Hsinchu American School

Hsinchu American School is located on Chung Hua University campus in Xiangshan District, Hsinchu City, Taiwan. The campus address is No. 707, Sec. 2, Wufu Road, Hsinchu City 300110, and the school describes itself as situated on the Chung Hua University campus. Campus hours are 08:00–16:20, with front gate hours of 07:30–09:00 and 14:50–16:30 for arrivals and departures.

HAS offers education from Grade 1 through Grade 12, described as a college-preparatory international school. This range positions HAS as a full-sided PK-12 program, with a stated focus on preparing students for tertiary study in English-language programs.

HAS is a private international day school. Official materials identify HAS as co-educational and licensed by Taiwan's Ministry of Education and Hsinchu Education Bureau, with registration and an American connection through the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). The campus is on Chung Hua University grounds in Hsinchu.

The HAS website does not publish a formal SEN policy; however, HAS provides an Academic Advising program for grades 6–12 to support students' academic planning and college preparation, with regular monthly meetings. Families seeking detailed SEN provisions should contact the school for current offerings.

HAS is affiliated with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and is licensed by the Taiwan Ministry of Education and the Hsinchu Education Bureau. This reflects its American-inspired curriculum within Taiwan's international-school framework.

There is no religious affiliation listed for Hsinchu American School on its public materials.

School/ campus hours run from 08:00 to 16:20 each day, with a front-gate entry window from 07:30–09:00 and a late-afternoon gate window from 14:50–16:30. Details about daily break and lunch schedules are not specified in the public pages; families should consult the calendar for grade-specific timing.

HAS provides a school transportation service with door-to-door options across various districts in Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County, offering about ten designated routes. There are also shuttle arrangements from Hsinchu High-Speed Rail Station to campus. To enroll or inquire, contact Mr. Eric Huang at +886-3-520-3211, ext. 620.

Hsinchu American School (HAS) offers a US-based, college-preparatory curriculum for grades 1–12 and is licensed by Taiwan's MOE and Hsinchu Education Bureau, registered with the American Institute in Taiwan, with six-year WASC accreditation terms in 2015 and 2021. The program uses a rotating A/B day block schedule with up to eight credits (eight courses) per year, and AP courses are scheduled within this rotating block system. HAS runs an AP preparatory program starting in Grade 6, and AP courses are offered within the American-based framework (AP offerings have included courses such as Calculus AB/BC, Biology, Computer Science A, Physics C/Physics 2, Psychology, and economics/history; AP is open-enrollment). Graduation requires a University Transfer Degree (26 credits) distributed across English, Science, Mathematics, Foreign Language, Social Studies, Humanities/Arts, Physical Education, and Electives, with multiple AP options across these disciplines (e.g., AP English Literature, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics, AP World History, AP US Government & Politics, AP Micro/Macro Economics, AP Studio Art, AP Computer Science). The Elementary program emphasizes caring, homeroom-based oversight aligned to HAS standards and school-wide learner goals, with AP readiness beginning in Grade 6 as part of the overall curriculum that aims to prepare students for university-bound study.

HAS operates an Academic Advising Program for students from Grade 6 through graduation. Advisors meet monthly to review academic progress, attendance, course selections, testing opportunities, and college planning. In 6th–7th grade, advising emphasizes establishing and pursuing yearly goals, developing proper study habits, conflict resolution, stress management, and building peer relationships. In 8th–12th grade, it focuses on goal setting, course planning, AP/Pre-AP decisions, college-testing (TOEFL/SAT/ACT), university research, and completing college applications. The program is framed as personal and academic guidance to prepare students for post-secondary English-language study, though the site does not label it explicitly as SEL.

The HAS website does not publicly disclose information regarding SEN. The Advising Program addresses personal and academic development but does not specify SEN supports in its descriptions. There is no visible listing of specific SEN staff, facilities, or types of SEN HAS can accommodate on the HAS site. The absence of publicly disclosed SEN details means we cannot confirm whether HAS operates as a specialist SEN institution. For definitive details, parents should request information directly from HAS admissions or the main office.

