Explore Schools · Taipei

Taipei European School

台北歐洲學校
Founded
2003, unified
Sections
British, French, German
Grades
Nursery through Y13
Post-16
IB Diploma and IB CP
Key Insight

TES is the only Taipei school running three national curricula on one campus.

TES is the only school in Taipei where a child can study the French Baccalauréat, the German Abitur, a British national curriculum from Primary through IGCSE or MYP, and the full International Baccalaureate Diploma or Career-related Programme at Post-16, all on a single campus. No other school in Taipei offers this range of national and international pathways in one place.

That structural breadth is the school's strongest case for the right family, and it is also the source of most of its complexity. Families evaluating TES are usually not choosing between TES and TAS. They are choosing TES because a particular section or pathway fits their child's language heritage, their partner's nationality, or their university planning in a way that an American or Taiwanese-international program does not.

In Harland's experience, the TES families who reach out to us are most often in the British section, prioritizing UK university placement, and working through the program from Primary through MYP and on to the IB Diploma.

What We See
Why section choice at enrollment is a multi-year decision

Families new to TES are often surprised by how distinct the three national sections are. The British, French, and German sections each follow their own national curriculum through primary and into secondary, each with their own faculty and language of instruction at the primary level. Families typically choose a section at enrollment and their child progresses within it.

In Secondary, the sections begin to converge. British section students follow the British curriculum through Year 9, then move into IGCSE (for the final cohorts) or MYP, and typically on to the IB Diploma or IB CP at Post-16. French section students follow the French curriculum toward the French Baccalauréat. German section students follow the German Abitur pathway. The IB Diploma is the most common shared endpoint for British section students.

The practical implication for families: the choice of section at enrollment is significant and not easily reversible. Switching between national sections mid-program is complicated by the differences in curriculum sequencing, language of instruction, and assessment. Families benefit from being clear about the university and mobility outcomes they are planning for before committing to a section.

At a Glance

The essentials

Total Enrollment
1,700+
TES's own whole-school figure, Nursery to Year 13
Community
55
One of the most diverse international communities in Taipei
Location
Yangmingshan
Shilin District, Taipei
Accreditation
CIS, BSO, Cambridge
Plus IBO authorization

Tuition, school year 2026–27

TES publishes its fees per semester, so the annual column is Harland's calculation, each per-semester figure multiplied by two. All three national sections pay the same fee per stage; there is no British, French or German price difference. The stage names below are the British ones.

StagePer semesterAnnual (per semester × 2)
Nursery, half-dayNT$208,800NT$417,600
Nursery, full-dayNT$276,900NT$553,800
ReceptionNT$325,600NT$651,200
Years 1–6NT$337,100NT$674,200
Years 7–9NT$393,300NT$786,600
High School 1–2NT$410,400NT$820,800
High School 3–4NT$418,000NT$836,000

The French and German Sections pay these same per-stage fees. German Section fees may vary from the published figures because of German governmental requirements, with final fees approved at the annual general meeting, and French families may qualify for the means-tested AEFE grant through the Bureau Français de Taipei, a French-government scheme rather than TES aid. Both affect what a family nets, not the base fee.

Source: TES School Fees 2026–2027, read from the school's own fee document. Checked August 2026. Figures are per semester as TES publishes them; the annual column is Harland's ×2 calculation.

Entry and recurring fees

ItemAmountApplies to
Application feeNT$6,000All applicants, paid before the application is processed. Non-refundable.
Registration feeNT$50,000Once, on entry
Re-enrolment depositNT$50,000Returning students, per year. Non-refundable, credited to the coming semester.
Sibling discount, second child−NT$10,000 per semesterConcurrent enrolment
Sibling discount, third child onward−NT$15,000 per semesterConcurrent enrolment

Optional costs

ItemAmount
Cafeteria, pre-schoolNT$155 per meal, ordered monthly
Cafeteria, all other yearsNT$165 per meal, ordered monthly
TransportNT$21,000 to NT$53,000 per semester, by campus and zone, one-way or round-trip
Additional drop-off addressNT$4,000 per semester

Source: TES School Fees 2026–2027. Checked August 2026.

