doris
doris
Find Schools
Events
Saved schools
My account
Parent Guide Parent testimonials Community Transparency Charter About For Schools
Currency
I

Ivy Collegiate Academy

Taiwan, Taichung

Save school
Share
Navigate

· Reviewed by · B2C Marketing Manager

Independently researched by doris.
Not yet claimed by the school
Claim your profile
The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 12 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 233
Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)
Opened 2005
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP)
Taught languages Japanese, English, Mandarin
Typical class size 5
Strengths Sport, Academic Enrichment, Languages
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Leadership and Professional, Social and Hobbies
Stages Middle School, High School
Introduction

Ivy Collegiate Academy (ICA) is a private coeducational boarding and day school for students in grades 7–12 in Taichung, Taiwan. Founded in 2005, ICA follows an American curriculum and offers Advanced Placement (AP) coursework, including an AP Capstone Diploma for eligible students. The campus comprises 29 classrooms, multiple labs (science, English, arts), and extensive athletic facilities (basketball courts, volleyball courts, soccer fields, indoor pool, gym). The dormitory provides 47 rooms with resident advisors to support boarding students alongside day students. The school serves about 218 students, with 118 boarders and 100 day students, including 56 international students, under a low student–teacher ratio. ICA emphasizes leadership, service, and global-minded learning through programs such as National Honor Society, Model United Nations, TEDx@ICA, and a prefect system. It is located in the Tanzi District, near the Dakeng Recreation Area, offering nearby outdoor education opportunities.

42742, Taiwan, Taichung City, Tanzi District, Lane 165, Section 1, Tanxing Rd

The Essentials

Ivy Collegiate Academy has 233 pupils, typical class sizes of 5, instruction in English.

Location
Ivy Collegiate Academy is located in Taichung City, Taiwan, in the Tanzi District. The campus address is 320 Lane 165, Section 1, Tan-Hsing Rd., Tan-Tzu Dist., Taichung City 427, Taiwan. The school serves students in grades 7–12.

Stages
ICA serves grades 7–12, with a middle school (7th–9th) and an upper school (10th–12th).

Type
ICA is a private, coeducational international school offering both day and boarding options. Boarding facilities are available on campus with dormitories and resident advisors.

Additional learning support
ICA provides an English Language Learner (ELL) program to support non-native English speakers; intensive English instruction with assisted language classes is available in middle and high school. After-school tutoring is available, including evening peer tutoring organized by student government.

Country affiliation
ICA has no formal country affiliation and operates an American-style curricula with AP courses.

Religious affiliation
ICA has no religious affiliation publicly listed in its materials.

School day structure
On Monday to Friday, instructional time runs from 8:00 to 16:15 with eight instructional periods and a lunch break from 12:00 to 12:35; an activity block runs 16:30–17:45, followed by dinner (18:00–18:30) and a study hall (19:00–21:00). Saturdays include activities from 13:30–16:30; evenings and dorm checks continue with typical sign-in by 22:00. Sunday schedules vary, with additional activities or rest time.
Diving Deeper

Boarding Arrangements
ICA offers both boarding and day programs for students in grades 7–12. Boarding facilities include a dormitory with 47 dormitory rooms and 20 resident-advisor rooms, plus a student lounge and two outdoor meeting areas on campus. The residential life program is supported by 9 resident advisors who supervise the boarding houses.

Uniform Requirement
Uniforms are required every school day. On regular days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) the uniform is a navy or gray ICA polo with tan shorts or pants; on PE days (Tuesday and Thursday) students wear an ICA T‑shirt with navy shorts or pants. Formal uniform days require a blazer, white collared shirt, tie, and black dress pants or a skirt; weather adjustments allow long pants under shorts below 17°C and extra layers under 10°C, and there is an out‑of‑uniform policy for special events.

Food Options
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served on campus according to a daily schedule: Breakfast 7:30–7:55; Lunch 12:00–12:35; Dinner 6:00–6:30.

House System
ICA uses a house system with eight houses: Adams, Archimedes, Bee, Campbell, Knights, Lerna, Lou, Sparrow. House competitions are part of the house life.
Fees
Application fees

- Non-refundable application fee: USD 25.00.

