The Admissions Process

Becoming a Tiger in 5 Easy Steps

We are looking forward to helping and getting to know you and your family as you embark on your TAS admission journey.

Each year, Taipei American School receives more applications than space is available. We strongly encourage you to submit your application as early as possible or check with the Admissions Office about space availability. Feel free to reach out at any point if you need assistance.

Our team is ready and standing by to help all future Tigers find their stripes!

1. Apply

1. Submit the Online Application

Eligible students are invited to apply online. To be eligible for admission, your child must hold foreign (non-ROC) nationality and reside in Greater Taipei with at least one parent or guardian.

STEP ONE - Submit an Application

After submitting an online application, you will have an application portal account with an electronic checklist of items required to finalize the application.

Confirm Eligibility

As part of the application process, Taipei American School families will be required to provide two forms of documentation to substantiate the applying student’s foreign nationality. This helps ensure all applications meet governmental regulations and school enrollment guidelines.

Required Document 1: Applying Student’s Valid Foreign Passport

All families must submit the applying student’s valid foreign passport before an admissions decision can be made.

Required Document 2: Foreign Nationality Supporting Document

In addition to the passport, families must submit one of the following documents for the applying student before attending class:

Arrival or departure record in the foreign passport issued by the Republic of China (Taiwan)
Visa/ARC/APRC issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan)
United States Social Security Number (SSN) card
United States Birth Certificate or United States Consular Report of Birth Abroad
Certified true copy of a United States passport

Important Dates

The application opens on August 1 of the preceding school year. Taipei American School accepts applications year-round and makes placements on a rolling basis where space is available. Many grade levels fill up by April for the first semester, so families are encouraged to apply as early as possible or check with he Admissions Office about space availability.

School Year	Application Opens	Status
2025-2026	August 1, 2024	Closed
2026-2027	August 1, 2025	Open
2027-2028	August 1, 2026	Closed

Age Requirements

Please refer to the Grade Equivalency Chart to better understand which grade to apply for.

Students must turn 4 by September 1 of the academic year to be eligible to apply for Pre-Kindergarten.

Students must turn 5 by September 1 of the academic year to be eligible to apply for Kindergarten.

Students must turn 6 by September 1 of the academic year to be eligible to apply for Grade 1.

2. Application Fee

2. Pay the Application Fee

The application fee for new applications is NT$10,000.

The application fee for returning students and students who applied for the previous school year is NT$5,000.

Application fee payment instructions are shared with you after applying online.

Applicant	Application Fee
New Application	NT$ 10,000
Reapplication*	NT$ 5,000
Returning Student	NT$ 5,000

3. Finalize Application

Your application checklist in the Admissions Portal will outline the additional required documentation required to complete your application. These are summarized below:

Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarten

1. Child’s Passport

Copies of your child's passport is required. Upon enrollment, original passports must be shown to the Admissions Office staff. All TAS students must travel on a foreign passport for school sponsored trips.

2. Parents/Guardians’ Passports

Copies of Parent/Guardian's passport. Student's priority status is determined based on the passports held by the parents.

3. Confidential Recommendation Form

The Confidential Recommendation Form must be completed by the child’s current teacher. Teachers may complete the form in either English or Mandarin Chinese. The Confidential Recommendation Form will open on October 1 during the admissions cycle to ensure teachers have time to get to know a child before filling out the form.

4. School Records

School records, if applicable, are required for the first semester of the current school year, as well as the previous two school years.

5. Parent Outreach Meetings

Each family is required to book an online outreach meeting with the Lower School Admissions Officer, who will use this time to learn more about you and your child, talk about TAS's curriculum and programs, and answer any questions you may have about the admissions journey. Your child does not need to join this meeting.

6. Other Documentation As Required

The admissions committee may require additional documentation in order to make an admission decision.

Grades 1-4

1. Child’s Passport

2. Parents/Guardians’ Passports

Copies of Parent/Guardian's passport. Student's priority status is determined based on the passports held by the parents.

