Education System in Thailand: A Guide for Expats

Finding a suitable school in Thailand for your children can be a daunting task.

Thailand requires nine years of compulsory education, but free education actually runs for 15 years, covering kindergarten through Grade 12 (M6), under the government’s 15-Year Free Education Program. However, for many expats, the language and cultural barriers make public schools a difficult option.

Thankfully, Thailand boasts well over 200 international schools that offer the same standard of education as the West. But these don’t come cheap, and finding one that works for you and your children can be a challenge.

In this guide, we’ll break down how the education system works in Thailand, your options, and how much everything costs. Plus, we’ll cover some less-conventional options such as homeschooling.

How the Thai Education System Is Structured

Thai education follows a 6-3-3 model: six years of primary school, three years of lower secondary, and three of upper secondary. It’s overseen by the Ministry of Education and largely mirrors the systems you’ll find across much of Asia, so the overall shape will feel familiar even if the names don’t. Here’s how the levels break down.

The Grade Structure

Basic education in Thailand totals 12 years and is divided into three main levels. Primary education covers Grades 1 to 6 (known as Prathomsuksa, or P1-6). Lower Secondary education covers Grades 7 to 9 (Matthayomsuksa, or M1-3), and Upper Secondary education covers Grades 10 to 12 (M4-6).

Compulsory vs Free Education

It is important to understand the difference between compulsory and free education. Compulsory education in Thailand lasts for 9 years, covering Grade 1 through Grade 9 (M3). However, free education is provided for 15 years, running from kindergarten all the way through Grade 12 (M6), under the government’s 15-Year Free Education Program.

Education Quality in Thailand

The quality of education in Thailand varies enormously.

Cons

First, the bad news. According to a 2024 World Bank report, 23 percent of Thai students failed to achieve a minimum proficiency in reading by the end of primary school. Moreover, just 32 percent of students achieved a minimum proficiency in math by the end of lower secondary.

In 2022’s Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) exams, Thai students’ reading scores ranked 64 out of 81 countries. It beat only Indonesia and the Philippines in Asia. Math and science were not much better. Thailand ranked 58 in both subjects.

According to those same statistics, 45 percent of schools in rural Thailand have basic sanitation facilities. And only 60 percent have access to drinking water.

Even worse, a third of students aged 13 to 15 report that they had experienced bullying at school. Twenty-nine percent had experienced physical violence.

Many Thai schools still practice corporal punishment, even though it’s now illegal. Thailand only banned all physical punishment of children in March 2025, becoming the 68th country to do so. And the law hasn’t changed habits overnight: a 2022 UNICEF survey found that 54 percent of Thai children aged 1 to 14 had faced violent discipline in the past month, down from 75 percent in 2015.

The curriculum is another weak spot. It’s still built around old-fashioned rote learning, despite government efforts to modernize it. Classrooms are oversized, and teachers are overworked and underpaid. I can vouch for single-room classes of 50-plus students. You find them in rural schools and in central Bangkok alike, especially the temple schools run on wat grounds.

So, that’s the bad news.

Pros

The good news for expats is that it is possible to get a very good education in Thailand. There are good schools in each province throughout Thailand. In cities like Bangkok or Chiang Mai, the number of good schools increases.

This is due to the fact that there’s a large quality gap between big-city schools and those in rural areas.

The situation in Thailand’s cities is a lot better, as they have many top public and private schools.

Also, Thailand boasts well over 200 international schools, with new ones opening every year. These schools follow the curriculum of another country or a dedicated international curriculum.

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Let’s take a closer look at each of those options.

Kindergartens and Preschools

Government schools in Thailand offer two years of kindergarten for children aged 3 to 4. They also offer one year of preschool for 5-year-olds. Most private and international schools offer similar programs, albeit for a price.

Although these programs are optional, they tend to be extremely popular. They give kids an early advantage over their peers who begin compulsory education at age 6. And, in a country where both parents usually work, it means kids have someone to watch over them during the day.

For parents who want to start their children’s education early, language schools like Helen Doron offer courses for kids as young as 3 months old.

As stated above, most of the big international schools like Shrewsbury offer kindergarten programs for children age 3 and up.

Some good specialist kindergartens include Storytime Preschool and Raintree.

Thai Schools

Although all the schools in this article are in Thailand, not all follow the national curriculum. So, in this section, we’ll focus on schools that follow Thailand’s National Curriculum, as set by the Ministry of Education.

Thai curriculum schools fall under two categories:

• government schools
• private schools

Government Schools

Government schools collect funds from the government rather than fees paid by parents. Government schools are free for all Thai citizens, including children with one Thai parent. So if you’re married to a Thai person, your child can get a free education.

If you register your child at a government school, you have to submit your child’s birth certificate and tabien baan, or house registration.

Although the education is free, parents have to pay for school fees, textbooks, stationary, and uniforms. This cost ranges from a few thousand baht to over THB20,000 per year, depending on the school.

