Public kindergartens (公幼) admit children by online registration and a computer lottery, not by queuing or first come, first served; Taipei and New Taipei differ in dates, the number of kindergartens you may register for, and priority order. Taking academic year 115 (term starting in August 2026) as the example, Taipei lets you register for only 1 public kindergarten; registration runs from May 25, 2026 to May 27, 2026, and the lottery is held on May 27. New Taipei does not limit the number of kindergartens; registration runs from April 30, 2026 to May 7, 2026, and the lottery is on May 19. The monthly caps on what parents pay for public, non-profit and quasi-public kindergartens are NT$1,000, NT$2,000 and NT$3,000 (1st child); the 2nd child and later children get further reductions.
Read this first: The dates and rules follow the academic year 115 prospectuses as verified on 2026-11-07. Prospectuses are adjusted every year, and no academic year 116 prospectus was found on the day of verification. For actual registration, rely on that year's announcement from the Taipei education bureau (台北市教育局) or the New Taipei education bureau (新北市教育局); this article only helps you understand the process and the key points of the prospectus.
The yearly process and the actual academic year 115 dates
The broad process is similar in both cities every year: announce the prospectus, announce vacancies, register online, review eligibility, draw lots, check in, and fill places from the waitlist. The actual academic year 115 dates are below. The Taipei prospectus was announced on 2026-01-20, and the New Taipei prospectus was announced on 2026-03-30.
| Stage | Taipei (academic year 115) | New Taipei (academic year 115) |
|---|
| Vacancies announced | May 22, 2026, 9:00 a.m. | April 29, 2026, 9:00 a.m. |
| Registration | May 25, 2026, 9:00 a.m. to May 27, 12:00 noon | April 30, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to May 7, 4:00 p.m. |
| Number of kindergartens you may register for | Each child may register for 1 public kindergarten only | Each child may register for any number of kindergartens, and places are assigned in order of the choices you rank |
| Document review and supplementary documents | Supplementary documents are accepted until May 27, 2:00 p.m.; a late submission makes the registration invalid | Documents are reviewed from May 8 to May 12; supplementary documents are accepted until May 14, 4:00 p.m. |
| Lottery | May 27, 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., run by each kindergarten | From May 19, 12:00 noon, a public computer lottery run centrally by the education bureau |
| Check-in for confirmed places | May 27, 3:30 p.m. to May 29, 4:00 p.m., online | May 19, 3:00 p.m. to May 20, 6:00 p.m., online |
| Waitlist registration | A separate waitlist stage: register from June 2, 9:00 a.m. to June 3, 4:00 p.m.; the waitlist order is announced on June 4 at 3:00 p.m. | The prospectus says later vacancies at kindergartens in remote areas and in non-mountain, non-urban areas (非山非市) are handled by each kindergarten itself; for other kindergartens with vacancies, the education bureau announces a separate registration schedule and method |
Two details matter. First, a child who does not check in on time is treated as giving up the place; both cities' prospectuses say so. Second, children already attending a kindergarten may continue at the same one (直升). The Taipei prospectus says children aged 2 to 4 who attended a public kindergarten in academic year 114 may continue at the same kindergarten, and those who want to change kindergartens must first give up the continuation with their current one. The New Taipei prospectus also says a child who gives up continuing at the same kindergarten and wants to go to another one must apply to the original kindergarten for a written waiver (放棄切結) and register again.
The Taipei waitlist is valid until September 30, 2026; after that, vacancies are announced and handled by each kindergarten before 5:00 p.m. on September 18, 2026. The New Taipei prospectus says that for this school year the waitlist ends on the day before the registration for continuing at the same kindergarten for academic year 116.
How to know where to register
Taipei uses the website for registering at Taipei public and non-profit kindergartens (臺北市公立及非營利幼兒園招生 e 點通), and New Taipei uses the New Taipei public and non-profit kindergarten admissions website (新北市公立及非營利幼兒園招生網站); registration, supplementary documents and check-in are all done online. The New Taipei prospectus specifically reminds parents that registration and supplementary-document notices are sent by text message, so enter the mobile number correctly.
