Gao-Pu Kao Pass Rate: What the Numbers Actually Mean

Taiwan’s overall gao-pu-kao pass rate reached 21.33 percent in the 115 (2026) exam cycle, a record high, with the Senior Level 3 exam passing 21.79 percent of sitters and the Junior exam passing 20.78 percent, according to figures compiled by TKB Learning citing Ministry of Examination results. That is roughly double the 10.01 percent pass rate reported for the 110 (2021) cycle, and the trend has been consistently upward across recent cycles rather than a one-year spike.

What does the gao-pu-kao pass rate actually measure?

The published pass rate measures the share of candidates who actually sat the written papers and were recorded as passing, not the share of everyone who registered. Registration numbers, attendance numbers, and pass numbers are three different figures, and mixing them up produces a misleadingly optimistic or pessimistic read on how competitive a given cycle actually was.

Why has the pass rate been rising in recent cycles?

According to reporting on the trend, the rise is attributed mainly to falling registration numbers driven by Taiwan’s declining birth rate, while government agencies continue to generate a steady or growing need for new hires to replace retiring staff. Fewer applicants chasing a similar or larger number of open positions mechanically pushes the pass rate up, independent of whether the exam itself has gotten any easier.

Does a 21 percent pass rate mean gao-pu-kao is now easy?

No. A pass rate near one in five candidates still means roughly four out of five sitters do not pass in a given cycle, and the figure is an average across dozens of categories that individually range from comparatively accessible to intensely competitive. A category with a large vacancy count and a smaller applicant pool for that specific specialization can post a pass rate well above the overall average, while a popular category with heavy overlap to other exams’ subjects, such as general administration, can sit well below it.

How should a candidate use the pass rate figure when deciding whether to apply?

The overall pass rate is a useful gauge of the exam’s general climate from one cycle to the next, but it should not replace looking at the category-specific vacancy count and applicant history for the exact category you intend to apply under, since that is the number that actually predicts your odds. A candidate weighing whether to keep sitting gao-pu-kao across multiple cycles is usually better served tracking their own progress against the written subjects than against the headline pass-rate figure, since the headline number moves for reasons that have nothing to do with individual preparation.

Category choice materially affects the odds a given candidate faces, and how to choose a gao-pu-kao category covers how vacancy counts and subject overlap factor into that decision. There is no cap on how many times a candidate may sit gao-pu-kao, which is covered in how many times you can take gao-pu-kao, so a below-average pass-rate cycle does not close off future attempts. Preparation time is the other major factor within a candidate’s control, discussed in how long gao-pu-kao preparation actually takes. The attempts calculator can help track progress across repeated cycles. Current schedule and category details for gao-pu-kao are on the exam page.

Frequently asked questions

What was the gao-pu-kao pass rate in the 2026 cycle? 21.33 percent overall, with 21.79 percent for the Senior Level 3 exam and 20.78 percent for the Junior exam, according to TKB Learning’s compilation of Ministry of Examination results.

Has the gao-pu-kao pass rate always been around 20 percent? No. Recent reporting places the 110 (2021) cycle’s average pass rate at 10.01 percent, roughly half the 2026 figure, reflecting a multi-year upward trend rather than a stable historical baseline.

Why is the pass rate rising if the exam content has not gotten easier? Reporting attributes the rise mainly to declining registration numbers tied to Taiwan’s falling birth rate, against a relatively steady or growing hiring need across government agencies.

Does the overall pass rate apply equally to every category? No. It is an average across dozens of categories, and individual categories can post pass rates well above or below the headline figure depending on their specific vacancy count and applicant pool.

Is the overall pass rate the right number to base a decision on? Not by itself. The category-specific vacancy count and applicant history for the exact category being considered is the more reliable figure for estimating personal odds.