3. Confidential Recommendation Form

4. School Records

School records, if applicable, are required for the first semester of the current school year, as well as the previous two school years.

5. Other Documentation As Required

The admissions committee may require additional documentation in order to make an admission decision.

Grade 5

1. Child’s Passport

2. Parents/Guardians’ Passports

Copies of Parent/Guardian's passport. Student's priority status is determined based on the passports held by the parents.

3. Confidential Recommendation Form

4. School Records

School records, if applicable, are required for the first semester of the current school year, as well as the previous two school years.

5. Standardized Test Results

Standardized tests are required for students applying to Grades 5-12. Standardized test scores must be within two years of the date of application.

The Admissions Committee accepts current scores from one of the following standardized test scores:

ERB's CTP (Comprehensive Testing Program) most USA State examinations, Secondary School Admissions Test (SSAT), PSAT, SAT, or the Independent Secondary School Exam (ISEE). Scores from other standardized tests may be submitted and meet the requirement upon the approval of the TAS Admissions Committee.

Applicants who do not have any of the above standardized test scores and are required to submit a standardized test will need to take the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) at Taipei American School, other designated test sites, or online. For general information about the ISEE, please visit www.iseetest.org.

6. Other Documentation As Required

The admissions committee may require additional documentation in order to make an admission decision.

Grades 6-12

1. Child’s Passport

2. Parents/Guardians’ Passports

Copies of Parent/Guardian's passport. Student's priority status is determined based on the passports held by the parents.

3. Confidential Reference Forms

A Confidential Reference Form must be completed by the child’s current math teacher, English teacher, and an administrator or counselor. The forms may be complete in either English or Mandarin Chinese. The Confidential Reference Forms will open on October 1 during the admissions cycle to ensure teachers have time to get to know a child before filling out the form.

4. School Records

School records, if applicable, are required for the first semester of the current school year, as well as the previous two school years.

5. Standardized Test Results

Standardized tests are required for students applying to Grades 5-12. Standardized test scores must be within two years of the date of application.

The Admissions Committee accepts current scores from one of the following standardized test scores:

6. Other Documentation As Required

The admissions committee may require additional documentation in order to make an admission decision.

4. Interview

Interview

An interview is required for all families applying to Taipei American School. We look forward to using this time to better get to know you and your family.

Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarten

Applicants Applying Locally

The family outreach satisfies the interview requirement for most applicants applying locally; child interviews and screenings are not required. On occasion, the admissions committee may invite a child to attend a short, one-on-one cognitive screening, speech screening, or both. This may be required if a child has not attended school or if the admissions committee requires more information before making a decision.

Applicants Applying from Overseas

The family outreach meeting satisfies the interview requirement for most applicants applying from overseas; child interviews and screenings are not required. On occasion, the admissions committee may invite a child to attend a short, one-on-one cognitive screening, speech screening, or both. This may be required if a child has not attended school or if the admissions committee requires more information before making a decision. If this is the case and a family plans to be in Taiwan during the admissions season, the family will be invited to the admissions office during their visit for the screenings. If the family does not plan to be in Taiwan, the admissions office may pre-accept, or in other words keep a space vacant for the student, conduct an in-person interview when the family arrives, and make a final admission decision after the interview.

Grades 1-5

Grade 1-5 applicants are invited to participate for an interview after the Confidential Recommendation Form and previous two school records are received.

Applicants Applying Locally

The Lower School Admissions Officer will interview all on-island Grades 1-5 applicants regardless of space conditions. The interview will last about 1 to 1.5 hours and will consist of a parent interview, a student interview, and a student language and academic screening.

Applicants Applying from Overseas

If a family plans to visit Taiwan during the admissions process, please contact the Admissions Office to set up a date and time to conduct an in-person interview. If a family does not plan to visit Taiwan during the admissions process, the interview will be conducted virtually. We kindly ask both child and parents or legal guardians are present for this family interview. If an in-person interview is still needed, a child may be pre-accepted and a final admission decision may be made after arriving in Taiwan.