Who can register: age and household registration
Article 7 of the Early Childhood Education and Care Act (幼兒教育及照顧法; last amended June 29, 2022) provides that public and non-profit kindergartens must give priority to children who need assistance. Who counts as a child who needs assistance, and how the other priorities are ranked, are set by each city's prospectus, so the two cities differ.
| Item | Taipei (academic year 115) | New Taipei (academic year 115) |
|---|
| Household registration requirement | Registered in Taipei, and in the same household as a parent, a direct-line elder relative or a guardian; Indigenous children, children placed by social-welfare authorities, and children of staff working at the same school, among others, need not be registered in Taipei | Registered in New Taipei; or staying in New Taipei with a legal guardian registered in the same household; or non-Republic-of-China nationals of Chinese descent residing in New Taipei. Indigenous children, children referred for guidance or placement, and school-age children of staff, among others, are not limited to those registered in New Taipei |
| Length of household registration | The Q&A says there is no household-registration time limit in any case | Apart from kindergartens in remote or poorly accessible areas, which require 2 or more years of household registration, there is no time limit |
| Supporting documents | The original household register booklet must be uploaded; a household registration transcript cannot be used instead | At registration the system looks up household registration and social-welfare data (data cut-off date April 10, 2026); qualifications that cannot be found must be backed by uploaded documents |
| Birth dates for age 3 | Born from September 2, 2022 to September 1, 2023 | Ages 3 up to entering primary school: born from September 2, 2020 to September 1, 2023; every kindergarten may admit them |
| Age 2 | Born from September 2, 2023 to September 1, 2024; only kindergartens with a class for 2-year-olds admit them | Born from September 2, 2023 to September 1, 2024; each kindergarten needs approval from the education bureau before admitting them |
Note that the New Taipei prospectus says "registered in New Taipei", while Taipei requires being registered in Taipei and in the same household as a parent, a direct-line elder relative or a guardian; having a registration in Taipei alone is not enough. If you are moving between the two cities, go by your actual household registration before registration closes, and take into account the cut-off date for the system's data lookup (the Taipei prospectus says up to May 1, 2026; New Taipei says April 10, 2026). If you moved in or obtained the proof after the cut-off date, you must upload the supporting documents yourself.
Priority order: Taipei
For academic year 115, Taipei public kindergartens are run by age group, and the order of admission for classes of ages 3 to 5 is as follows (Table 2 of the prospectus). Children are ranked by the order below, and within the same rank the computer lottery decides confirmed places and the waitlist.
| Rank | Who |
|---|
| 1 | Legally defined children aged 3 to 5 who need assistance: children of low-income households, children of middle-low-income households, Indigenous children, children of special-circumstances families, and children whose parents or guardians have a moderate or more severe disability (children with disabilities are handled separately under the assessment and placement prospectus) |
| 2 | Children placed in Taipei by the social-welfare authority |
| 3 | Children from families in crisis |
| 4 | A sibling has a disability and attends the same kindergarten |
| 5 | Children of teaching and other staff (registered by the school where the parent works) |
| 6 | Children aged 5 of new residents (新住民); 5-year-olds from a 3-child family |
| 7 | A 5-year-old whose older brother or sister attends that kindergarten or is in grade 1 or 2 of that primary school |
| 8, 9 | General 5-year-olds (rank 8: registered under the school-district restriction; rank 9: registered without following the school-district restriction) |
| 10 to 12 | Age 4: from a 3-child family; older brother or sister attends that kindergarten or is in grade 1 or 2 of that primary school; general children |
| 13 to 15 | Age 3: from a 3-child family; older brother or sister attends that kindergarten or is in grade 1 or 2 of that primary school; general children |
- School districts: among legally defined children aged 3 to 5 who need assistance, apart from Indigenous children, children placed by social-welfare authorities and those whose sibling with a disability attends the same kindergarten, registration at a kindergarten attached to a primary school (附幼) follows the primary-school district of the household registration address; 5-year-olds registering at an attached kindergarten also follow the school district, and those registering within their district have priority. The 14 city-run kindergartens (standalone) admit children without a school-district limit.
