Living in Thailand ·8 / 11 · Education
Study, work and business · 01 / 04
Education
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Official source: to follow
Figures that change
- ①University tuition (table)Check pending
- ②Language schools with a Non-ED: 25,000–40,000 THBCheck pending
- ③International school feesCheck pending
General information, not legal, financial or investment advice.
Fees and conditions change often. Check on the school’s or university’s website before you apply.
Universities and degrees
Thailand has a large English-taught international programme sector, at a fraction of Western European prices.
| Institution | Known for | Tuition / year |
|---|---|---|
| Chulalongkorn University | The most prestigious; strong in business, engineering, arts | ฿120–250k① |
| Mahidol University International College | Medicine, sciences, hospitality | ฿180–320k |
| Thammasat (SIIT / BBA) | Law, politics, international business | ฿120–220k |
| Chiang Mai University | Cheapest of the top tier, great city to be a student in | ฿90–160k |
| AIT (postgraduate) | Engineering and development, English-only | ฿250–400k |
- Chulalongkorn UniversityKnown for: The most prestigious; strong in business, engineering, artsTuition / year: ฿120–250k①
- Mahidol University International CollegeKnown for: Medicine, sciences, hospitalityTuition / year: ฿180–320k
- Thammasat (SIIT / BBA)Known for: Law, politics, international businessTuition / year: ฿120–220k
- Chiang Mai UniversityKnown for: Cheapest of the top tier, great city to be a student inTuition / year: ฿90–160k
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- AIT (postgraduate)Known for: Engineering and development, English-onlyTuition / year: ฿250–400k
You will need a Non-ED visa, sponsored by the institution. Bulgarian secondary diplomas need apostille plus certified Thai translation. Some programmes accept the Bulgarian matura directly; others want IELTS 6.0–6.5.
Language, Muay Thai and short courses
Thai language schools offering a Non-ED visa charge 25,000–40,000 THB② for a year-long course (about 4 hours a week). Immigration has tightened enforcement — attend the classes; “visa schools” get audited.
Muay Thai camps, Thai massage certification and professional cookery are all valid grounds for the DTV soft-power route, which is far more flexible than an ED visa if you can meet the savings requirement.
Diving instructor training on Ko Tao remains the cheapest route to a professional PADI qualification anywhere in the world — roughly €2,000–3,000 for the full Divemaster-to-Instructor chain.
Schools for children
International schools follow British, American or IB curricula. Fees vary enormously③:
- Top tier (Bangkok Patana, NIST, Shrewsbury): ฿700k–1.1M per year
- Mid tier (Wells, St Andrews, Prem in Chiang Mai): ฿350–650k
- Bilingual Thai-English schools: ฿90–250k
Chiang Mai is significantly cheaper than Bangkok for equivalent quality. Most schools accept mid-year entry and will assess a child's English before placing them a year up or down.