English as an Additional Language

TES prices English support by assessed need, not as a single rate, charged per semester on top of tuition and running all the way through High School. Two structures apply.

Additional Learning Support bandPre-school & PrimarySecondaryHigh School
Band 1NT$29,000NT$40,000NT$52,000
Band 2NT$57,000NT$80,000NT$103,000
Band 3NT$103,000NT$144,000NT$184,000
Band 4NT$142,000NT$200,000NT$256,000
Band 5NT$205,000NT$287,000NT$370,000
Band 6NT$364,000NT$433,000NT$450,000

Separately, the language-support lines are flat per semester: English as an Additional Language NT$75,000, EAL Intensive NT$90,000; French as an Additional Language NT$90,000, FAL Intensive NT$120,000.

Admissions calendar and priority

Admissions basisTES states it does not offer rolling admissions decisions. Decisions are released in rounds as places become available.
Main application window23 September 2025 to 8 February 2026, for the 2026–27 year. Later applications are welcomed but processed after main-window families.
DecisionsAugust-start decisions go out in March and April; February-start decisions in December.
Assessment blackoutNo admissions assessments or interviews between 25 June and 25 August 2026.
Financial aidTES states it offers no need-based or merit-based aid. The French AEFE grant is a French-government scheme, not TES aid.

Reference

CampusesTwo, both in Shilin District, Taipei: the Swire European Primary Campus at 99 FuGuo Road for ages 3 to 11, and the Swire European Secondary Campus at 31 JianYe Road for ages 11 to 18.
Age range3 to 18, Nursery through High School 4
EnrollmentMore than 1,700 students, the whole-school figure TES publishes
CurriculumBritish, French and German national sections, converging on the IB Diploma and IB Career-related Programme in the final two years. The British Section runs IGCSE, now transitioning to the IB Middle Years Programme, rather than A Levels.
AccreditationCouncil of International Schools, British Schools Overseas, and Cambridge Assessment International Education, plus IB authorization
EligibilityThe child must hold a valid foreign passport, per the ROC rule for international schools in Taiwan, and proof of legal residence in Taiwan is a condition of enrolment.
Class sizeEarly Years 16 to 20; Primary and Secondary 22 to 24. TES notes sizes may on occasion temporarily exceed capacity.
Enrollment by sectionNot separately published. TES gives only the whole-school figure on its public pages.

The one number to keep straight at TES is that every tuition and fee figure the school publishes is per semester. Annual cost is double. Tuition runs from NT$651,200 a year at Reception to NT$836,000 in the final two High School years, the same in all three national sections, each figure the school's per-semester rate multiplied by two, before the one-time NT$50,000 registration fee and anything optional.

Admission is not rolling and not first-come. TES states plainly that it does not offer rolling admissions decisions. The main window for 2026–27 ran from 23 September 2025 to 8 February 2026, with August-start decisions released across March and April as places open. No assessments or interviews are held between 25 June and 25 August, so a family that starts looking in July waits until the autumn to be assessed.

Among equally qualified applicants within the main window, TES gives priority consideration in a published order: expatriate families in Taiwan for government, business or commercial reasons; expatriate passport holders who are native speakers of the section's language; children with a sibling already at TES; and children continuing in the same national curriculum. From Year 2, CP, or Klasse 1 onward a candidate may apply to only one section, so the choice of national section is effectively made at entry.

Heritage
A consortium of three European schools, unified in 2003

The roots of Taipei European School predate its current form. Before 2003, the British, French, and German communities in Taipei each operated their own separate schools, serving their respective expatriate populations through their national curricula. Over time, these institutions collaborated, integrated shared facilities, and eventually unified as a single consortium school.

A significant milestone came in the 1990s when the Swire Foundation provided integration funding to support the consolidation of the European educational offering in Taipei. The unified Taipei European School was formally established in 2003 on the current Yangmingshan campus, bringing the three national sections together under a single institutional umbrella while preserving each section's distinct curriculum, language of instruction, and pedagogical tradition.

