Public Preschool Education in Taiwan

This is a complete guide to public preschool education in Taiwan: All you need to know from registration, lottery system, to first day of school, preparations and responsibilities as a parent.

Navigating the public preschool system in Taipei can seem overwhelming at first, especially for expat or first-time parents. But once you understand the process, it becomes more manageable.

Please note this information is based in our own experience of applying to local public preschools in Taipei, requirements and instructions may change from time to time, so please make sure to visit the official sources to double check the information provided.

Unfortunately the English version of the Ministry of Education's website is very limited in providing information. You might need some help from someone who reads Chinese or use online translator tools to navigate the more complete mandarin version.

First days of preschool

Types of Preschools in Taiwan

1. Public Preschool (公幼 gōng yòu) - government preschool, usually attached to apublic elementary school or other government institutions.

2. Non-profit preschool run by the government (非營利幼兒園 fēi yíng lì yòu ér yuán) - very similar to public preschool but is run by a government organization other than the Ministry of Education.

3. Government Approved Preschool (準公幼 zhǔn gōng yòu) - private preschool that is subsidized by the government.

4. Private Preschool (私立幼兒園 sīlì yòu'éryuán) - private preschool that is not subsidized by the government.

   
   

   This blog post focuses on Public preschool 公幼 gōng yòu.

   
   

Our personal experience with public preschools (Click to expand)

First of all we are very thankful to every teacher we had the pleasure to have for our children. We are also thankful for the friends they made, although it's not always easy when the kids are just starting to learn the language or to adapt to a new environment.

Some of our personal observations from our experience are the following:

• We really liked that the public school preschoolers don't have formal schoolwork or homework. They really enjoy just going to play, socialize, and learn in a project-based way. For e.g. each quarter or semester the teachers would choose a theme, such as "Our neighborhood", and then learn basic maths, language, arts skills through observation and projects. For instance, draw the map of our surroundings, how many bus stops? what stores do we have around us? etc.

• While this is really great for the little ones to make the most of their playtime and childhood memories before primary school. Once they transition to primary first, it's usually difficult for them to adapt to the fast-paced in which they are supposed to learn the bopomofo.

• This is different from private preschools as they do start to learn alphabet and zhuyin bopomofo phonetics. And the issue is, when they start primary 1st, teachers tend to teach the phonetics really quickly, assuming all should already know them.

• A suggestion would be if you are really worried they won't be able to catch up, to sign them up in Zhuyin classes once or twice a week when they are in 大班 Dàbān, or do an intensive course during the summer leading to primary 1st. Most buxiban (afterschool centers) around the school start to advertise such courses every year.

• Hopefully the schools and Ministry of Education can find ways to help make the transition from preschool to primary 1st smoother for the children that attended public preschools.

Incredibly thankful for Taiwan's public preschools

Eligibility

• Age:

  • 2 to 3 years old for 幼幼班 (Yòu yòu bān). The toddler class in a preschool is for children who have turned 2 years old by the start date of the academic year. Each toddler class is limited to 16 children, with two homeroom teachers assigned per class.

    
    

  • 3 to 4 years old (must turn 3 before September 1st of that school year) are considered 小班 Xiǎobān

  • 4 to 5 years old (must turn 4 before September 1st of that school year) are considered 中班 zhong ban.

  • 5 to 6 years old (must turn 5 before September 1st of that school year) are considered 大班 Dàbān.

  • Public preschools follow a multi-age classroom model where children aged 3 to 5 learn together. each class is limited to 24-30 kids, with two homeroom teachers assigned per class.

In Taiwan, public preschool placement is determined by school districts* (zoning).

• For Taiwan nationals: Child and one parent must have a household registration (戶籍 / hùjí).

• ARC holders: Children of foreign nationals can apply if they hold valid ARCs / APRCs and meet age/residency requirements. (Address shown on ARC).

*There are some exceptions to this restriction, so please make sure to do some research based on your school area.

Enrollment Timeline

• Before May: Our recommendation is to make a first visit to your local preschool with your ARC and ask about the application process in person.

  You can search for Taipei City public preschools via the official Taipei Preschool Portal (Chinese only). This is the same website where the entire process of registration, lottery, and enrollment takes place.

  Visit schools ahead of time if possible—some allow tours during open house periods.

