At a glance
Kang Chiao International School, known across Taiwan as KCIS, was founded in 2002 and has grown into one of the larger bilingual school groups in the greater Taipei area. Its flagship sits on Xiugang Hill in the Xindian District of New Taipei City, a hillside campus built for boarding and day pupils with an indoor pool, performing arts spaces, a library and sports facilities. KCIS is a full continuum IB World School, authorised by the International Baccalaureate Organization to teach the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme, and it is recognised by the College Board as an AP Capstone school. Teaching is bilingual in Mandarin and English, which is the feature that most sets KCIS apart from the city's purely English medium campuses. For the wider market and how the city's schools compare, start with our guide to international schools in Taipei, or read the roundup of IB schools in Taipei.
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and exam boards | Full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, Diploma); Advanced Placement and AP Capstone; bilingual Mandarin and English |
| Stages | Preschool and kindergarten through senior high (Grade 12) |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Accreditation | IB World School (MYP and Diploma); Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC); College Board AP Capstone |
| Fee band | Mid (see the Taipei landscape) |
| Campus area | Xiugang, Xindian District, New Taipei City |
Curriculum and academics
KCIS runs the full International Baccalaureate continuum, which is unusual even among established schools and means a child can move from the Primary Years Programme through the Middle Years Programme and into the Diploma without changing schools. In Grades 7 to 10 pupils follow the Middle Years Programme, which connects subjects through inquiry, and in the senior years they can take the IB Diploma, taught in English, or an Advanced Placement route as an AP Capstone school recognised by the College Board. The bilingual structure threads Mandarin and English through the school, which is the main reason families choose KCIS over a single language campus and the reason others look elsewhere if they want an exclusively English environment. We describe the programme in the terms the school uses and do not publish examination figures we cannot verify, so ask the school directly for recent Diploma averages, Advanced Placement results and university destinations. Families weighing the IB against other routes in the city can compare options in our roundup of the best IB schools in Taipei.
Kang Chiao International School fees
Kang Chiao International School does not publish a single public fee schedule, and tuition rises by stage, with the Diploma years the most expensive. KCIS sits in the mid band for Taipei rather than at the top with the largest foreign run campuses, though it remains a real commitment for a relocating family, and boarding where taken adds a further charge. We do not print a headline number here because rates are revised each year and the school issues the current schedule to applicants. Beyond tuition, budget for a registration fee, a refundable deposit and optional transport, and confirm the boarding rate if your child will board. To weigh KCIS against other Taipei schools on cost and curriculum, take the school finder quiz below.
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Admissions
Admission runs across the academic year, with the main intake ahead of the late summer start and places offered into other grades where space exists. Families relocating to Taipei should apply early for the year they need a place, as the established schools fill popular grades quickly and KCIS has a large returning community. Assessment is age appropriate, with readiness checks for the youngest children and curriculum based testing in English and mathematics for older applicants, alongside school reports and references from the previous school. Because teaching is bilingual, the admissions team will discuss your child's Mandarin and English levels and which track and entry point fit best. The school sets out the documents it asks for, including residency and transfer papers, during the application.
Location and who goes there
The flagship Xiugang campus sits on Xiugang Hill in the Xindian District in the south of New Taipei City, a green hillside setting a little removed from the centre, with school transport bringing pupils in from across the greater Taipei area. KCIS draws Taiwanese families who want an English and Mandarin education with an international pathway, returning overseas Taiwanese, and expatriate families comfortable with a bilingual route rather than a purely foreign system. The right school in Taipei usually comes down to the curriculum you want, the fee band you can sustain and the commute, so it is worth visiting in person and comparing shortlisted schools before you decide. For the wider picture of where families settle and how the schools compare, return to the Taipei city hub, or read our roundup of the IB schools in Taipei.
Reviews
No verified reviews yet. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so we publish parent reviews only once they are verified. If your child attends or has attended Kang Chiao International School, you can submit a review to help other relocating families. We never display a star rating without real, checked reviews behind it.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Kang Chiao International School fees?
Kang Chiao International School does not publish a single public fee schedule, and tuition rises by stage with the Diploma years the most expensive. KCIS sits in the mid band for Taipei international schools and issues the current figures to applicants. Budget separately for registration, a deposit, and optional boarding and transport, and ask the school for the latest rates as they are revised each year.
Is Kang Chiao International School a good school?
Kang Chiao is a full continuum IB World School authorised for the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes, accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and recognised by the College Board as an AP Capstone school. Whether it suits your child depends on whether you want a bilingual Mandarin and English route, the budget you can sustain and the commute to Xindian.
What curriculum does Kang Chiao International School follow?
KCIS runs the full International Baccalaureate continuum, the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme, alongside Advanced Placement courses as an AP Capstone school. Teaching is bilingual in Mandarin and English, with the Diploma taught in English, so families set on a single national curriculum should weigh that bilingual structure.
When do Kang Chiao International School applications open?
The main intake follows the academic year ahead of the late summer start, with mid year entry where space exists. Apply early for popular grades, as established Taipei schools fill quickly, and expect an entrance assessment with English and mathematics testing for older applicants and age appropriate readiness checks for younger children.
Where is Kang Chiao International School located?
The flagship Xiugang campus sits on Xiugang Hill in the Xindian District of New Taipei City, within the greater Taipei area. KCIS also runs a separate Linkou campus in north western New Taipei City.