TES has been authorized to offer the IB Diploma Programme since the early 2000s, one of the earlier authorizations in the region, and has subsequently added the IB Career-related Programme and the IB Middle Years Programme. The school holds accreditations from the Council of International Schools, British Schools Overseas, and Cambridge Assessment International Education. Its identity sits at the intersection of three national educational traditions and the IB framework.

1990s
Swire Foundation integration funding
2003
Unified TES formally established
2000s
IB Diploma Programme authorized
2026
MYP transition completes across British section
Curriculum

Three national sections, shared IB pathways at Post-16

TES operates three parallel national curricula from primary through lower secondary, converging at Post-16 (Years 12 and 13) around the International Baccalaureate Diploma and Career-related Programme. Mandarin is taught as an additional language across all three sections. Students typically choose a national section at enrollment based on language, heritage, and university planning.

Timing Note
TES is in the final stages of transitioning from IGCSE to the IB Middle Years Programme. By 2026-27, MYP will be the full pathway in the British section for students in Years 7 through 11. Current senior British section students remain on IGCSE for their final exam cycle. Families with current Year 6-9 students benefit from understanding how the transition affects their child's specific cohort.
British Section
British Primary, IGCSE or MYP, IB Diploma

National curriculum for England in Primary and Lower Secondary. Transitioning from IGCSE to MYP at Key Stage 4, with MYP becoming the sole pathway from 2026-27.

At Post-16, students move into the IB Diploma or IB Career-related Programme. Most British section students target UK, European, and international universities.

BSO accredited · British Schools Overseas
French Section
French Primary to Baccalauréat

French national curriculum from Maternelle through the Baccalauréat. Taught in French with English and Mandarin as additional languages.

The French section operates within the framework of the French Ministry of Education and aligns to the curriculum of French schools abroad.

French Baccalauréat pathway
German Section
German Primary to Abitur

German national curriculum from Grundschule through the Abitur. Taught in German with English and Mandarin as additional languages.

The German section aligns to German federal standards for schools abroad, supporting students toward the Abitur qualification.

German Abitur pathway
Post-16 Pathways
IB Diploma Programme and IB Career-related Programme
At Post-16 (Years 12 and 13), most British section students and some students from the French and German sections choose one of the two International Baccalaureate pathways. The IB Diploma Programme is the traditional academic pathway with six subjects plus Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge, and CAS. The IB Career-related Programme (CP) combines IB subjects with a career-focused specialist study. Where the IB Diploma leads primarily to academic undergraduate degrees, CP students graduate with both an academic foundation and a specialist qualification, which suits students targeting specific professional pathways or applied degree routes.
IB CP Pathways at TES
Art and Design Sports Management Hospitality Sustainability Management Digital Design Aeronautical Engineering
Academic Results

IB Diploma and Career-related Programme outcomes

TES publishes its IB Diploma and Career-related Programme results in an annual Learning Outcomes report available on the school website. Results described here reflect the school's published summary framing.

TES students in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme consistently achieve scores in line with or above global IB averages, according to the school's annual Learning Outcomes report. The school emphasizes that its IB students routinely go on to competitive UK, European, and international university destinations, and that the IB Diploma at TES prepares students effectively for both applied and academic degree programs.

The IB Career-related Programme is a distinctive feature of TES's Post-16 offering. Students completing the CP earn both the IB CP certificate and a specialist career-related qualification in their chosen pathway, which together provide a pre-university foundation for students whose direction is more applied than purely academic. TES reports strong CP outcomes, with students successfully progressing to both degree programs and profession-oriented pathways after graduation.

A note on data availability. TES publishes its annual Learning Outcomes report on the school website. For granular subject-level data, prospective families can request the most recent report directly from the TES admissions office during the application process.