Grades 6-12

5. Admission Decision

All admissions decisions are made by the admissions committee in its sole discretion. When assessing the student's application, the admissions committee considers prior academic and behavioral records, English proficiency, possible need for additional support services, and whether the school's program and community would be a good fit for the child and their family.

Application Priority

Taipei American School uses the following priority system to prioritize applications

CATEGORY 1

At least one parent is employed by the American Institute in Taiwan.

CATEGORY 2

At least one parent holds a United States of America (USA) passport.

CATEGORY 3

Both parents hold passports from a country other than the United States of America (USA).

Additional priority will be given to applicants who:
Have siblings currently enrolled or accepted to Taipei American School
Have a parent or sibling who is a Taipei American School Alum

NOTE

^{Donations to TAS are not accepted during the time a family is in the application process unless you are already affiliated with the school. Please contact the Advancement Office for details.}

Important Dates

Most Semester 1 admission decisions are communicated between March and May on a rolling basis.
Most Semester 2 admissions decisions are communicated between mid-November to the end of December.
If space is available for high-priority applications, decisions may be communicated earlier.

Information on Multi-Lingual Learning (MLL) & Learning Support for Interested Families

Multilingual Learners
Academic Support

Multilingual Learners

English Language Development

At Taipei American School, we deeply value the unique strengths and perspectives multilingual learners bring to our community. Every student’s language journey is different, and we celebrate the growth that comes from learning in more than one language.

Multilingual learners at all stages of language development, including those who are new to English, can be socially and academically successful in our early elementary program. Beginning in Grade 3, the language and literacy expectations of our curriculum require that students have already developed the English language skills to independently access the curriculum.

As part of the admissions process, Taipei American School uses WIDA Guiding Principles and Framework to understand a student’s English language development. This information contributes to decisions regarding enrollment and class placement.

Stages of English Language Development

We recognize that students develop English in stages. These stages highlight what learners can do as they build new language skills:

Stage 1: Emerging

Students begin using simple English words and phrases. They combine these into short sentences, ask questions, and participate in conversations, showing growing confidence in sharing their ideas.

Stage 2: Developing

Students expand their communication with longer phrases and more detailed sentences. They begin to use academic vocabulary, share ideas more independently, and contribute to both social and classroom conversations.

Stage 3: Fluent-Like

Students communicate comfortably across many social and academic situations. They use varied vocabulary, express complex ideas, and adjust their language for different settings while continuing to refine their skills.

Grade Level Stages of English Language Development for Entry

Each grade level has specific language expectations required for admissions. Once admitted, all multilingual learners continue to develop their English skills as valued members of our community. The chart below shows the minimum stage of English development expected for entry at each grade level.

Grade	Stage of Development for Admissions
Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2	Stage 1: Emerging
Grades 3-5	Stage 2: Developing
Grades 6-12	Stage 3: Fluent-Like

How We Learn About a Student’s English Development

Speaking:

During the admissions interview, students share their ideas in conversation, answer questions, or do a WIDA-based language assessment.

Writing:

Students either complete a short writing activity during the interview or submit a written piece from a standardized assessment such as the Independent School Entrance Exam.

Review Process:

At least two trained admissions officers review the speaking and writing samples using WIDA-informed tools. This helps us understand each student’s current stage of development and how they may engage with the curriculum.

Academic Support

Taipei American School has a student support services department which provides support for students needing academic and/or speech/language support. We accept students with mild learning differences only into our regular academic program.

Each student in need of support services will be considered for admissions on the basis of whether TAS can meet his or her learning needs. TAS requires complete documentation including past evaluations, individual educational plans, Individual learning plans, and medical reports.

Students with moderate and severe learning difficulties cannot be adequately supported and therefore are not offered admission to TAS.

Parents should note that admission to one grade does not guarantee admission to the next grade given that a child’s learning needs may progress beyond the scope of TAS support services.