Asia American International Academy vs Taoyuan American School

	A Asia American International Academy Taipei, Taiwan	T Taoyuan American School Taipei, Taiwan
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year NT$65,550 - 134,021	Fees / year NT$116,817 - 128,101
Age range	Age range 11 - 18 years	Age range 6 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP)	Curriculum American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP)
Pupils	Pupils 210	Pupils 120
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size 13
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened —	Opened —
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Asia American International Academy is located at No.23, Alley 37, Ln. 542, Sec. 1, Wenhua N. Rd., Linkou District, New Taipei City 244, Taiwan. The campus sits in Linkou, New Taipei City, and is accessible from Taoyuan Airport MRT stations A8 Chang-Gung Station or A9 Linkou Station, with a 5–10 minute ride to campus. Public transit options include bus routes 936 and 937 from Yuanshan Station, 967 and 966 from Taipei Station, and 946 from Neihu to AAIA. Parking on campus is limited and reservation is required for private cars.	Location Taoyuan American School (TYAS) is located at No. 1, Kainan Rd., Luzhu District, Taoyuan City 33857, Taiwan. The campus sits on Kainan University's grounds in Luzhu District, with convenient access from the Nanzhongyuan Interchange heading toward Zhongli. The school publishes an American-based international program and serves Grades 1–12 from this campus.
Stages	Stages AAIA offers a two-tier structure: Middle School (grades 6–8) and High School (grades 9–12). The school serves students in grades 6–12.	Stages Elementary School (grades 1–5), Middle School (grades 6–8), and High School (grades 9–12). TYAS's site and program pages describe these three levels and their curricula across elementary, middle, and high school.
School type	School type AAIA is a private, co-educational, independent school offering a college-preparatory program for grades 6–12. The site does not list boarding facilities.	School type Private international school offering an American-based curriculum; on the Kainan University campus; operates as a day school with a door‑to‑door bus service (no boarding facilities are listed on TYAS materials). The school is described as American international and California Standards–aligned, with AP courses available.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support AAIA provides language support for students who are new to international schools. The International Education Center offers English as an Additional Language (EAL) for middle school and international exchange opportunities for high school.	Additional learning support English as an Additional Language (EAL) program is offered to support English language learners to access mainstream classes, focusing on reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation AAIA presents an American-based curriculum and is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC); it has consent for establishment with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). There is no formal national affiliation stated beyond this American framework.	Country affiliation TYAS is an American international school. It has authorization from the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and MOE approval, reflecting its US-oriented program within Taiwan.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation There is no religious affiliation indicated on the AAIA site.	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is stated in TYAS materials. The school presents itself as an American international program within Taiwan.
School day structure	School day structure The AAIA site does not publish standard daily start/end times on its pages; families should consult the online calendar for the schedule of classes, breaks, and events.	School day structure Elementary (G1–5) day generally runs from around 08:00 to 16:00, starting with Homeroom and consisting of multiple blocks, with a mid‑morning break around 09:30–09:45, lunch around 11:10–12:05, and a Club Time in the afternoon (about 15:15–16:00). Middle School (G6–8) follows a similar day structure with a 08:00 start, morning break around 09:30–09:45, lunch 11:10–12:05, and Club Time 15:15–16:00. High School (G9–12) also starts at 08:00, with class blocks through the afternoon, a lunch 11:10–12:05, and a Club Time 15:15–16:00; specific period details are shown in the HS class schedule.
Bus service details	Bus service details AAIA does not operate its own bus service. Public transit bus options to campus include routes 936 and 937 from Yuanshan Station, 967 and 966 from Taipei Station, and 946 from Neihu.	Bus service details TYAS operates a door‑to‑door school bus shuttle with 22 routes covering Taipei, New Taipei City, and Taoyuan; routes typically serve small groups (about 3–4 students per route). Fees are published per semester and vary by catchment area (Taipei/New Taipei, Linkou, other Taoyuan districts, Luzhu/Taoyuan). Last updated May 1, 2025.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Asia American International Academy (AAIA) – Fees overview for 2025 Fall and 2026 Spring (current academic year). The fees below reflect the published Semester Billing Policy and related fee schedule used for Fall 2025 and Spring 2026. All figures are in NT$ (New Taiwan Dollars).	Fee details Here is the current fee overview for Taoyuan American School (TYAS) based on the school's official Tuition&Fee page (last updated May 1, 2025). The figures reflect the 2025-2026 academic year information as published by TYAS. Where relevant, amounts are shown per semester and per academic year, with notes on optional items and refunds.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details AAIA offers an American-based curriculum for grades 6–12, aligned with U.S. standards and AP opportunities, taught by North American‑certified teachers, and it is WASC-accredited. In Middle School (grades 6–8), students follow a daily schedule built on core subjects (two English language arts classes, mathematics, science, and history) with rotating electives such as art, music, Spanish, and PE, complemented by an English as an Additional Language (EAL) program. Middle School does not use a credits system for graduation; students must pass all core courses to be promoted, with possible repetition or enrollment rescission if two or more core courses are failed. In High School (grades 9–12), students take a four-block rotating schedule with up to eight courses per year, including AP courses as early as 10th grade, and graduation credits that align with California requirements. The IEC supports middle school EAL and high school international exchanges for credit, while the College and Career Readiness program provides college counseling and application support for 9–12 students.	Curriculum details Taoyuan American School offers an American-based curriculum aligned with the California State Board of Education Common Core standards for grades 1–12 with foreign passports. The Elementary School teaches English Language Arts, Writing, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Visual Art, Music, Computer Science, and Physical Education. The Middle School adds Public Speaking and Journalism. The High School includes Spanish and Digital Publications, Visual and Performing Arts, Computer Science, and Physical Education. AP courses are offered on a rotating roster, including AP Calculus AB, AP World History, AP Computer Science A, AP Chinese Language and Culture, AP Studio Art, AP Drawing, AP English Literature and Composition, AP European History, and AP Physics 1.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio The student-to-faculty ratio is 4:1.
