The education system in Thailand consists of three levels: pre-primary, primary and secondary. In this post, we have collected the most detailed information for those who are thinking about moving with the whole family and are busy with education planning in Thailand or want to enrol in a Thai university themselves.
Content:
- Education system: from pre-primary schooling to university
- Preschool education in Thailand
- What schools are there in Thailand?
- School system
- What studying costs in 2026
- What has changed in Thai schools
- Is homeschooling legal in Thailand?
- Vocational schools in Thailand
- Higher education in Thailand
- Buying property in Thailand for relocation and studying
- Frequently asked questions
"Parents compare schools by the annual price when they should compare the full estimate: enrolment fee, deposit, bus, uniform, lunches, exam charges. Two schools with the same headline price can end up thirty per cent apart."
— a school placement consultant working in Thailand
Education system: from pre-primary schooling to university
Foreigners who have already moved to the country with children or are just planning to relocate have two main questions: how to buy an apartment in Thailand and how Thai schools work. The education system here may be different from the one in your country.
In the kingdom, there is such a thing as “basic education”. It is provided free of charge and includes six years of primary school and three years of secondary school (secondary school lasts longer, but only the first three years are included in basic education).
The full cycle of education, including higher education, is 15 years. Free education for this period is guaranteed by the Constitution of the state. Below we will give you more detail about each stage in the kingdom's education system.
Preschool education in Thailand
Parents can take their toddlers to nurseries. There are free preschools in Thailand at educational institutions, or you can take your child to private ones. In the nursery, teachers look after the children, play with them and engage in developmental programs.
From three to five years old, children go to kindergarten. It provides more than just child care since at this age, children begin to learn various skills, including:
- Basic English
- reading
- writing
- drawing
In addition, children begin to be examined in kindergarten and they also get homework. The education system in Thailand provides for active work from the first years of life. This has its advantages, as self-study and discipline skills are developed at a high level.
What schools are there in Thailand?
Schools in Thailand usually include three levels:
- Elementary education
- Lower secondary education
- Upper secondary education
As a rule, children go to school from the age of six. If a child receives complete secondary education in Thailand, they graduate at approximately 17-18 years of age.
There are regular comprehensive and secondary schools in Thailand, Christian schools (for religious families), international schools as well as academic and vocational upper secondary schools that help prepare for enrolling in universities. Public schools are supervised by the government, but there are also private institutions that you can send your children to. If you want your children to attend an upper secondary school then they have to pass an entrance exam.
In public schools, all lessons (except foreign languages) are taught in Thai, while in private schools lessons can be taught in English, French, German, Chinese or Japanese.
Parents should keep in mind that under the education law every child on Thai soil is entitled to 15 years of free basic education regardless of nationality or immigration status, and the Ministry of Education confirmed this again for the 2025 academic year. In practice public schools often ask foreign families to pay for uniforms, meals, textbooks and extra classes, so check the terms with the particular school.
Therefore, we recommend considering private schools in Thailand for foreigners. They allow you to choose a more in-depth program. Several schools offer full boarding schooling which means students can live right there during their studies.
In addition, the equipment in private schools is often much better than in public schools. For instance, you can find an option with a swimming pool, a gym as well as a variety of school clubs where every student can choose an interesting leisure activity.
School system
Education is not taught in terms, as in many countries, but in semesters. This allows children to immediately get used to the rhythm that awaits them later when receiving higher education. This system has a direct impact on when the school year begins in Thailand:
- The first semester in schools lasts from May to October
- followed by a month of vacation
- The second semester runs from November to March;
- Then students have another vacation until the start of the new school year
At the start of their studies, school children only study basic subjects:
- Thai
- Mathematics
- Natural Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Foreign Languages
- Art
- Physical Education
Towards the end of school, studying in Thailand involves several special disciplines (electives), for which students will have exams. Some of the most popular areas of study are advanced language, mathematics and science programs.
What studying costs in 2026
The spread between types of school is wider than the difference between cities. These are the 2026 benchmarks.
| Stage | Cost |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten | THB 6,000–17,000 ($181–513) a month |
| Bilingual school | THB 150,000–350,000 ($4,530–10,570) a year |
| International school | usually THB 200,000–700,000 ($6,040–21,135) a year, up to THB 950,000 at premium campuses |
| Bachelor’s degree, international programme | THB 100,000–400,000 ($3,020–12,080) a year |
| Bachelor’s degree, Thai-language programme | from THB 12,000 ($362) a semester at public universities |
| Master’s degree, international programme | from THB 130,000 ($3,925) a year |
On top of tuition, budget for the enrolment fee, uniform, school bus and meals — that adds 10 to 30% to the annual bill. Students should also allow THB 1,900–3,900 a year in visa fees and health insurance from THB 3,000.