  
  

• Usually third week of May: Application period opens (exact dates vary slightly each year).

  
  

• Few days after application closes: Results of the lottery system are announced. Your child is either accepted, or waitlisted. If Accepted, you need to confirm you want to register your child. If parents fail to confirm enrollment during the designated period, admission will be forfeited. Registration and submission of documents proceeds.

  
  

• June: Waitlisted applicants who receive a vacancy notice must complete enrollment within the deadline specified by the preschool.

  
  

• August: Orientation or welcome meetings.

  
  

• End of August - September: School year begins.

  
  

Lottery System

Because demand often exceeds supply—especially in popular districts—Taipei uses a lottery system (抽籤 / chōuqiān) for admission.

• Priority groups: Children with disabilities, low-income families, aboriginal status, or siblings already in the school may get priority placement.

• Remaining spots are distributed via random draw.

• Only one public preschool may be selected per child. Unless a formal withdrawal is submitted, applying to a second preschool is not allowed. Violators will lose all admission eligibility.

What to Prepare

Required Documents:

• Child’s household registration or ARC + birth certificate or passport

• Parent’s ID or ARC

• Recent passport-size photos of the child

• Vaccination records (must be up to date), if you don't have one in Mandarin, make sure to go to local health' center offices to get yours translated into this format:

Taiwan's Vaccination record "Yellow Card"

Other documents:

• Special needs documentation (if applicable)

• Proof of sibling enrollment

  
  
  
  

Costs & Fees

• Public preschools are low-cost, with some government subsidies available.

• Tuition per semester for us was 2750 NT for half-day program, pick up around 12:30. This is including lunch five days a week (our kids loved the food at their local preschool!).

• Field trips, and after-school care may have extra charges.

  • For e.g. with after-school program until 3.50PM it's around ~ NT$9,500-12,000 per semester

• Tuition fees are paid per semester, pay slips are usually issued at the start of each semester.

• Subsidies: Available for low-income or middle-income families, families with multiple children, or with special needs.

School Calendar and Schedule

The school year in Taiwan runs from September (or the last day of August) until late June.

Semester Breakdown

First semester: September to January

Followed by winter break and Lunar New Year celebrations

Second semester: February to June

Daily Schedule Typically: from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Some preschools give you the option to include lunch before pick - up time. For example I would usually pick up my child at 12:50 - 01:00 PM after lunch, right before the other kids participating in after-school program would prepare to take a nap.

After - school program: preschools offer extended care for working parents (typically until 4PM or 5–6 PM), with an extra fee. Children participating in this after-school program will have lunch, and take a nap from 12:00 to 01:30 PM approx. Then proceed with afternoon activities, outdoors if weather permits.

Daily Routine (Click to expand)

Note: This schedule varies depending on preschool and homeroom teachers.

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM You can bring your kid to school anytime in this timeframe.

You will need to drop them off to a common classroom that they will announce before all homeroom teachers arrive around 8:30 AM. Some parents choose to bring in their kids at later times, in the schools our kids attended it was acceptable to arrive as late as 9:00 AM.

8:40 AM The kids eat breakfast using one of their three bowls and a spoon. They wash their hands previous and after the meal time.

9:00 AM The kids go to a "learning area" and build blocks, read books, do pretend play, etc.

On exercise days, the kids will go do communal exercises. 

11:50 AM Kids that only attend half day prepare for pick - up.

12:00 PM Lunch time. The kids will take out their second and third bowls for rice, protein, veggies and soup.

01:00 PM Nap or Quiet time (If your child cannot fall asleep, they have to rest and remain quiet during this time)

02:00 PM Wake up from nap time

03:00 PM  Activities

3:40 PM Organize backpacks, wait for parents to pick them up.

4:00-6:00 PM Extended class time for children who have parents that are working.

Start them young! ;-)

School Uniforms

Public preschools' uniforms in Taiwan are usually sports-style uniforms. Each school sets its own rules about when students must wear them. For example, students may be required to wear the uniform on Tuesdays, while on other days they can wear casual clothing. In a preschool one of our kids attended, they did not require uniform at all, instead they had a distinctive backpack they gifted us at the beginning of school year. While using this backpack on a day to day basis was optional, they did require us to use it on field trips and special outings.