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results Iowa Tests are administered for Grades 3–8. The College Preparation Program supports PSAT/NMSQT, TOEFL, ACT, and SAT for high school students. AP testing is available for students who take AP courses.
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression College counseling begins in Grade 9 with one-on-one college planning to help students select colleges or universities that best match their personal and academic goals. The program guides course selection, encourages challenging coursework, and prepares students for SAT/ACT and related admissions tests. Students have access to AP coursework and college admissions resources as part of college readiness.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented AP courses provide acceleration for advanced learners, with a rotating roster including AP Calculus AB, AP World History, AP Computer Science A, AP Chinese Language and Culture, AP Studio Art, AP Drawing, AP English Literature and Composition, AP European History, and AP Physics 1. TYAS also offers enrichment programs such as World Scholar's Cup and Model United Nations in the middle school.
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History —
Community	Community —	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions 1. Admissions Process 1. Step 1 – Initial inquiry and quick start: To begin, AAIA offers a simplified path where you can start with a completed initial application form, submit any available recent records (in Chinese, covering the last two years if applicable), and be aware of a non-refundable English proficiency exam fee. The school notes that the English proficiency exam is required for every student and that completing this step does not guarantee enrollment. Be prepared for potential follow-up questions from the admissions team as they assess readiness and fit. 2. Step 2 – Move to the full application: If you proceed beyond the initial form, you'll complete a full AAIA application. The process includes submitting the full application form and ensuring you provide the English proficiency exam results as part of the packet. This stage also reiterates that an English language test is used to determine placement into appropriate program tracks (Mainstream, EAL Guided Support, or EAL Sheltered), or to indicate that a minimum English proficiency level is not met. 3. Step 3 – Language placement and program options: For students in grades 6–12, AAIA administers an English Language Test. Based on the test scores, candidates may be admitted to the Mainstream program, an EAL Guided Support program, or an EAL Sheltered program, or be advised that they do not meet the minimum English proficiency for enrollment. It's important to understand that the placement decision is made after the assessment and is final per AAIA governance. 4. Step 4 – Admission decision, waitlists, and start date: Admission decisions are made by AAIA administration, with the Executive Director having final say. If admitted, you'll receive an official acceptance letter that states the student's start date. The school also notes that a student's standing on waitlists can change as other applicants with higher priority apply, and that seat guarantees must still meet the same admission requirements as non-guaranteed seats. 5. Step 5 – Post-acceptance and next steps: If your child is offered a seat, you'll follow the documented start date and enrollment steps provided in the acceptance letter. The school presents priority rules (see below) and emphasizes that AAIA is a foreign school admitting students with foreign nationality, so families should review eligibility and timelines carefully.	Admissions 1. Application and Supporting Documents: TYAS accepts students from Grades 1-12 holding a foreign passport. Class sizes are limited; if a class reaches the maximum, the remaining applicants go on a waiting list. To apply, fill out the Taoyuan American School Application for Admission Google form and upload the required documents. The documents include immunization records and the student's records from the past two years in English, with Grade 1 requiring kindergarten report cards or teacher comments; Grades 2-8 requiring two years of report cards; Grades 9-12 requiring official transcripts for all years; after submission, the application is reviewed within 5–10 business days; overseas applicants may be pre-accepted, but final admissions decisions and grade placement are made after screening.
Scholarships	Scholarships 3. Scholarships AAIA's publicly published pages do not describe a scholarship or financial-aid program. The Admissions and Fees sections outline application steps, English-language placement, and a detailed tuition/fee schedule, but there is no reference to need-based or merit-based scholarships on the site. If you require financial considerations beyond the standard fee schedule, you should contact the Director of Admissions for any possible options or arrangements.	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist 2. Waitlist/Pool AAIA maintains a waitlist as part of its admissions process, and the status of a student on the waitlist can change as applications from higher-priority students are received and evaluated. The school explicitly notes that waitlist standings may shift based on other applicants with higher priority, which is consistent with its published admission priority order. In the meantime, AAIA indicates that the campus is currently at full enrollment in all grades and suggests contacting the Director of Admissions for the latest availability and next steps.	Waitlist If a class reaches the maximum number of students, the remaining applicants are placed on a waiting list.
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