What has changed in Thai schools
Education in Thailand is focused on automating processes and introducing new technologies: schools have moved to shared cloud services, coursework is submitted electronically, and marking and personalised recommendations are increasingly handled by algorithms. How far a particular school has gone depends on its budget.
Two other changes matter more for foreign families. Since 2025 schools that sponsor study visas report attendance every month, and keeping the visa requires attending at least 80% of classes. And the Ministry of Education has confirmed access to public schools for every child regardless of nationality or immigration status.
Is homeschooling legal in Thailand?
If for some reason the nearest school in Thailand is not suitable, or there are serious problems with the language, homeschooling may be the solution. This format has been permitted since 2004 and every family has the right to choose distance learning.
You can attach to a specific school or use individual training programs that are easy to find on the websites of the relevant organizations. The only real requirements for homeschooling in Thailand are applying and passing an annual assessment.
Vocational schools in Thailand
Colleges in Thailand offer vocational upper secondary education. You can study to become a technical professional, a cook, a cyber-specialist or attend other programs. In addition to classroom learning, vocational schools in Thailand offer foreigners distance learning with courses and certification exams.
Higher education in Thailand
Higher education in Thailand for foreigners is offered by public and private institutions. There are more than 160 of them in the country and the quality of the education is quite high.
In addition, public universities receive financial support from the government. Therefore, studying with them can be cheaper.
However, enrolling in university is not easy as the selection criteria are especially strict at state institutions and you will also have to withstand competition with other applicants. Typically, as an entrance exam, prospective students are asked to pass a math test and write an essay.
The most popular directions for higher education in Thailand are:
- Marketing
- International Business and Affairs
- Management
If students have a property in Thailand, and it is close to the university where they study, they do not need to think about accommodation. If you do not have your own home, you will have to consider renting an apartment.
As for working, foreigners are prohibited from working in the kingdom on a student visa. The visa itself carries no right to work: any paid activity requires a separate work permit, and those are rarely issued alongside a study visa. The one legal route is to switch to a category B work visa and have an employer arrange the permit. Quiet side jobs are especially risky now: since May 2026 the Department of Employment has been inspecting employers in all 76 provinces, and working without a permit means a fine and deportation.
Education in Thailand for foreigners can be one of the ways to further legalise residence in the kingdom. So, if following a student visa you obtain a work visa and officially find employment in the country, you may get a chance to obtain citizenship after a few years.
To obtain Thai citizenship you need:
- To have lived in the country for at least five consecutive years as a permanent resident: residence status comes first and the years before it do not count
- To hold that permanent residence, which in turn requires three years of visa extensions, an application during the year-end window and a place within the quota of 100 people per nationality a year
- have no criminal record
- have a job and an income that scores under the points system: for single applicants the benchmark is from THB 80,000 ($2,415) a month
- speak Thai
- know the Thai anthem
- be of legal age
There are quite a few professions in the country in which personnel are constantly required: these are within the areas of IT, real estate, marketing and international affairs. If you manage to get a job in a sought-after specialty there should be no problems with the required threshold for obtaining citizenship.
Admission requirements for university and other higher education institutions
To enrol in a college or university in Thailand, you must:
- speak English
- have a certificate of completed upper secondary education
Tuition for a Bachelor's degree on an international programme runs THB 100,000–400,000 ($3,020–12,080) a year, while Thai-language programmes at public universities cost markedly less.
To enrol in a Master's program you will need:
- Bachelor's degree
- Optionally, the university may request a letter of recommendation and motivation
- pass entrance examinations: this can take the form of an interview or testing
A Master's degree on an international programme starts at about THB 130,000 ($3,925) a year and reaches $10,000 or more at the strongest universities.
If the applicant is not a resident of Thailand, they must obtain a student visa — now the Non-Immigrant ED or ED Plus. To apply for this visa you must provide papers confirming your enrollment in the university, for classroom learning and also pay at least 50% of the total cost of the program. A student visa is issued for a period of 90 days to one year. It is extended inside the country, you file the usual 90-day address report, and your institution reports your attendance every month.
Buying property in Thailand for relocation and studying
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Frequently asked questions
At what age do children start school?
State schools take children from six; international schools accept them from three into preschool groups. Compulsory education in Thailand lasts nine years.
Can a foreign child attend a state school?
Every child has the right to schooling regardless of nationality. Teaching is in Thai, which is why foreigners more often choose private and international schools.
How much does an international school cost?
From 200,000 baht a year in budget programmes to one and a half million in the top schools in Bangkok and Phuket, with fees on top of tuition.
Which curricula do international schools teach?
Most commonly British, American and the International Baccalaureate. The choice shapes where the child can apply afterwards.
Does a child need a study visa?
Yes, if they come to study independently. A child listed as a dependant on a parent's visa does not need a separate study visa.