The school does not publicly disclose information regarding EAL. There is no explicit EAL program page or staff listing on the HAS site. The Advising Program includes personal and academic development and references language testing (e.g., TOEFL/SAT/ACT) as part of college planning, but does not describe a dedicated EAL program. The Our School page notes students communicate in English with a proficiency in English, which suggests an English-language environment but not an EAL program description. For precise EAL details, contact HAS directly.

HAS includes mental health support as part of its safeguarding framework. Safeguarding policies explicitly cover mental health support and online safety. The safeguarding approach emphasizes a culture of vigilance among staff, students, parents, and visitors. Staff are required to read and sign the child protection policies and to undergo background checks (e.g., FBI or equivalent). Anti-bullying initiatives and online safety measures are also part of the safeguarding provisions.

HAS safeguarding practices cover child protection policies, online safety, mental health support, and anti-bullying initiatives. The school states it adheres to Taiwanese child-protection law and has its own rigorous child protection policies. All teachers are required to read the child protection policies and sign an agreement, and they must pass FBI (or equivalent) background checks with reference checks to work at HAS. The anti-bullying policy is designed to prevent bullying in all forms and to address incidents swiftly with appropriate support. The school also maintains social media policies to guide online conduct and privacy, including parental guidance, professional boundaries, and cyberbullying prevention.

1. Apply & Schedule Entrance Exam: To begin, fill out and submit the online HAS application form. Once the application is received, HAS will arrange admission testing and notify you by email or phone about the next steps. If your initial application is not admitted, HAS notes a re-application option that allows applicants to re-apply three months after the previous application date. Placement decisions at this stage depend on the entrance exam results, the interview, and the applicant's accompanying records.

2. Entrance Fee: After submitting the application, you must pay an Entrance Exam Fee of NT$5,000 by bank transfer. The school's Financial Department will email payment instructions after receiving the application, and the admissions office will reserve an exam slot once payment is confirmed. The entrance exam fee is non-refundable, and the fee covers testing, credit evaluation, and/or interview as part of the admissions process.

3. Exam & Interview: English and Math tests are administered prior to admission, followed by an interview with the Principal. Admission is contingent on the exam and interview outcomes, as well as a review of placement factors such as years of schooling and age. Testing, interviews, and review of pertinent records are used to determine the proper placement for new students.

4. Decision: The Principal makes admissions decisions, offering or rejecting admission accordingly. Applicants who cannot be enrolled due to space in a particular grade are placed on a waiting list. This decision step determines whether the student will be offered a place or moved to the waitlist.

5. Acceptance: If admitted, HAS sends an acceptance letter by email with further admission instructions and payment information. Accepted applicants must submit the required documents (previous English transcripts for the last two years, copies of passports, immunizations for Grades 1–6, and a 1-inch photo). Enrollment details specify that capital and registration fees must be paid within two weeks of acceptance, and seats are allocated on a first-come basis with no seat reserved until payment is received. The acceptance process also notes that applications expire if these fees are not paid within the two-week window.

6. Try-Out (if offered): After completing the entrance exam and interview, some students may be offered a five-day try-out period. The try-out fee is NT$10,000, which will apply to tuition in the same semester if the student officially enrolls. The try-out fee is nonrefundable for unenrolled students, and there are no transportation provisions during the try-out period.

3) Scholarships: HAS does not publish information about scholarships or financial aid on its official admissions or tuition pages. The Tuition & Fees page lists mandatory fees and optional extras but does not include a scholarships or financial-aid section. For families seeking scholarship options, the school's published pages do not provide details, and you may need to contact the Admissions Office directly for current offerings.

2) Waitlist/Pool: HAS states that if there is no space available in a grade level, applicants will be placed on a waiting list. When space becomes available, students may be offered enrollment, but seats are not reserved in advance. The school's enrollment terms indicate that acceptance follows a first-come basis for seat availability, and there is a two-week window to pay capital and registration fees after acceptance; otherwise, the application may expire.