IB Diploma Programme
20+ years
TES has been an authorized IB DP school since the early 2000s. Results published annually, most recently in the 2024 Learning Outcomes report.
IB Career-related Programme
6 Pathways
One of few schools in Asia offering CP alongside DP, with six specialist pathways from Art and Design to Aeronautical Engineering.
National Section Results
3 systems
French Baccalauréat and German Abitur results published separately by the respective section, within their national frameworks.
University Destinations

Where TES graduates go

TES does not publish a named matriculation list, but the school reports that graduates matriculate to competitive universities across the UK, continental Europe, North America, Asia, and Australasia. The breakdown below reflects the school's published orientation and the typical pattern across the three national sections.

3 Pathways
IB Diploma, French Baccalauréat, and German Abitur each open different university systems
Source: TES published materials
Unlike the US-focused matriculation pattern at TAS or the broad Anglophone distribution at KCIS and Fuhsing, TES matriculation reflects the three national section structure. British section and IB students typically target UK and international destinations. French section students typically enter the French system or apply to international universities with the Baccalauréat. German section students typically enter the German university system or equivalent international destinations recognized via the Abitur.
British Section and IB
UK and International
British section and IB Diploma students from TES most commonly target UK universities. The school's BSO accreditation and IB DP authorization are both widely recognized across UK and international university systems. IB CP graduates pursue a mix of applied degree programs and professional pathways.
French Section
France and Francophone systems
French section graduates with the French Baccalauréat typically enter the French university system, including the Grandes Ecoles preparatory pathways, or apply to international universities that recognize the Baccalauréat.
German Section
Germany and European systems
German section graduates with the Abitur enter the German university system, which offers broad access based on Abitur performance. The Abitur is also recognized by international universities, and some graduates use it to apply to UK, Swiss, Austrian, and other European destinations.
Admissions

How admission to TES works

TES uses a holistic admissions review rather than a standardized external entrance test. Each section has slightly different admission criteria, reflecting the different national curricula, but all applications are processed through the unified TES admissions office. The school is generally accessible to both expatriate and some local families depending on section eligibility.

What's Assessed
Holistic review
TES does not use the ISEE or a similar standardized entrance test. Assessment combines academic records, teacher references, interviews, and where applicable, internal placement testing in the relevant language for the chosen section. The emphasis is on prior academic performance and fit with the chosen section.
Eligibility
Section-specific
The British section is the most broadly accessible, admitting students from expatriate and some local families. French and German sections have additional language and eligibility requirements linked to their respective national frameworks and target their primary expatriate communities.
Timing
A fixed application window
TES states that it does not offer rolling admissions decisions. The main window for 2026–27 ran from 23 September 2025 to 8 February 2026, with August-start decisions released across March and April as places open. No assessments or interviews are held between 25 June and 25 August, so a family starting in summer waits until the autumn. Within that window, some grades and sections reach capacity earlier than others, so applying early in it still matters.

What families typically submit

  • ApplicationOnline via TES admissions portal, with section selected at application
  • Academic RecordsReports from current school, typically last two years
  • ReferencesTeacher or administrator references from the current school
  • InterviewFamily interview, in person or remote depending on location
  • Language PlacementInternal placement testing for French and German sections; English baseline for British section
  • PassportCopy of student's passport and applicable visas

What parents often ask us

  • Section choiceSection choice at enrollment is significant. Mid-program switching is complicated by curriculum and language differences.
  • MYP transitionFor current Year 6-9 families, the IGCSE-to-MYP transition is in its final year. Worth understanding how it affects your child's cohort.
  • TuitionTES publishes fees per semester, so the annual cost is double. All three national sections pay the same fee per stage; the tables above carry it with the annual computed.
  • IB CP vs DPThe choice at Year 12 is between the academic IB Diploma and the applied IB Career-related Programme. Both have distinct university pathways.
  • Language demandFrench and German sections require substantial competence in the language of instruction from application.
Fit

Who this school suits, and who it may not

What we observe in the families we have helped navigate TES, alongside what is publicly known about the school. A useful filter before committing to a specific national section and the IB Diploma trajectory.

