Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

Department of Education (DOE) announced that the City’s “Tuition Waiver Program for 5-Year-Olds” will take effect starting September 1. According to the new policy, all 5-year-olds who are registered in Taipei and enrolled in local public or private kindergartens are eligible for the NT$12,543 subsidy per school semester. This program, costing approximately NT$50 million, will benefit 22,000 children.
The city government pointed out that the initiative is the first of its kind in Taiwan. The central government is expected to implement a similar policy nationwide next year.
Speaking at a press conference on August 31, Mayor Hau Lung-bin indicated that last year Taiwan’s birthrate ranked among the lowest in the world, alongside Germany. The number of newborns in Taipei fell below the 20,000-line. Considering the serious implications of this trend, the city government introduced the policy as a way of creating a friendly environment for having and rearing children.
Hau remarked that parents with 5-year-olds enrolled in public kindergartens can enjoy a complete tuition waiver. After taking into account the subsidy, the parents will only have to pay for their children’s dessert and lunch fees. As for those enrolled in the private kindergartens, their parents will receive the subsidy from the City as well as the subsidy proposed by the central government.
According to Education Commissioner Kang Tzong-hua, parents must meet the following criteria to file for the benefits:
- The child is five years old (but has not reached the age of 6) and registered in Taipei City
- At least one of the parents/custodians is a registered resident of Taipei for 6 months or longer
Kang noted that the school’s administration will help parents with the application process.