The International Schools Association of Thailand counts 204 member schools, most of them in and around Bangkok, teaching mainly British, American or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. Published tuition for 2026/27 runs from about 340,000 baht a year for a preschool place in Chiang Mai to about 1.2 million baht for high school at the top end in Bangkok, and every foreign child needs a visa of their own.
Choosing a school is mostly a family decision about curriculum, location and budget, and this page does not rank schools. What it does is explain the system: who licenses and accredits international schools, what the fee lists actually show, and how the child's visa works alongside the parent's.
International schools in Thailand (October 2026)
- Member schools (ISAT, 2025)
- 204, of which 122 in the Bangkok area
- Main curricula
- British (largest group), American, IB, national and other
- Licensing
- Ministry of Education licence to operate as an international school
- Accreditation
- ONESQA, plus an overseas agency recognized by OPEC by the end of year five
- Published tuition 2026/27
- About 340,000 to 1,200,000 baht a year at five schools checked
- One-time entry fees
- 90,000 to 260,000 baht at the same schools
- Child's visa
- Non-O to join a parent, or ED to study; both from the e-Visa portal
Licensing and accreditation: what the acronyms mean
An international school in Thailand needs a licence from the Ministry of Education to operate as one. Private schools fall under the Office of the Private Education Commission (OPEC), part of the ministry. A licence is the legal minimum, not a mark of quality.
Quality checks come from accreditation. According to the International Schools Association of Thailand (ISAT), every international school must secure accreditation from a recognized overseas agency by the end of its fifth year of operation, and all international schools must also be assessed by ONESQA, the Thai Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment.
The overseas agencies that OPEC recognizes, as listed by ISAT, are:
- ACS WASC, NEASC and MSA-CESS (United States based)
- CIS (Council of International Schools)
- COBIS and ISI (British based)
- Accreditation International (AI), Education Development Trust and NDNA
Two practical points follow. A school younger than five years may be a "candidate" rather than fully accredited, which is normal but worth asking about. And ISAT itself is a membership association, not an accreditation body; membership requires the ministry licence and candidate or full accreditation, but "ISAT member" is not the same as "accredited".
Ask for the accreditation report, not the logo. Every accrediting agency visits and writes a report. A good school will tell you when its last visit was, what the agency recommended and what it changed. That says more about a school than a row of badges on the website.
British, American, IB or bilingual?
ISAT's 2025 overview shows British-curriculum schools as the largest group among its members, followed by American, then schools teaching a national or other curriculum, then the IB. Roughly:
- British schools follow the English National Curriculum, from Foundation Stage through IGCSE at about 16 and A levels at 18. They suit families heading to the UK or Commonwealth universities, and families who may move to another British school abroad.
- American schools run Pre-K to Grade 12 with a high-school diploma, often with Advanced Placement (AP) courses. They suit families aiming for North American universities.
- IB schools, or British and American schools that offer the IB Diploma in the last two years, give a program recognized by universities in most countries, which helps families who do not know where they will be next.
- Bilingual and "national and other" schools mix a Thai or another national program with English teaching. They are often cheaper, and they suit families who want their child to become fluent in Thai.
Language is the other choice. Thai lessons, where a school offers them, vary a lot in level and hours. If your child will stay for years, ask how much Thai is taught and whether there is a native-speaker track.
What the fees really are in 2026/27
Fees are the most quoted and least checked part of this subject. The table below uses each school's own published fee list for the 2026/27 academic year, read in October 2026. These are annual tuition fees in baht. The schools were chosen to show different cities and curricula, not because they are better than others, and each school says its fees are subject to change.
| School (city, curriculum) | Youngest year | Oldest year listed | One-time fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok Patana School (Bangkok, British) | ฿515,000 (Foundation Stage 1) | ฿957,000 (Year 11) | Entrance ฿250,000 (first child), deposit ฿50,000 |
| International School Bangkok (Nonthaburi, American) | ฿659,000 (Pre-K) | ฿1,197,000 (Grades 9–12) | Registration ฿260,000; annual fee ฿22,000 |
| British International School, Phuket (British) | ฿489,000 (Nursery/Reception) | Up to ฿982,700 (Years 9–12) | See the school's fee list; boarding extra |
| Lanna International School (Chiang Mai, British) | ฿413,400 (Early Years) | ฿803,400 (Years 12–13) | Registration ฿90,000; assessment ฿6,000 |
| Chiang Mai International School (Chiang Mai, American) | ฿341,700 (Preschool 3–4) | ฿580,200 (Grades 9–12) | See the school's fee list |
Three things stand out. First, fees rise steeply with age: at the same school, high school can cost almost twice as much as the first year. Second, one-time entrance or registration fees of 90,000 to 260,000 baht come on top of the first year's tuition, and application fees of a few thousand baht come before that. Bangkok Patana, for example, lists 5,500 baht to apply from 1 August 2026 and a lower entrance fee of 200,000 baht for second and later children. Third, the city matters: the two Chiang Mai schools publish fees well below the Bangkok schools for comparable years.
Tuition is not the whole bill. Ask about uniforms, transport, lunches, trips, exam fees and extra-curricular activities, and whether fees are paid per term or per year. Some employers pay school fees as part of a relocation package; if yours does, find out whether it covers the one-time fees too. Our guide to the cost of living in Thailand helps put the rest of the family budget together.