Tuition fees by year group (amounts per term / per year)

- No per-term or per-year tuition amounts for the current academic year are published in the school's publicly accessible admissions materials or student handbook; the school's public listing and directories record tuition as variable rather than listing fixed figures. Therefore exact tuition amounts per term or per year by grade (7–12) are not available in the school's published materials.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- The student handbook establishes that tuition and related fees (including boarding, activity, and meal charges where applicable) must be paid in full and that outstanding tuition/fee balances may affect a student's standing (for example, eligibility for a WASC‑accredited diploma). The handbook does not publish a numeric fee schedule or detailed per‑term amounts.

- No publicly posted, itemized billing calendar (per‑term invoice dates, deposit deadlines, or installment plan details) with exact due dates and amounts is available in the school's public documents.

Boarding fees

- Ivy Collegiate Academy operates as a boarding and day school (dormitory and boarding policies are included in the student handbook). However, boarding fee amounts (per term or per year) are not published in the publicly available handbook or admissions pages.

Other costs or fees (uniforms, meals, transport, activities, insurance, deposits, etc.)

- The student handbook includes a uniform policy and references school life items (uniform requirements, dorm rules and student services). Specific chargeable items that commonly appear at boarding schools (uniforms, meals/meal plans, bus service, activity or excursion fees, capital/registration fees, special support fees) are not listed with amounts in the school's publicly available handbook text. The only explicit, published numeric fee located in public admissions materials is the USD 25 application fee.

Refund information

- The handbook contains sections for withdrawal and transcript procedures, but it does not provide an itemized, published refund schedule (for example: exact refunds by week of term, refundable deposits, or refund percentages) in the publicly accessible handbook text. No specific refund amounts or formulas are published in the public admissions materials or handbook pages available online.

Fee payment options (credit card, bank transfer, etc.)

- The admissions instructions state the non‑refundable application fee amount to be submitted with the application, but publicly accessible admissions pages and the handbook do not list standard, detailed payment channels (for example: accepted credit card types, bank transfer instructions, or online payment portal details). No public, itemized payment method list is available in the school's published admissions materials.

Summary of availability of data

- Verified, itemized numeric fee data for tuition, boarding, uniforms, meal plans, capital/registration fees, refund tables, and a full billing schedule for the current academic year are not published in the school's publicly accessible admissions pages or in the 2025–2026 student handbook text available online. The only explicit fee amount published in the school's public admissions materials is the USD 25 non‑refundable application fee. The school is confirmed to be a boarding and day school serving grades 7–12 and the handbook affirms that tuition/fees must be paid in full as a condition of enrollment and diploma eligibility.

If you require a fully itemized fee schedule (tuition per grade, boarding per term, registration/capital fees, meal and transport costs, refund table, and accepted payment methods) those specific numeric items are not available in the school's public materials; they must be obtained directly from the school's admissions/finance office or an official fee schedule document issued by the school.
Academics

Ivy Collegiate Academy teaches American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP) for students aged 12 to 18.