It’s also common for uniforms to be required during special school events, such as:

• Sports Day (體表會 Tǐ biǎo huì)

• Field Trips / Outdoor Learning Days (校外教學 Xiàowài jiàoxué)

Uniform costs typically range from 1500 to 3000 NTD per year, the school will inform parents where and when to purchase the uniforms.

What do they take to school?

All preschool students take to school:

🎒 Backpack that can fit A4 documents

💧 Water Bottle

☂️ Rain gear

🛍️ Lunch bag and lunch-bowls: Includes three soup spoon, three bowls – teachers will advise to buy 304/316 food grade stainless steel ones. Lids should also be food grade stainless steel and not made of plastic.

Bowls & Spoons

Lunch bag

*Before buying these, check if schools provide them, some of them will provide them during orientation week.

💤 For those attending after-school program, kids at public preschool take naps. You will need to buy a sleeping bag like this. Make sure it's easily foldable for your child to put away on his/her own.

Taiwan preschool sleeping bag

Things to bring to school at the beginning of each school semester:

☑ 2 sets of spare clothes (tops, pants, underwear, socks)

☑ 1 toothbrush, toothpaste (sometimes rinsing cups are provided by the school for new students, otherwise you will need to provide your own)

☑ 2 packs of tissue (at least 90 sheets per pack)

☑ 1 pack of wet wipes (at least 80 sheets)

☑ 1 pair of non-slip flip-flops/slippers (for toilet/washing use, easy to put on and take off)

Some preschool's teachers also ask to bring a pair of indoor shoes:

Taiwan preschool indoor shoes

Parent Responsibilities

• Sign the notice slips or documents that teachers require from time to time, for e.g. permission for dental check ups at school, etc.

  
  

• School Day (學校日 Xuéxiào rì): Attend the parent-teacher meeting once per semester, usually in late September and late February. It often consists of a classroom meeting with the homeroom teacher. Volunteer opportunities are often discussed during this time.

  
  

• Volunteer opportunities include helping in the library, traffic safety during drop-off/pick-up, or joining school outings and events.

Parent-Teacher Communication

During parent meetings, it's common for one parent to take the initiative to create a LINE chat group. In this group, parents share information, help each other when needed, and sometimes post photos or videos of class activities.

The homeroom teacher will also let you know their main communication method—usually a LINE group or their personal LINE account for more specific or private matters.

They will also confirm if this is the channel to report absences (請假 Qǐngjià).

✨ Tips for Parents

• Visit schools in person to get a feel for their environment.

• Consider private bilingual schools or kindergartens if you're looking for English instruction.

• If you can read Chinese, keep checking the Taipei City Government Education Website for updates.

  
  

❓FAQs

Q: Can I apply if we don't have a Taipei household registration / ARC yet?

A: You must establish household registration or have ARC before applying. Otherwise, you’ll need to consider private or other city options.

Q: What if my child doesn’t get in through the lottery?

A: You may be placed on a waiting list. Alternatively, you can consider private preschools (which have rolling admissions).

Q: Are classes in Mandarin only?

A: Yes, public preschools operate in Mandarin Chinese. However, many teachers are supportive of international students adjusting to the language.

Q: What’s the daily schedule like?

A: Most preschools run from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM, with play, and structured learning time.

Q: Is after-school care available?

A: Some schools offer extended care for working parents (typically until 5–6.30 PM), with an extra fee.

Q: Are there any specific health requirements for preschool enrollment in Taiwan?

A: Yes, children are usually required to have up-to-date vaccinations and a health checkup for enrollment in preschools.

Q: What is the role of parents in the education process at preschools in Taiwan?

A: Parental involvement is encouraged, and parents may be invited to participate in events, book reading, field trips, and workshops.

Q: Are birthdays celebrated in preschools in Taiwan?

A: During our time in preschools in Taiwan, we saw many occasions where parents would send little gifts for all the classmates as a celebration of their child's birthday. This could be some cookies, some stationeries, some treats (but usually teachers will say no to chocolate or sweet drinks). Some of the preschools offer a monthly birthday celebrations, where all kids that were born on that month will be celebrated by singing happy birthday song and eating cake. :)

We hope this guide is helpful for you and your family! 🧡

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