Taipei European School

1. Admissions Process
- Step 1: Enquire and confirm eligibility. Begin with submitting an online TES application via the OpenApply platform. TES requires that a child hold a foreign passport or recognised territory and have proof of legal residence in Taiwan as part of eligibility. Families should also check the Year Group Placement charts to place their child in the correct year group, noting that TES follows a Northern Hemisphere calendar and may consider special requests on a case-by-case basis. This step sets the framework for which section and year-level your child may be considered for.

- Step 2: Finalise the application. After starting the online application, you'll complete a custom checklist in OpenApply with the required supporting documents. The portal will guide you on what to submit for your child's section and year level, and you can refer to TES's current requirements from the application page. You don't advance to assessments until all required items are uploaded and the checklist is marked complete.

- Step 3: Pay the application fee. The non-refundable application fee is NT$6,000 and must be paid before assessments are scheduled. Payment instructions are provided in the admissions checklist within OpenApply, and TES will begin processing once the fee and documents are received. Note that paying the fee does not guarantee admission, but it enables the assessment process to proceed.

- Step 4: Participate in assessments/tryout/interview. Once the application is finalised and the fee is paid, TES will schedule the appropriate admissions assessments and, where applicable, a tryout or interview depending on the year level, section, and applicant location. The assessments help the school gauge academic readiness and language proficiency in English, French, or German. Results and next steps are shared as part of the holistic review.

- Step 5: Admissions decision and notification. TES conducts a holistic review that considers academic potential, social and behavioural background, and language proficiency. Decisions for Semester 1 (August start) are communicated by March–April, and decisions for Semester 2 (February start) are communicated by December, as seats become available. TES does not operate rolling admissions; priority is given to main-window applicants and certain qualifying factors, with final placement based on best fit with TES's mission and values.

2. Waitlist/Pool
- TES uses a waiting pool rather than a traditional waiting list. The school explains that qualified applicants are placed into a waiting pool for the school year in which they applied, after completing the admissions process and receiving a committee recommendation. The waiting pool is used to determine which applicants might secure a seat should one become available in the admissions rounds. Importantly, the waiting pool is only for Semester 1 starts; it does not carry forward to the next school year if a seat isn't secured. TES emphasizes that they do not operate a first-come, first-served waiting list. Applicants from the main window are reviewed alongside other waiting pool candidates in subsequent rounds.

3. Scholarships
- TES does not offer need-based or merit-based scholarships. The FAQ states that TES recognises the importance of accessibility but currently does not provide these forms of financial aid. For families seeking targeted support tied to language sections, TES notes that there is a French Government AEFE grant pathway, which is separate from TES admissions. The AEFE grant is mean-tested, administered through the Bureau Français de Taipei, and can be paid directly to TES to help cover fees for eligible French nationals abroad; applications are typically in January for the following school year. If an AEFE grant is confirmed, the timing and coordination are handled with the French office rather than TES admissions.

Fees context (for reference)
- TES Fees Policy outlines compulsory fees, including a one-time Registration Fee and ongoing School Fees billed per semester, with a two-semester annual cycle. The policy also covers deposits for reenrolment, late entry, and refund terms, as well as English/French/German Learning Support fees where applicable. The policy documents confirm that School Fees are adjusted annually and published for the following year, usually between February and April, and that fees are payable to the Taipei European School Foundation. While the policy itself does not publish the exact per-grade amounts in the page, it sets the framework TES uses to calculate and bill fees.

1) Admissions Process
- Admissions Process (overview): TES presents a structured admissions journey, with a main window for the coming school year and non-rolling decisions. The main admissions window for 2026-2027 is from September 23, 2025 to February 8, 2026; applications submitted after the window are still considered, but only after main-window applicants. The school emphasizes a holistic review and not rolling decisions, with communications of offers typically aligned to seat availability. The overall process includes Apply, Finalise Application, Application Fee, Assessments/Tryout/Interview, and Admissions Decision, and uses an Admissions Committee to determine fit and readiness.

- Waiting pool details: TES also explains a Waiting Pool (not a Waiting List) for Semester 1 starts. A candidate is placed in the Waiting Pool only after completing the admissions process and a committee review; candidates in the pool are considered alongside other applicants in subsequent rounds if seats become available. The Waiting Pool does not carry forward to the next school year if a seat isn't secured; and there is no first-come, first-served mechanism. This policy is intended to identify the best fit should a seat become available.

- Official clarification on timelines and processes are available in the TES FAQ and the How to Apply/Admissions pages, which confirm that waiting pools exist for Semester 1 and that waiting pool candidates are reviewed in ongoing rounds rather than a simple live waitlist.

- If you want to verify current exact dates or if your situation is time-sensitive, I can pull the latest updates from TES pages. All cited details reflect TES pages as of January 2026.

1) TES scholarships overview
- Taipei European School currently does not offer need-based or merit-based financial aid or scholarships, per the FAQ. This means admissions decisions and enrollment are not tied to such awards. If your family is seeking financial support, TES directs you to its Fees Policy for the broader fee framework and to the AEFE route (for French nationals) as described below.

2) AEFE grant pathway for French Section
- For families in the French Section, there is a French Government AEFE Grant option. The AEFE grant is mean-tested and awarded to eligible French nationals abroad. The application is coordinated through the Bureau Français de Taipei, with the possibility of the grant being paid directly to TES to support school fees. Applicants should monitor the Bureau Français de Taipei site for deadlines (January for the following school year, with an autumn session also possible) and coordinate with the TES Admissions/Finance process if the grant is confirmed.