Taipei, Taiwan: Taipei American School: 2023-2024 Fact Sheet

Taipei American School (TAS) Taipei American School (TAS) is an independent, coeducational, day school founded in 1949 for students from prekindergarten (KA) through grade 12. More than 33 nationalities make up the student body. The first semester of the school year runs from early August to late December 2023; the second semester runs from late January to early June 2024. The school is located in Tianmu, a northern suburb of Taipei, where many members of the expatriate community reside. High-rise apartment buildings, small businesses, parks, outdoor markets, temples, international restaurants, and the mountains of Yangmingshan National Park mark the landscape. The TAS parent body includes professionals from local businesses and international corporations, employees of foreign governments, and educators.

Organization: The TAS Board is a hybrid board structure of up to 14 members: nine elected and five appointed, including one appointed representative from the American Institute of Taiwan (AIT). Elected board members are current TAS parents who serve for three years. Appointed board members serve four-year terms.

Curriculum: Taipei American School’s mission is to cultivate an enduring commitment to learning, personal well-being, and service. We provide a broad American-based education with a global perspective that develops students of character who are committed to making the world a better place. A major initiative across all three divisions is a continued focus on wellbeing and living a balanced, self-reflective, and compassionate life. We are also working intentionally to build a deeper understanding of and commitment to issues of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. The KA-12 curriculum is based on exemplary standards and benchmarks from the U.S. As the majority of TAS students will continue their education in the United States, TAS has aligned its curriculum at each grade level to facilitate a smooth transition. This year, 85% of our graduates will attend colleges and universities in the United States; the rest enroll in 4-year institutions around the world. The lower school (grades KA-5) and middle school (grades 6-8) offer innovative programs in curricular and cocurricular subject areas. The upper school (grades 9-12) offers a rigorous, college-preparatory program with Honors, AP, and IB courses. Starting in kindergarten, students take Mandarin classes that help them take advantage of the local culture. TAS offers EAL support as well as support for students with mild learning differences; parents of students with learning needs should contact the school to be sure that TAS has the resources and programs to fit their child’s needs. TAS is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Faculty: In the 2023-2024 school year, TAS has 638 total staff including 322 teachers, 187 of whom are U.S. citizens, 68 host-country nationals, and 67 third-country nationals.

Enrollment: At the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, enrollment was 2,369. Of the total, 1,586 were U.S. citizens and 783 were third-country nationals.

Facilities: The school occupies a campus of approximately 15 acres. The campus is wireless to service the IT needs as a one-to-one laptop school in grades 3-12. The school has approximately 250 classrooms, including many science and robotics labs. The campus also features a four-story library/IT/media complex, music and art facilities, three dance studios, and three theaters. Sports facilities include three gyms, covered and outdoor tennis courts, a track, two playing fields with artificial turf, a golf putting green and driving cages, and a 25-meter indoor swimming pool. The cafeteria, pizza bar, and Village Snack Bar serve nearly 3,000 patrons per day. The upper school building features classrooms and science labs equipped with cutting-edge technology. The school also features a dedicated art center along with an impressive fitness facility. TAS also has a state-of-the-art Tech Cube building dedicated for K-12 excellence in robotics, computer science, and engineering.

Finances: For school year 2023-2024, the annual tuition rates are as follows: Lower school: NT$890,370; Middle and Upper schools: NT$981,880. There is a one-time capital fee is NT$350,000. Optional round-trip student transportation costs are NT$58,000-60,900, depending on transportation zone.

Special Needs: Review the Special Needs Profile or this school to learn more about their capability to support students with exceptionalities.

This Fact Sheet is intended to provide general information. Prospective users of the schools may wish to inquire further of A/OPR/OS or contact the school directly for more specific and up-to-the-minute information. Information and statistics are current as of September 2023 and are provided by the school.