- The prospectus lists 8 primary schools (民生、金華、永建、實踐、胡適、天母、三玉、忠義) that have no attached public kindergarten; children whose school district is one of these schools may register at any public kindergarten without a school-district limit.
- The class for 2-year-olds has a further 8 ranks, listed in full in Table 2 of the prospectus.
- For 9 suburban attached kindergartens (指南、平等、溪山、陽明山、雙溪、湖山、大屯、泉源、湖田): the prospectus says children aged 3 to 5 inside their school district are ranked ahead of children outside the district, but the admission principle still follows the order of ages 5, 4 and 3.
- A 3-child family is defined as a child having 2 or more brothers or sisters registered with the same mother or father; the Q&A says the 3rd child must already be born and have the household registration reported to qualify, and a child not yet born does not give priority.
- For waitlist registration in the waitlist stage: the Q&A says a legally defined child who needs assistance but did not register in the admission stage is handled in the waitlist stage as a general child and no longer has priority.
Non-profit kindergartens have their own prospectus (the Taipei academic year 115 prospectus for non-profit kindergartens and educare centers, 《臺北市 115 學年度非營利幼兒園暨教保服務中心招生簡章》, revised 2026-05-21), which likewise puts legally defined children who need assistance first and limits each child to registering for 1 non-profit kindergarten or educare center. If a child is admitted to both a public and a non-profit kindergarten, only 1 may be chosen for check-in.
Priority order: New Taipei
The New Taipei academic year 115 prospectus divides registration eligibility into 9 ranks, as follows.
| Rank | Eligibility |
|---|
| 1 | Legally defined need for assistance: children with disabilities (who must have registered for priority assessment and placement, been given priority placement by the education bureau, and checked in by the deadline), Indigenous children, children of low-income households, children of middle-low-income households, children of special-circumstances families, and children whose parents or guardians have a moderate or more severe disability; all are tied for rank 1 with no order among them |
| 2 | Kindergartens attached to schools in remote areas: registered for 2 or more years in the specific local household-registration area approved by the education bureau (registered by July 31, 2024) |
| 3 | Kindergartens attached to schools in poorly accessible (non-mountain, non-urban) areas: registered for 2 or more years in the approved specific local household-registration area |
| 4 | Referred for guidance or placement |
| 5 | School-age children or grandchildren of staff on the establishment of the kindergarten and the school it belongs to; places are capped at 1/3 of the total approved enrollment (including children continuing at the same kindergarten) |
| 6 | Families with 3 or more children |
| 7 | A brother or sister is still attending that kindergarten in academic year 115 (limited to children continuing at the same kindergarten) |
| 8 | Tied: registered, staying or residing in the administrative zone where the chosen kindergarten is located (the 9 administrative zones); registered, staying or residing inside the district of a public primary school and registering at that school's attached kindergarten; children of active-duty military personnel |
| 9 | Registered in New Taipei, or staying in New Taipei with a legal guardian, or non-Republic-of-China nationals of Chinese descent residing in New Taipei |
The New Taipei lottery rules differ from Taipei's. Rank 1 is drawn by computer regardless of age; ranks 2 to 9 work as "status first, then age, then assignment by your ranked choices": children are drawn first by registration-eligibility rank and then by age (5, 4, 3, 2), and each drawn child is assigned to the first choice that still has places, with at most 1 kindergarten admitting each child. Because the number of kindergartens is not limited, how many choices you list affects whether you are admitted, and this is the biggest difference between New Taipei and Taipei.
Among the 9 administrative zones in Table 1 of the New Taipei prospectus, the Sanying zone includes Sanxia, Yingge and Shulin districts, the Qixing zone includes Jinshan, Wanli and Xizhi districts, and the Banqiao zone includes Banqiao and Tucheng districts, among others. Use this table to determine the "administrative zone" for rank 8.
