International Schools in Taipei: A Hidden Gem for Expat Families

Taipei has roughly 15 to 20 recognised international schools, far fewer than Bangkok or Singapore, but enough for a city of its size. Fees at the leading schools are lower than in Singapore, and the city is safe and easy to live in with children.

Fees

Leading international schools in Taipei charge roughly TWD 540,000 to 1,040,000 a year (about USD 17,000 to 33,000). That is less than the top schools in Singapore or Bangkok, though still a large cost for most families.

Curricula and types of school

For a small market, Taipei has a reasonable range: IB, British and American schools, plus some Montessori and bilingual schools. Most international schools mainly serve expat families.

Bilingual Chinese-English schools are a separate group. Some enrol mostly local families with a few international students, and others have a more mixed intake. They suit families who want their children to learn Mandarin properly alongside an English-language education.

Location

Schools are spread across several districts. Taipei is compact and has good public transport, so the choice of neighbourhood limits your school options less than in bigger cities.

Living in Taipei

Taipei scores well in international rankings for safety, cleanliness, food, healthcare and cost of living. Housing and day-to-day costs are well below Singapore's, and hospitals are modern, with English-speaking staff in many of them.

You can get by in English for daily life, but Mandarin makes a big difference to how much of the city you can take part in. Some families pick Taipei partly so their children can learn it. The expat community is smaller and less self-contained than in some Asian cities, so most families end up mixing with local residents.

Admissions

Taipei's schools are generally less competitive than those in Bangkok or Singapore, but the popular ones do fill. Some take applications on a rolling basis and others run an autumn application cycle, so check each school's timeline.

Most graduates head to universities in the US, UK and Australia, and schools have counsellors for those routes. Some schools also prepare students for Taiwanese universities.

How to start your search

Decide on a curriculum first: IB, British, American or bilingual. Then set a budget, and only then look at neighbourhoods, since most of the city is within reach of most schools. Taipei's expat parent groups are a good place to ask current families what a school is like.