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 a foreign (non-ROC) passport and reside in the Republic of China 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.

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
2024-2025	August 1, 2023	Open
2025-2026	August 1, 2024	Open
2026-2027	August 1, 2025	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 Kindergarten A.

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:

Kindergarten A & 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 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:

6. Student Responses

Student Responses consists of three short essay questions. The questions must be completed by the student applicant. Each response should be 200 words or fewer.

7. 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.

Kindergarten A & 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 with only the parents. If more information is required, the child may also be invited to attend the virtual 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 EAL & Learning Support for Interested Families

English as an Academic Language
Academic Support

English as an Academic Language

English is the language of instruction at TAS and English proficiency is essential for academic and social success at TAS. There is no minimum English language proficiency required for entry to grades Kindergarten A through Grade 2. There is a minimum English language proficiency level for entry to grades 3-12 and students must meet this requirement to gain admission.

Lower School (Grades 1-5)

A child’s language proficiency level is determined as part of the admission interview’s language and academic screening. A student with an English language proficiency level that requires support accessing the curriculum in English in Grades 1-3 will be placed in the EAL program. While there is no EAL program in Grades 4 & 5, the school can still support students who meet the minimum English language proficiency level and still require some language support in accessing the curriculum.

Middle School (Grades 6-8)

ISEE scores (including the essay) and the interview will be reviewed to determine if an applicant meets the minimum English proficiency required for admission to Grades 6 to 8. Additional language testing may sometimes be required.

Middle school applicants who meet the minimum English proficiency criteria but could still benefit from additional language instruction are placed in the EAL Immersion program. Instead of taking a foreign language class, these students receive academic language support from an EAL specialist for five periods in each six-day cycle. Students in the EAL program have equal access to all mainstream core classes and electives.

Upper School (Grades 9-12)

ISEE scores (including the essay) and the interview will be reviewed to determine if an applicant meets the minimum English proficiency required for admission to Grades 9 to 12. Students entering Grades 9-12 must be able to access a rigorous academic program in English without language support. This typically means students must be fluent or near fluent in English.

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.