Curriculum
The Ivy Collegiate Academy follows an American college‑preparatory curriculum with extensive Advanced Placement (AP) coursework and offers an AP Capstone Diploma for eligible students. ICA serves grades 7–12, organized into Middle School (7–9) and Upper School (10–12), with a defined AP pathway across disciplines. In Middle School, core classes include English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and History/Geography, with electives such as Chinese and foreign languages, mental math, art, computer literacy, music, and physical education. In Upper School, core classes are English Literature/Language Arts, Mathematics (choice), Science (choice), and American Studies, with a broad AP slate including AP Literature, AP Language Arts, AP Seminar, AP Research, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics 1/2/C, AP Environmental Science, AP Calculus AB/BC, AP Statistics, AP Pre‑calculus, and additional APs such as AP Computer Science A, AP European History, AP US History, AP Government and Politics, AP World History, AP Human Geography, AP Psychology, AP Chinese/Japanese, AP Art Studio, and AP Music Theory. The curriculum is complemented by Signature Programs (Interactive Sciences, Academic Writing, Leadership), participation in National Honor Society and TEDx@ICA, a broad Elective Courses catalog, and a Summer Program, reflecting ICA's full academic scope.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
ICA provides personalized student support through a faculty advisor program. Students select a faculty advisor at the start of the school year, and advisors meet with their advisees daily during lunch and once per term off-campus to discuss academic, social, and personal needs. Advisors coordinate with teachers and parents to support academic planning, university admissions, and social concerns, fostering a collaborative approach to student success. ICA's vision emphasizes promoting personal well-being and inclusive, collaborative communities, and its school-wide learning outcomes explicitly include social awareness and emotional development as core dimensions of growth.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
ICA describes inclusion and wellbeing as a core commitment, with adjustments made for students with medical, emotional, or learning needs that affect participation. The school offers an English Language Learner (ELL) program described as essential to improving English proficiency, including intensive instruction for novice speakers. The Student Handbook documents a formal process for monitoring student progress and a dedicated English Language Learner Program to respond to needs. Outside counseling and support are referenced within the safeguarding framework as part of the student support ecosystem. ICA presents itself as a private coeducational college‑prep boarding/day school rather than a specialist SEN institution, and explicit designation as a dedicated SEN center is not stated in public materials.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
ICA provides an English Language Learner (ELL) program to develop speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills and to support effective participation in an English-based curriculum. In Middle and High School, students may access intensive English instruction with assisted language classes, available individually or in groups. English is the primary language of instruction at ICA, and the school aims to promote effective English language use across classroom and everyday settings. The ELL program is explicitly listed in the Student Handbook under English Language Learner Program. Students also receive broader academic and counseling support to help integrate into an English‑medium environment.

Mental Wellbeing
ICA's vision and mission explicitly prioritize personal, physical, and emotional well-being as central to student development. The school emphasizes wellbeing within its advising framework and its ESLOs, which include social awareness and emotional development as part of holistic growth. The Inclusion and Wellbeing policy states that adjustments will be made for students with medical, emotional, or learning needs to enable safe and equitable participation. The safeguarding framework provides access to mental health resources, counseling services, and outside counseling and support as needed. The Student Health Policy prioritizes student health and well-being, with clear procedures for health concerns, doctor visits, and parental notification.

Safeguarding
ICA operates a Child Protection Policy that places safeguarding at the core of its culture, including incident reporting flows, a comprehensive code of conduct, and procedures for abuse and neglect. The policy covers social‑emotional health, advisory systems, social‑emotional learning, and access to outside counseling and support. It outlines mandatory reporting to local authorities under Taiwan law and anti-bullying measures, as well as privacy, data protection, and confidentiality in counseling and reporting. A Child Protection Committee includes roles such as social‑emotional coordinators and dormitory staff to coordinate safeguarding across the school. The policy also provides clear guidelines for reporting, disciplinary actions, and student grievances to ensure a safe learning environment.
Parent Experience

History
Ivy Collegiate Academy (ICA) was founded in 2005 by Dr. Lee Yuan Hei as a private, coeducational, college-preparatory boarding and day school serving grades 7–12. The school follows the American AP curriculum and offers an AP Capstone Diploma to eligible students. The founding head of school was Dr. John Cheska, who guided the school for about twenty years and established programs that remain central today. ICA operates as a private institution with a residential community, enrolling 218 students, including 118 boarders and 100 day students. The mission centers on leadership through service and the development of self-reliance, integrity, critical thinking, and global awareness.

