Who Can Attend International Schools? Eligibility & Rules

Regulatory Text: Foreign Schools May Reserve Seats for Non-Nationality Students

According to Article 7 of the "Regulations for the Establishment and Management of Private Foreign Schools and Affiliated Kindergartens at the Senior Secondary Level and Below," "Foreign schools shall give priority to students of that foreign nationality, and may reserve a certain number of seats for students of other nationalities to apply." In other words, the regulation itself does not explicitly state that "students with Taiwan (ROC) nationality are absolutely not allowed to enroll," but rather "priority is given to students of that nationality, and whether remaining seats are open to other nationalities (including Taiwan nationals) is left to each school's discretion." Whether a particular school reserves seats for Taiwan-national students, and how many, must be checked in each school's admission brochure; the regulation does not set a uniform number or ratio.

Special Exception: Children of Recently Naturalized Parents May Be Treated as Foreign Residents' Children for 15 Years

Article 36 of the same regulations provides a lesser-known exception: "If both father and mother were foreign nationals and have both been naturalized as nationals of the Republic of China, their child, even if holding only the nationality of the Republic of China, may, within 15 years from the effective date of the most recent naturalization of either parent, be treated according to the relevant regulations for children of foreign residents." In plain terms, if both parents were originally foreign nationals and later became naturalized Taiwanese citizens, the child—even if now holding only Taiwan nationality—may still apply to foreign schools under the status of "children of foreign residents" for 15 years from the naturalization date of either parent, and is not subject to the general restrictions on Taiwan-national students. Families in this situation often mistakenly believe that "once naturalized, the child certainly cannot attend a foreign school," which is not necessarily true; it is worth confirming with the school.

Common School-Specific Requirements: Language Tests, Interviews, and Seat Limits

Nationality or residence status is only one legal condition; actual admission also depends on each school's own criteria. Common requirements include an assessment of English (or the school's language of instruction) proficiency, entrance tests or interviews, previous academic records and attendance, as well as grade-level enrollment caps—when seats are limited, applicants who meet nationality requirements may still be placed on a waitlist or denied admission. These thresholds are set by each school, and requirements for schools of the same nationality can differ by location and grade level. Before applying, be sure to obtain the current year's admission brochure directly from the school; do not assume that meeting the nationality requirement guarantees admission.

Official data source: Ministry of Education, K-12 Education Administration

Without Foreign Nationality, What Other Pathways Exist to Access International Curricula (IB/AP/A-Level)?

Families who do not hold foreign nationality or specific residence status but wish to expose their children to international curricula commonly have three options: ① enroll in a bilingual or private school that adopts an international curriculum system (registered under the local education system, open to Taiwan-national students, with curriculum partially aligned with IB/AP/A-Level); ② participate in experimental education (school-based, publicly operated but privately managed, or non-school-based), choosing according to educational philosophy and curriculum design; ③ first complete an international curriculum overseas and then decide on subsequent pathways based on further education plans. These three pathways differ in school registration, curriculum completeness, and articulation to further education; there is no single best solution. It is recommended to evaluate based on the child's age, educational goals, and family arrangements, and to confirm curriculum plans directly with the prospective school or institution.