Where the schools are
ISAT's 2025 figures show how concentrated the sector is. Of its 204 member schools, 122 are in the Bangkok metropolitan area, 27 in the north, 24 in the south, 14 in the east, 11 in the northeast, 5 in the central region and 1 in the west.
- Bangkok has the widest choice of curricula and price levels, from bilingual schools to the highest fees in the table above. Commuting matters: many families choose a home near the school rather than the other way round.
- Chiang Mai has the north's biggest cluster, at noticeably lower fees, and a large long-stay foreign community. Air quality in the smoky season is a real factor for families; our page on PM2.5 air pollution explains it.
- Phuket and the eastern seaboard around Pattaya and Rayong have schools that serve both resident families and parents working in tourism and industry.
- Smaller cities may have one or two options, often bilingual, so check the curriculum before you choose where to live.
The child's visa: Non-O or ED
A foreign child does not get permission to stay just because a parent has a visa. The child needs their own, and on Thailand's e-Visa portal there are two usual routes (both checked October 2026):
- Non-Immigrant O to stay with non-Thai family. For a child joining a parent who already lives in Thailand on a visa and permission to stay, for example a parent on a Non-B work visa. The portal asks for proof of the relationship (such as a birth certificate), copies of the parent's passport and visa documents, and at least 30,000 baht in funds. Single entry, 3-month validity.
- Non-Immigrant ED to study at elementary to secondary level. Based on the school place itself. The portal asks for a letter from the relevant authority under the Ministry of Education or from the international school, an enrolment letter, and financial evidence covering tuition and living costs. Single entry, 3-month validity.
Some parent visas carry their own route for children. The Long-Term Resident visa covers a spouse and children under 20 (up to four dependants), there is a separate Non-O category for children under 18 of LTR holders, and the DTV has a category for spouses and children under 20 of DTV holders. Our guides to the LTR visa and the DTV explain those, and the parent's own visa for a job is covered in the Non-B visa and work permit.
No "guardian visa" was found for parents. Some agents describe a visa that lets a parent live in Thailand just to accompany a child at school. We found no category under that name on the official e-Visa portal. A parent needs a visa in their own right, so settle that first and ask the embassy if you are unsure.
A newborn is a separate case, with birth registration and nationality rules of its own; see having a baby in Thailand.
Applying: timing, assessments and waiting lists
Check each school's academic calendar and ask whether it takes pupils during the year. Popular year groups at well-known schools can be full, and some schools keep waiting lists. We found no official figures for waiting times or for how places are allocated, so ask each school directly, including whether siblings get priority, and start the conversation as soon as you know you are moving.
Expect an application form, previous school reports, a copy of the passport, sometimes a reference from the current school, and an assessment or interview, often online for families still abroad. If your child's English is not yet fluent, ask what language support the school offers and whether it costs extra.
Visit, or at least join a live online tour, before you pay a deposit. Look at class sizes, the qualifications of the teachers, the turnover of staff and the support for children with learning needs. If you are a teacher yourself, the separate rules for the job are in our guide to teaching in Thailand.
Health insurance and everyday life
Schools may ask for vaccination records and health insurance details. Many families buy private cover for the whole household; our guide to health insurance for expats explains what to look for. For holidays, day trips and staying healthy with children in the heat, see Thailand with kids.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an international school cost in Thailand?
At five schools we checked, published tuition for 2026/27 runs from about 340,000 baht a year (preschool in Chiang Mai) to about 1.2 million baht (high school in the Bangkok area), plus one-time entrance or registration fees of 90,000 to 260,000 baht. Fees rise with the child's age.
Who accredits international schools in Thailand?
All international schools must be assessed by ONESQA, the Thai education standards office, and, according to ISAT, accredited by a recognized overseas agency such as CIS, ACS WASC, COBIS, NEASC or ISI by the end of their fifth year. ISAT itself is a membership association, not an accreditor.
What visa does my child need for school in Thailand?
Usually a Non-Immigrant O visa to stay with a parent who already lives in Thailand, or a Non-Immigrant ED visa for elementary or secondary study, both through the e-Visa portal. Children of LTR and DTV holders can use those visas' dependant categories instead.
Can a parent get a visa just to accompany a child at school?
We found no "guardian" visa category on the official e-Visa portal in October 2026. A parent needs a visa in their own right, such as a work, retirement, LTR or DTV visa. Check with the Thai embassy before you rely on any agent's promise.
Sources
- International Schools Association of Thailand – Accreditation (checked October 2026)
- International Schools Association of Thailand – Becoming our member (checked October 2026)
- Thai e-Visa – Non-Immigrant O visa categories (checked October 2026)
- Thai e-Visa – Non-Immigrant ED visa (checked October 2026)
- Bangkok Patana School – Tuition and fees 2026/27 (checked October 2026)
- International School Bangkok – Fees (checked October 2026)
- British International School, Phuket – School fees (checked October 2026)
- Lanna International School – School fees 2026/27 (checked October 2026)
- Chiang Mai International School – Tuition fees (checked October 2026)
- Board of Investment – Long-Term Resident visa (checked October 2026)