Community
ICA uses a House System with eight houses—Adams, Archimedes, Bee, Campbell, Knights, Lerna, Lou, and Sparrow—to foster community across grades. The school emphasizes leadership through service with structures such as a student government (STUGO), a prefect system, and resident hall advisors. The campus supports a residential community with 118 boarding students and 100 day students and offers a broad extracurricular program, including soccer, basketball, volleyball, swimming, Model United Nations, student government, and arts activities. Family-oriented events and opportunities for parent involvement are part of the community, including Family Day (October 18, 2025) and Open House events for prospective families.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Parent engagement at ICA is organized through the Parents section, which includes Open House and School News pages. Open House events are scheduled (for December 13, 2025) with presentations and sign-up information. New Student Presentations are held for prospective families (with sessions in November and December 2025). Family Day (October 18, 2025) is a designated family event that invites parental participation. The school maintains an Annual Fund that invites parent donations to support programs, and the Alumni News & Events page shows ongoing engagement with graduates.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
ICA has 29 classrooms, seven science laboratories, one English language laboratory, and five arts and music laboratories. Boarding facilities include 47 dormitory rooms, 20 resident advisor rooms, a student lounge, and two outdoor meeting areas. Athletic facilities include a gymnasium for badminton, a dance studio, four outdoor courts, two soccer fields, a 200-meter track, a swimming pool, and a weight room. Nearby Dakeng Recreation Area provides hiking and outdoor activities, and the school maintains partnerships for horseback riding and golf. The Franklin Library offers print and digital resources and hosts programs to support research and community learning.

Sports Facilities
The athletic facilities include an indoor pool, a gymnasium for badminton, a weight room, and a dance studio. Outdoor facilities include four basketball and volleyball courts, two soccer fields, and a 200-meter track. A campus swimming pool is available on site. The school also partners with nearby facilities for horseback riding and golf. The nearby Dakeng Recreation Area provides hiking and mountain biking opportunities as part of the athletic program.

Academic Facilities
ICA has 29 classrooms, seven science laboratories, one English language laboratory, and five arts and music laboratories. The Franklin Library offers print and digital resources, including novels, newspapers, magazines, and reference materials, and supports teaching with multimedia materials. The library also hosts programs such as guest speaker presentations and video screenings. The library supports research and reading and contributes to a learning environment focused on inquiry.

Extra Curricular Facilities
ICA's extracurricular program includes athletics and a range of clubs and activities. Athletic offerings include men's and women's soccer, basketball, volleyball, swimming, cross country, track and field, badminton, and horseback riding. Other activities include yoga, weightlifting, skateboarding, biking, hiking, Model United Nations, student government, painting, sketching, singing, knitting, and calligraphy. These programs support leadership, teamwork, and community involvement.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
ICA offers a comprehensive American AP curriculum, including the AP Capstone Diploma with AP Seminar and AP Research. The AP program spans literature and language arts, calculus, sciences, history, psychology, and Chinese/Japanese language study. The signature Interactive Sciences program covers biology, chemistry, physics, ecology, oceanography, engineering and design, and field biology, and includes Intro to Robotics. Academic Writing is a signature program focusing on collegiate-level writing, information literacy, presentation training, and research skills. Leadership and student-development opportunities include National Honor Society, Student Government, TEDx@ICA, and participation in Model United Nations; Speech and Debate is offered as an elective.

Arts & Creative
ICA offers a broad arts program with electives in music, visual arts, theatre, and related disciplines. Specific offerings include Academy Singers, Applied Music, Chamber Music, Music Theory, Ceramics, Studio Art, Painting, Drawing, Theater, Creative Writing, and Yearbook. The Academy Singer Choral group has achieved competitive success, including a first-place finish in a regional music competition.

Cultural & Language
Model United Nations is a core cultural activity, with ICA students participating in conferences such as STMUN in Korea and Yale University MUN events. Foreign language offerings include AP Chinese and AP Japanese among AP courses. Experiential Learning includes cultural exchanges and outdoor expeditions, providing cross-cultural experiences and global exposure.

Social & Hobbies
ICA offers a range of non-academic and social activities, including Model United Nations, Student Government, painting, sketching, singing, knitting, and calligraphy. Other recreational options include yoga, weightlifting, skateboarding, biking, and hiking. These activities foster creativity and social connections beyond the classroom.

Community & Service
Leadership and service are integrated into school life, with the National Honor Society leading community service projects and events such as Common Good Day. ICA also partners with organizations like Ren Shen Nursing Home and conducts fundraising for earthquake victims in Nepal and Taiwan.

