As a parent, you might assume that public elementary schools in Taiwan are entirely free, that's true, but of course there are various additional costs involved. Recently, we received the payment breakdown for my son's school, and I wanted to share our experience with others who might be curious about the actual expenses.
The first payment we received was quite modest - only 310 NT. This covered six items, including books and exam papers. However, despite this payment, my son has a lot more books at school, so I’m not sure why we only had to pay for those specific ones. It could be that certain materials are subsidized by the school or the government.
The first payment we received came in during the first week of school. Since it was such a manageable sum, we simply gave the money to our son to deliver directly to his teacher. The payment details were listed on a piece of paper glued into his parent-teacher communication book (I’m not entirely sure what to call it, but it’s essentially a notebook where teachers and parents exchange information). The next day, he took the money to school, and his teacher wrote a note acknowledging receipt of the payment. It was a simple and straightforward process.
Extracurricular Activities
In addition to the basic school fees, we also had the opportunity to enroll our son in an extracurricular club. After considering all the options, we chose the table tennis club for him, which was the most affordable at 2,000 NT for the semester. It's probably the only activity suitable for a six-year-old, and while I don't think he would have much fun playing with clay for an entire semester, I know he's not interested in playing the violin either - and that option was much more expensive.
He does like soccer, and it would have been a great choice, but unfortunately, the school is undergoing renovations, and the lack of space means there’s no real opportunity for them to play. In fact, this year, they won’t even be able to organize the usual sports day because of the space constraints.
As for table tennis, he hasn’t started playing yet since the club activities are scheduled to begin after the Mid-Autumn Festival. His lessons will take place on Tuesdays, with the first one planned for September 24. It’s nice to see him excited about trying something new, and I’m hopeful that it will become a fun and rewarding part of his school week.
Choosing the right extracurricular activity can be tricky, especially when options are limited by age, space, and cost, but so far, we feel good about our decision!
General School Fees
Starting in the third week of school, we finally received the details for the school fees, which gave us a clear picture of the total costs for the semester. What I appreciate is that the school gives parents plenty of time to make the payment - the due date is set for the end of October. This longer timeframe is really helpful because it means you don’t have to rush or worry about immediate payment, giving families some breathing room to organize their finances.
Although public school itself is technically free, there are still various mandatory fees. Here’s a breakdown of what we had to pay for this semester:
- Insurance: 200 NT
- Parents’ Committee: 100 NT
- Textbooks: 485 NT
- Study Fee: 343 NT
- Local Language Book (Taiwanese): 115 NT
- Other Fees: 1,701 NT
- After-School Care: 7,680 NT
- Lunch Fee: 4,815 NT
In total, these fees came to 15,439 NT. When added to the previous payments (the books and exam papers plus the table tennis club), the total cost so far is 17,749 NT for the semester.
Additional Costs: Supplies and Uniforms
Of course, this total doesn’t include school supplies or uniforms. We spent around 1,200 NT on uniforms alone. The school advised that the uniform can last for two years, but I’m skeptical about that. The white and blue color combination is prone to getting dirty very quickly, and even washing machines can’t keep the white parts clean. Unless we’re okay with the uniforms looking very worn out, I doubt they’ll survive a full two years of use.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the monthly cost for my son’s public elementary school is less than 3,000 NT. While it's a bit more expensive than his previous kindergarten fees, it’s still very affordable compared to many other options. I’ve heard of much higher costs, especially at private schools, where tuition and additional fees can be significantly more.
After-school care, which is a necessity for many working parents, is also reasonably priced for us, though I know that in some places it can cost several thousand NT per month. Despite the higher prices, these programs are still quite popular. I always see plenty of kids heading to cram schools after regular school hours. It seems like a common practice here, especially with how competitive the education system can be.
Of course, kids going to cram schools are getting extra learning opportunities, but from what I’ve seen, the after-school care my son attends mainly focuses on finishing homework. There isn’t any extra studying involved, which actually leaves the kids with more free time. Personally, I don’t think a 6-year-old needs to spend 12 hours a day studying. I always feel bad for the kids who are stuck in this kind of routine. One of my son’s friends from kindergarten goes to a cram school and doesn’t finish until 6 PM. What’s surprising is that the parents don’t seem especially busy - I see them around at different times during the day - yet they still send their child to study, instead of letting them enjoy a bit of free time.
I just can’t bring myself to do that. My son loves to play, and honestly, he won’t sit down and study at home on his own. Once he finishes his homework at after-school care, which wraps up around 5 PM, he’s free for the rest of the day. When he was in kindergarten, he came home around 4 PM, so the difference in timing isn’t that big. We usually head to the park for an hour, and then there’s still plenty of time for him to eat dinner and either play at home or watch cartoons. It feels like a healthier balance to me - he’s learning and doing his homework but also getting to enjoy his childhood.
I’ve actually written a blog post comparing the differences between schools in Taiwan and Poland, where I go into more detail about this. You’re welcome to check it out and share your thoughts!
Have you experienced similar costs at your child’s school? Feel free to share your thoughts or ask questions in the comments below!
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