Often suits
Families with these orientations
  • Families wanting continuity in British, French, or German national curriculum. TES is the only school in Taipei running three national sections under one campus. Each national section maintains its tradition through to Year 9, with a shared IB Diploma at the top.
  • Multilingual families building competence across European languages. Children moving between languages benefit from a school that institutionalises three of them rather than treating multilingualism as an add-on.
  • Families committed to a UK or European university pathway. The IB Diploma is the post-16 pathway. TES students apply across UK, European, and global universities at scale.
  • Students drawn to a community where multiple national traditions coexist. The TES environment is genuinely cross-national in a way single-curriculum schools cannot be.
May not suit as well
Families with these orientations
  • Families committed to a US-curriculum-first pathway. TES leads with the IB Diploma at sixth form. Families seeking an American curriculum from primary through Grade 12 will find TAS, KCIS, or DIS a closer fit.
  • Students wanting the broadest Advanced Placement catalog. AP is not the lead pathway at TES. Students drawn to a wide AP catalog should look elsewhere.
  • Families looking for a single national-curriculum environment. TES's identity is multi-national. Families wanting a focused single-tradition school may prefer a different option.
  • Students needing significant EAL support. English (or French, or German depending on section) proficiency is expected. TES does provide English support, but prices it on a graduated per-semester scale that rises steeply with assessed need and runs through High School, so a child needing significant support carries a real recurring cost on top of tuition.
Harland for TES Families

How we work with TES students

Our work with TES families sits primarily in the British section, from MYP into the IB Diploma. Our approach reflects what we have learned matters most for students in that pathway, particularly those aiming at UK universities.

01
Specialist teachers for MYP and IB
MYP and the IB Diploma have their own assessment criteria, structures, and expectations. Our teachers are subject specialists who know these frameworks directly, not tutors adapting from a different system. This matters because the IB rewards specific kinds of writing and argument, and students who practice against the real assessment criteria improve faster.
02
One primary teacher across the program
A TES student working with Harland keeps the same primary teacher from MYP Year 9 or 10 through to the end of IB Diploma. This continuity means the teacher builds a long-view understanding of the student's thinking, writing, and academic character, which is more valuable than starting over each year with someone new.
03
Understanding UK university expectations
UK universities evaluate applicants differently from US universities. Personal statements are subject-focused, not broad narratives. Interviews are academic conversations, not fit assessments. We prepare students with that framing in mind from early in the IB Diploma, so their course choices, extended essay topic, and supercurricular work compound toward a coherent UK application.
Other options worth knowing about

Schools and editorials TES families also consider

The Taipei guide, school-by-school coverage, and two Harland Review editorials families often read alongside TES.

Common Questions

What parents ask about Taipei European School.

Who can apply to Taipei European School?

TES admits students who hold a valid foreign passport, in line with Taiwan's rule for international schools, and proof of legal residence in Taiwan is a condition of enrolment.

What are Taipei European School's national sections?

TES runs three national sections, British, French and German, each taught in its own language through to Year 9. It is the only Taipei school running three national curricula on one campus, and the sections then join a unified English-medium High School.

What does a year at Taipei European School cost?

TES sets tuition by year group and section, billed per term. Annual fees begin around NT$417,600 for half-day Nursery and rise through the year groups, and the French and German Sections pay the same per-stage fees. The full table is above.

Does Taipei European School offer the IB?

Yes. The unified High School offers the IB Diploma and the IB Career-related Programme at post-16, after students complete the British, French or German national curriculum in the earlier years.

Is Taipei European School accredited?

Yes. TES is accredited by the Council of International Schools and British Schools Overseas and works with Cambridge Assessment International Education. It was formed in 2003 when three national schools unified.

At TES, or planning for it?

A consultation with our Student Coordinator clarifies which part of the TES journey matters most for your family right now, whether that is MYP subject support, IB Diploma planning, or UCAS preparation for UK university applications. We start by listening.

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Last updated · August 2026 · Source data: TES school website, 2024 Learning Outcomes report, and TES published admissions materials