discounts

Most Taipei schools offer two payment options: annual upfront (with a discount of 1 to 3 percent in some cases) or termly in three instalments (no discount, no penalty). Some schools also offer monthly payment by direct debit with a small administrative loading. Sibling discounts are common: most schools offer a 5 to 10 percent discount for the second child and a 10 to 15 percent discount for the third. Diplomatic discounts are available at some schools for embassy and consular family children. Corporate-sponsored discounts apply at TAS for major corporate sponsors of the school. Scholarships and financial assistance are limited at most Taipei international schools, with TAS and TES operating the most established needs-based and merit-based programmes.

Fee trajectory over the past five years

Taipei international school fees have risen by 18 to 25 percent over the past five years, ahead of Taiwanese CPI but broadly in line with the regional international school inflation rate. TAS and TES have led the increases, citing capital investment in new facilities and faculty salary pressure. The mid tier has followed at a slightly slower pace. The 2026 to 2027 cycle saw most schools raise fees by 4 to 7 percent, broadly consistent with the previous two cycles. The combination of strong technology sector demand and limited supply (only 6 or 7 well-established English-medium international schools) suggests continued fee pressure through 2027 to 2028.

What expat packages typically cover

Many senior expat packages in Taipei include some level of education allowance. The technology sector (TSMC, the major US tech companies operating Taiwan offices, the financial services firms in Xinyi) typically offers the most generous education benefits. Senior executive packages may include full reimbursement of tuition plus capital levies and school bus, often grossed up for Taiwanese income tax. Mid-level packages typically offer a fixed annual cap of USD 15,000 to USD 25,000 per child, which covers tuition only at the mid tier or partial tuition at the top tier. More junior packages often include no education allowance, leaving families to fund the full cost themselves.

The key questions to ask the employer at offer stage: is the education allowance per child or per family, is it for tuition only or all school-related costs, is it grossed up for Taiwanese income tax (Taiwan tax rates of 5 to 40 percent significantly affect the net value), and what happens if the posting is cut short before the school year ends. Review the offer letter and the related employee handbook carefully before signing.

Taipei fees in regional context

Taipei international school fees in 2026 sit roughly 25 to 35 percent below Hong Kong, 20 to 30 percent below Singapore at the comparable tier, broadly comparable with Shanghai and Beijing, and roughly 30 to 45 percent above Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. The combination of moderate fee level relative to other Asian financial centres and a strong city lifestyle has made Taipei an increasingly attractive family posting, particularly for the technology and semiconductor sector. See the Taipei city guide for the wider lifestyle picture and the fees explorer for cross-city comparison.

Where the value sits

The best value in the Taipei international school market depends on the curriculum priority. For an American-curriculum education with AP and Diploma options, TAS sits at the top of the market and the value is in its facilities, faculty depth and university placement track record; the lower-cost alternatives (Bethany, TAAS) deliver a credible programme at materially lower fees but with smaller cohorts and narrower subject choice at sixth form. For a British or European-curriculum education, TES is the clear anchor and the only school in Taipei delivering at scale. For families with Japanese or Korean nationality, the community schools deliver the home-country curriculum at the lowest fees but with limited English-medium overlay.

Planning a five year budget

For a five year posting, the realistic budget for a two-child family at TAS or TES sits around TWD 11,000,000 to TWD 13,000,000 (USD 335,000 to USD 395,000) over the five years, including all the standard loadings and one-off fees. At the mid tier the equivalent five-year all in is TWD 7,500,000 to TWD 9,500,000 (USD 228,000 to USD 289,000). At the national community schools the equivalent runs TWD 5,500,000 to TWD 7,000,000. These figures assume two children, one at primary and one at secondary, with the older child entering sixth form in the final two years of the posting. For three-child families add roughly 35 to 45 percent to each figure depending on the sibling discount tier the school offers. The relocation cost calculator models specific configurations.

Related guides

• Best international schools in Taipei
• Best IB schools in Taipei
• Cheapest international schools in Taipei

Frequently asked questions