Leadership & Professional
Leadership opportunities include National Honor Society, New Student Liaisons, Prefect System, and Student Government. TEDx@ICA provides student-led public speaking and event-planning experience. These programs emphasize leadership through service and prepare students for college and professional settings.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
ICA's athletics program offers fall, winter, and spring sports, including men's and women's soccer, basketball, volleyball, swimming, cross country, track and field, badminton, and horseback riding. Beyond team sports, wellness activities include yoga and weightlifting, with outdoor options such as hiking, biking, and skateboarding. The overall program supports physical health and well-being as part of a balanced student life.
Languages

Language Provision
Mandarin Chinese is taught at ICA and appears as an elective in Middle School and Upper School; AP Chinese is offered in the AP Curriculum. Japanese is offered at the AP level (AP Japanese). Foreign Language electives are available in Middle School and Upper School, indicating additional language options beyond Chinese and Japanese. An English language lab is available among the facilities to support language development.
Reputation

Awards
March 2024 — National French Song Competition, Group (team) second place in the central-region semi-final for ICA French Song Club. This marks a national-level group award for the school.

November 28, 2024 — Academy Singer Choral Group won first place in the Central District Taichung City School Music Competition, earning a place in the national finals.

March 12, 2024 — National French Song Competition, Group second place in the central-region semi-final (ICA French Song Club). This is a group-level national competition result for the school.

April 22, 2025 — National French Drama Competition, Group second place (ICA French Drama Club). The group earned a national-level second place.

April 19, 2025 — Softball Team finished as runner-up in its competition. This reflects a team-level achievement for ICA.

November 25, 2025 — The ICA Choir won 1st Place in the Taichung City Preliminary Round of the 114th National Folk Song Competition and will advance to the national finals.

November 25, 2025 — The ICA Percussion Ensemble earned 3rd Place at the 114th Taichung City Student Music Contest.

Accreditations
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). WASC is a U.S.-based accrediting body that evaluates and validates international schools' programs, governance, and student outcomes. ICA has repeatedly undergone WASC evaluation and has held WASC accreditation, reflecting compliance with its standards. An on-site WASC visit occurred in April 2025 as part of the ongoing accreditation process. The school's earlier accreditation was granted for six years (until 2022), and historical notes indicate continued renewal and involvement with WASC through the years.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Application Form. The student and at least one parent or guardian must complete the application form and return it to the Admissions Office. The school provides an online Apply Now option to initiate the submission. This step establishes the formal request for consideration in the admissions process.

2. Recommendation. The admissions packet includes two recommendation forms that should be given to a Math teacher and an English teacher. The referees are required to send their recommendations directly to the Admissions Office. Recommendations support the evaluation of the applicant's academic ability and character.

3. Transcript. A release of records form is included for the current school's registrar or guidance official to mail the transcript to Ivy Collegiate Academy. The transcript should cover past and current courses, grades, and any standardized aptitude and/or achievement test scores. This information helps the school assess academic preparation and progression.

4. Campus Visit. A campus visit and personal interview are required as part of the evaluation. If a campus visit is not feasible, an interview near the applicant's location will be arranged. Interviews may be scheduled Monday through Saturday, and you should contact the Admissions Office to set an appointment.

5. Assessment. Additional testing may be necessary to fully assess the applicant's skill levels. This testing could occur at the time of the on-campus interview. The assessment may include standardized tests or teacher-designated materials to supplement the interview.

6. Application Fee. Include a non-refundable application fee of USD 25.00 for the processing of the application. The Admissions Office can be contacted with questions at the provided local telephone numbers.

Scholarships
Scholarships have historical documentation under an older page describing the Headmaster's Scholarship Program for the 2016/2017 school year. Awards ranged from $500 to $6,000 USD per scholarship. Selection was based on the student's academic record, two teacher recommendations, leadership and character, and potential for future success. A selection committee consisting of the Headmaster and four ICA teachers reviewed applications and determined recipients. For reference, contact details for the Headmaster were provided on that page. This information reflects information published in 2016 and does not indicate a current, up-to-date scholarship program.
School Events
The school has not added events
Search for more schools
Search schools in Taiwan View all schools in Taichung View all schools in Taiwan American curriculum schools in Taiwan Open days & tours in Taichung What is the American curriculum? View all schools Search all schools