Cities / Taipei / The Primacy Collegiate Academy
The Primacy Collegiate Academy
Christian American-curriculum high school (Grades 9-12) near Shilin MRT, Cognia-accredited and NCAA-recognised, serving approximately 130 students from Taiwan and abroad.
In brief
A small Christian high school in Shilin running grades 9 to 12 since 2002, Cognia-accredited and aimed at Taiwanese students wanting an American diploma without leaving Taipei.
Primacy sits on MeiDe Street in Shilin and serves around 130 students in a high-school-only model. Cognia accreditation, NCAA recognition and ACSI affiliation place the diploma where families need it for US university applications. Dr Ashim Pheirim leads the school. AP courses run alongside the standard American senior high core.
The selling point is straightforward. Families who want an American senior high diploma in an explicitly Christian setting at lower fees than TAS or Morrison can land here. Reviews are mixed and worth reading carefully. Parents have raised concerns about how university acceptances are presented in school marketing, including waitlist results being framed as full admits, which is the kind of thing prospective families need to verify directly. As a small high school, the co-curricular bench is thin compared with the bigger options.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 9 | 14 | NT$625,600 |
| Grade 10 | 15 | NT$625,600 |
| Grade 11 | 16 | NT$625,600 |
| Grade 12 | 17 | NT$625,600 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee (credited to tuition) | NT$5,000 | |
| Uniform Fee (one-time) | NT$16,800 |
Reviews
- A small American-curriculum, Cognia-accredited Christian high school in Shihlin, Taipei, originally founded as the Adventist College Preparatory Center in 2002.
- Public review pool is small: iSchoolAdvisor is small across five reviews; Facebook shows 88% recommend on 42 reviews.
- One reviewer said "some of the teachers could do better instead of relying on books to do their work for them, and AP options are definitely limited."
- A separate review flagged the school's college-acceptance page as "very shady," giving an example where a waitlisted Ivy League result was presented as "Accepted."
- Positive themes centre on the Christian mission, a compassionate environment and a small, holistic programme of around 150 students.
Positives
- Christian ethos. Positive reviews emphasise the school's faith-led mission and pastoral environment.
Considerations
- College-results presentation. Reviewer says the school's acceptance page misrepresents waitlisted Ivy League results as accepted.
- Teaching quality. One reviewer says some teachers rely on textbooks rather than active instruction.
- AP and curriculum breadth. Limited AP options come up as a constraint on academically ambitious students.
- Small school. Around 150 students; reviewers split between describing this as personal or limiting.
Leadership
Dr. Ashim Pheirim
Dr. Ashim Pheirim, Ed.D., has been with The Primacy Collegiate Academy (formerly Taipei Adventist Preparatory Academy) since 2006, starting as a faculty member. He has held various leadership positions in schools across Taiwan and Mainland China throughout his career. Dr. Pheirim returned to lead Primacy as Principal (starting July 2021) with a focus on student outcomes, recognizing the uniqueness of each student, and facilitating growth through a holistic Christian education. He holds a Master of Arts in English Language and Literature from the University of Pune, a Master of Arts in Sociology, and a Doctorate in Education.
Accreditations
- Cognia 01
Academic results
- AP courses 8 offered (2025-26)