Monthly fees at public, non-profit and quasi-public kindergartens
The fee table of the Ministry of Education's national early childhood education and care information website (教育部全國教保資訊網; page updated 2026-11-03) lists the caps on what parents pay each month from August 2022 onward. These amounts do not include student group insurance, transport, parent association fees and extended-care fees, or other items filed with the local government. The government pays the difference directly to the kindergarten, and parents need not apply.
| Type | 1st child | 2nd child | 3rd child and later | Children of low-income or middle-low-income households |
|---|
| Public kindergarten | No more than NT$1,000 per month | Free | Free | Free (in the Ministry of Education table this row follows the non-profit kindergarten row; the Taipei and New Taipei Q&A documents state plainly that public kindergartens charge no fee) |
| Non-profit kindergarten | No more than NT$2,000 per month | No more than NT$1,000 per month | Free | Free |
| Quasi-public kindergarten | No more than NT$3,000 per month | No more than NT$2,000 per month | No more than NT$1,000 per month | Free |
The Taipei public kindergarten Q&A also covers half-day classes: for the 1st child, a full-day class costs no more than NT$1,000 and a half-day class costs NT$240 to NT$540; the 2nd child and later children, children of low-income and middle-low-income households, and children with disabilities pay nothing. The New Taipei Q&A gives the same public and non-profit amounts as the table above. In both cities, children who are not Taiwan nationals pay the same amounts as a 1st child (the Taipei Q&A notes that a residence permit or an official's certificate is required, and a visitor visa, entry certificate or short-term visa does not count).
Also be clear about how birth order is counted. The Taipei Q&A says "the 1st child means the child ranked 1st in the household register booklet".
Extended care is charged separately: the New Taipei prospectus says extended care during the term runs from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and can be extended to 7:00 p.m. if parents need it, with a fixed fee for 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; in Taipei public kindergartens the daily educare hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and after 4:00 p.m. is extended-care time, with fees as set out in the Taipei public kindergarten rules for extended-care services.
Options if you do not win a place
- Wait on the waitlist while registering at other kindergartens. In the waitlist stage (June 2 to June 3, 2026), Taipei opens online waitlist registration, including remaining vacancies, but each child may register for the waitlist at only 1 public kindergarten, and a child who already has a confirmed or waitlist place must give it up first; the waitlist order follows the waitlist from the admission stage. The New Taipei prospectus says that a child still without a confirmed place after all ranks have been drawn is placed directly on the waitlist, in order, using only the 1st choice registered, with at most 1 waitlist kindergarten per child, so not every choice has a waitlist.
- Register for non-profit kindergartens at the same time. The Taipei Q&A says a child registering for a public kindergarten may also register for a non-profit kindergarten or educare center, and if admitted to both may check in at only 1.
- Look at quasi-public kindergartens. The Ministry of Education page says the quasi-public scheme is a cooperation between private kindergartens and the government, in which parents pay a fixed monthly amount and the government pays the difference; the list of quasi-public kindergartens for academic year 114 can be found on the Ministry of Education's kindergarten search page by ticking "quasi-public" (準公共), and the list and fees should be confirmed with the kindergarten.
- Childcare allowance. The Ministry of Education page says the childcare allowance for children aged 2 up to under 5 has paid NT$5,000 per month for the 1st child, NT$6,000 for the 2nd child and NT$7,000 for the 3rd child and later since August 2022; the page for the 5-year-old schooling subsidy is titled "not attending an affordable early childhood education and care institution" (未就讀平價教保服務機構), with the same amounts. However, the Taipei public kindergarten Q&A says that for children attending a public kindergarten the government already pays the difference, so they may not also claim a childcare allowance or schooling subsidy of the same nature. To compare options, see our summary of childcare allowance and quasi-public subsidy for ages 0 to 6 and birth subsidies in Taipei and New Taipei.
Moving or changing your household registration also affects registration eligibility. If you are considering renting or moving for schooling, see Taipei social housing eligibility and lottery. When you plan visits to kindergartens or outing routes with a young child, our inclusive outing guide tool can help you check a venue's facilities first.
FAQ
Are the public kindergarten lottery dates the same every year?
