How many bilingual schools in Taipei
Greater Taipei, including New Taipei City, currently lists between thirty and forty private bilingual schools across the two cities, depending on where the bar for English-medium delivery is set. Roughly half sit in New Taipei, where larger purpose-built campuses have been possible at lower land cost, with the rest spread across Shilin, Tianmu, Da'an, Xinyi and Neihu inside Taipei City. The market has more than doubled since 2018, driven by the Taiwanese government's Bilingual 2030 policy and by middle-class Taiwanese parents who want children to leave Year 13 with both Mandarin literacy and English fluency strong enough for direct entry to UK, Australian or US universities.
The supply now spans three identifiable tiers. At the entry tier, Taiwanese private primary schools deliver English across art, music, PE and a slice of the homeroom day. In the middle tier, private experimental schools deliver around half of academic subjects in English, often with foreign teaching staff in homeroom roles. At the strongest tier, experimental schools run a full IB Primary Years Programme or a Cambridge IGCSE overlay alongside Taiwanese national curriculum requirements. For the wider Taipei market context see our Taipei city hub and the broader bilingual curriculum overview.
Experimental school licensing explained
The licensing layer matters more in Taipei than in most cities. Taiwan operates three relevant categories. Taipei Foreign Schools sit under the Ministry of Education Foreign School framework and admit only foreign passport holders. Standard private schools sit under the basic private school act and run the Taiwanese national curriculum with English language teaching but limited subject delivery in English. Private experimental schools sit under the 2014 Experimental Education Act and have flexibility to deliver a substantial share of academic content in English, with some constraints on the share of foreign-licensed teachers. Almost every credible bilingual school in Taipei now uses the private experimental school route, because it is the only licensing that allows the depth of English-medium delivery families want without sacrificing Taiwanese MoE recognition.
Bilingual primary, experimental IB, or full international?
Take our 5 minute school finder quiz. We shortlist three Taipei options based on your child's home language, your district, and the university routes you want kept open.
Fees and value across the tiers
Bilingual school fees in Taipei track the licensing tier rather than the school's age or name. Entry-tier private bilingual primaries sit at TWD 400,000 to TWD 500,000 a year. Mid-tier experimental schools with substantive English delivery sit at TWD 550,000 to TWD 700,000. The strongest tier, with IB or Cambridge overlay, sits at TWD 700,000 to TWD 800,000, plus a capital or entrance fee of TWD 80,000 to TWD 200,000 on entry. The whole bilingual tier still runs well below Taipei European School and Taipei American School, which sit at TWD 950,000 to TWD 1,200,000 across upper school years. For the full fee picture see our Taipei international school fees guide, our cheapest international schools in Taipei guide, and the wider cost calculator.
Illustrative example schools
The schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each shows a different point on the bilingual spectrum.
KangChiao International School Linkou in New Taipei is the largest and most established experimental school in the cluster. Two-language delivery in Mandarin and English from kindergarten through Year 13, with IB Primary Years Programme and Middle Years Programme authorisation, and a Diploma pipeline growing through sister campuses. The cohort is overwhelmingly Taiwanese, which matters for families who want strong Mandarin immersion.
Wagor International Schools historically anchored in Taoyuan and Taichung have expanded into New Taipei and run a heavily English-weighted bilingual programme through the senior years, with strong placement to Australian and UK universities. The school's English share rises through the year groups, which can suit families starting Mandarin-heavier and moving to English-heavier through secondary.
Pacific American School in New Taipei runs an American-style high school with deep AP delivery alongside a bilingual lower school. It sits at the upper bilingual tier in fee and academic terms, and serves as a credible alternative to the foreign-passport-only Taipei American School for Taiwanese national families.
Where bilingual families live in Taipei
Bilingual school families cluster around two anchors. In New Taipei, Linkou has become the centre of the experimental school market, with the KangChiao Linkou campus, easy MRT access into central Taipei and apartment stock at TWD 50,000 to TWD 90,000 a month for a three-bedroom unit. Banqiao and Xiugang serve similar functions further south. Inside Taipei City, Tianmu and northern Shilin hold a smaller bilingual cluster around the historical international school district. Neihu, on the eastern edge of Taipei City, holds a tech-family bilingual cohort, with newer apartment stock and easy access to the science parks. For the wider residential map see our Taipei neighbourhood guide.
Admissions and the test entry route
Bilingual schools in Taipei almost universally run a test-based entry route from primary onwards. Test components typically include English reading and writing, Mandarin reading and writing, a numeracy section, and an informal interview with the child plus a parent meeting. The strongest experimental schools, including KangChiao Linkou, have meaningful application-to-place ratios at popular year entries and run their applications eight to ten months ahead of the August intake. Less competitive entry tiers run on a rolling-admissions basis with shorter lead times. For curriculum-specific entry guidance see our Taipei IB hub and Taipei American curriculum hub. Most schools also accept Taiwanese-foreign dual-passport children freely, which is the main route into the experimental sector for returnee families.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a bilingual school in Taipei?
In Taipei, bilingual school usually means a Taiwanese private school or private experimental school licensed by the Ministry of Education that delivers a significant share of subject teaching in English alongside Mandarin. The label covers a wide range, from schools that teach roughly half of subjects in English to schools that run a foreign curriculum overlay in English on top of Taiwanese national curriculum content.
Can Taiwanese nationals attend bilingual schools in Taipei?
Yes. Unlike the Taipei Foreign Schools, which restrict admission to foreign passport holders, Taiwan's private experimental schools and standard private schools admit Taiwanese nationals freely. This is the central reason the bilingual sector exists. Taiwanese parents and Taiwanese-foreign families use bilingual schools to combine Mandarin literacy with strong English without sending children abroad.
How much do bilingual schools in Taipei cost?
Fees at Taipei and New Taipei bilingual schools span a wide range. Entry-level private bilingual primaries sit around TWD 400,000 to TWD 500,000 a year. Mid-tier experimental schools with extensive English delivery sit at TWD 550,000 to TWD 700,000. The strongest experimental schools running IB programmes alongside bilingual delivery, including KangChiao, sit at TWD 700,000 to TWD 800,000 plus capital fees.
Are bilingual schools accredited?
Taipei bilingual schools are accredited by Taiwan's Ministry of Education under either the private school or private experimental school licence. The strongest schools layer international accreditation on top, with IB World School authorisation, WASC accreditation through a US partner, or Cambridge International School registration. Accreditation type drives which university routes are most viable.
What is a private experimental school?
Private experimental schools are a Taiwanese licensing category that allows greater curriculum flexibility than standard private schools, in exchange for accepting a slightly capped enrolment ratio of foreign-licensed teaching. The category was expanded in 2014. It is the licensing route that almost every credible bilingual school in Taipei now uses to deliver a substantial English-medium curriculum.
Which neighbourhoods have the strongest bilingual cluster?
The strongest bilingual cluster is in New Taipei City, especially Linkou, Xiugang and Banqiao, where private experimental schools have built large purpose-built campuses with space that central Taipei cannot offer. Inside Taipei City, the strongest concentration is in Tianmu and northern Shilin, with smaller clusters in Neihu and Da'an.