No. In academic year 115, the Taipei lottery is on May 27, 2026 and the New Taipei lottery is on May 19, 2026, about a week apart, and the number of registration days also differs. Prospectuses are updated every year, so check the education bureau announcements regularly from early in the year.
Can I register for public and non-profit kindergartens in Taipei at the same time?
Yes. The Taipei Q&A says a child registering for a public kindergarten may also register for a non-profit kindergarten or educare center, but may register for only 1 public and only 1 non-profit one; if admitted to both, the child may check in at only 1. In New Taipei, public and non-profit kindergartens are handled in the same prospectus and on the same admissions website, with no limit on the number of choices.
How long must I have been registered before I can register?
The Taipei Q&A says there is no household-registration time limit in any case. In New Taipei, apart from the 2-year registration requirement at kindergartens in remote or poorly accessible areas, there is likewise no time limit.
How are multiples drawn?
Both cities' prospectuses say parents of multiples decide for themselves between "one ticket" (一籤) and "multiple tickets" (多籤). The Taipei prospectus says that if the last remaining confirmed places are won by multiples registered as one ticket, they are admitted in order only up to the remaining places, and those beyond the places go to the front of the waitlist. The New Taipei prospectus says that if the number of places assigned is smaller than the number of multiples, all the multiples are moved to the next choice.
What happens if I am admitted but do not attend?
Both cities' prospectuses say that not checking in within the set time is treated as giving up the place. Taipei adds that if a child is admitted to both a public and a non-profit kindergarten, only one may be chosen for check-in, and the confirmed place at the other lapses automatically once the check-in deadline has passed. For a child who has checked in but not completed enrollment (including payment) within the kindergarten's deadline, both the Taipei and New Taipei prospectuses say that if the child is still not enrolled after being notified 3 times, the child is treated as giving up attendance.
Sources
- National laws and regulations database (全國法規資料庫): Early Childhood Education and Care Act (verified 2026-11-07): Article 7, priority admission of children who need assistance; last amended June 29, 2022.
- Taipei public and non-profit kindergarten admissions website (臺北市公立及非營利幼兒園招生 e 點通) (verified 2026-11-07): entry page linking to the academic year 115 prospectus and Q&A.
- Taipei academic year 115 public kindergarten admissions prospectus, PDF (in Chinese; announced 2026-01-20; verified 2026-11-07): schedule, Table 2 admission order, school-district and suburban-school rules.
- Taipei academic year 115 public kindergarten admissions Q&A, PDF (in Chinese; verified 2026-11-07): household registration, waitlist, fees, and the rule against claiming the childcare allowance again.
- Taipei academic year 115 non-profit kindergarten and educare center admissions prospectus, PDF (in Chinese; revised 2026-05-21; verified 2026-11-07): registration limit and priority order for non-profit kindergartens.
- New Taipei academic year 115 public and non-profit kindergarten admissions prospectus (in Chinese; verified 2026-11-07): announced 2026-03-30; schedule, the nine registration ranks and lottery rules.
- New Taipei academic year 115 public and non-profit kindergarten admissions Q&A (in Chinese; verified 2026-11-07): announced 2026-03-30; household registration rules and public and non-profit fees.
- Ministry of Education national early childhood education and care information website: public and non-profit kindergartens (in Chinese; verified 2026-11-07): monthly fee caps for public and non-profit kindergartens; page updated 2026-11-03.
- Ministry of Education national early childhood education and care information website: quasi-public kindergartens (in Chinese; verified 2026-11-07): monthly fee caps for quasi-public kindergartens and how to look up the list.
- Ministry of Education national early childhood education and care information website: childcare allowance for ages 2 to under 5 (in Chinese; verified 2026-11-07): basis for the childcare allowance and how to apply.
- Ministry of Education national early childhood education and care information website: schooling subsidy for 5-year-olds (not attending an affordable early childhood education and care institution) (in Chinese; verified 2026-11-07): monthly amounts of NT$5,000, NT$6,000 and NT$7,000 from August 2022.