Many schools also offer extracurricular classes in English. So, your child can learn science and math in English, often by native-speaking teachers. After-school classes are also available.

Government schools tend to be where most of the problems we mentioned above lie. Low test scores and overcrowded classrooms are the most common issues. But it would be unfair to write government schools off completely.

Some government schools such as Triam Udom Suksa come highly regarded, and competition to get kids enrolled can be fierce.

Private Schools

Private schools follow the Thai curriculum but are funded by tuition fees. As a result, private schools offer better facilities and smaller class sizes than government schools. This makes them a good choice for parents who want their children to receive a Thai-style education without the problems that many government schools face.

Many of Thailand’s private schools were set up by Christian missionaries. The most famous is the all-boys Bangkok Christian College. In fact, it’s 174 years old, making it Thailand’s oldest operating school.

Others are technical or demonstration schools attached to universities, known as satit schools in Thai. Chulalongkorn Demonstration School is one example. There are also several chains of private schools, the most common of which are the Sarasas schools.

Private schools are a good option for parents on a budget. They provide many of the same benefits that international schools provide at lower costs.

One potential downside for expats is that most subjects at private schools are taught in Thai. This can make life hard for kids who aren’t native Thai speakers.

Bilingual and English Program (EP) Schools

For parents looking for a middle option between a traditional Thai-language school and a full international school, Bilingual and English Program (EP) or Mini English Program (MEP) schools are an excellent choice. These schools teach core subjects like math and science in English while keeping other subjects in Thai. This allows students to gain English proficiency while still remaining integrated into the Thai education system.

International Schools

International schools follow a curriculum other than that of Thailand’s national curriculum. The curriculum can come from the U.K. or the U.S., or it can be a dedicated international curriculum such as the International Baccalaureate (IB). International schools, particularly British schools, are offshoots of private schools in their respective countries. Two of these are Harrow and Shrewsbury.

International schools were set up to ensure continuity in education for the children of expats working abroad. Nowadays, they are an attractive proposition for many locals. After all, children can get a prestigious international education without leaving Thailand.

International schools aim to offer the same level of education as top schools in the West do. So they tend to offer top-of-the-line facilities and highly qualified teachers. As a result, fees tend to be on the pricier side, with annual tuition as high as THB1,000,000 per year at the best schools. But there are more reasonably priced schools out there.

International schools are usually the best choice for most expat families.

Classes at most international schools are almost entirely in English. Although most international schools do include compulsory Thai lessons. And students can earn qualifications that they can use in their home countries. These include the IGCSEs/A-Levels at U.K. schools and SATs at U.S. schools.

For more information, check out our guide on choosing the right international school.

Curricula: IB, British, and American

The International Baccalaureate (IB) program is widely offered across Thailand and provides a globally recognized framework focusing on critical thinking and independent research. It is a rigorous curriculum that prepares students for top universities worldwide.

The British curriculum is another popular option, known for its structured approach leading up to the IGCSE and A-Level examinations. Many international schools in Bangkok follow this system, providing a familiar path for expatriate families from the U.K.

The American curriculum offers a more flexible and holistic educational style, with continuous assessment rather than high-stakes final exams. Students earn a high school diploma and can take Advanced Placement (AP) courses, making it ideal for those planning to attend university in the United States. Regardless of the curriculum, non-Thai students enrolled in these institutions will generally need an education visa to reside in the country during their studies.

Universities

Westerners may not consider Thailand a good option for higher education, but the country does have some top universities. But only a handful of Thai universities rank in international surveys. The country’s top university, Chulalongkorn University, is ranked 221st in the QS World University Rankings as of January 2026.

Compared to their Western counterparts, Thai universities are inexpensive. And there are plenty of options for expats who want to study in a pleasant environment.

The most prestigious universities in Thailand are Chulalongkorn, Thammasat, and Mahidol. These universities are funded by the Thai government, but are otherwise self-governing.

As a result, tuitions are relatively low, as little as THB12,000 per term for some courses. But the requirements for enrollment are very high. These schools also offer courses in English, although these tend to be pricier.

Private universities such as Bangkok University or Assumption offer English programs too. They actively recruit international students, so they may be a better choice for expats.

For more information, check out our article on universities in Thailand.

Homeschooling

Homeschooling is an increasingly popular option for Thai and expat parents in Thailand. Homeschooling lets parents create a more tailor-made education for their children.

And there are plenty of benefits to homeschooling. You can adjust the curriculum to your children’s interests. They can work at their own pace. And you save a lot of money on tuition fees, uniforms, and commuting.

On the flip-side, it’s not for everyone. Homeschooling requires a lot of time, energy, and research from parents who might be trying to hold down full-time jobs.

One common criticism of homeschooling is that it reduces children’s social skills. But this is not the case, especially in Thailand where plenty of expat and Thai families homeschool and hold get-togethers.

Some homeschooling parents supplement their children’s homeschooling with co-ops. At these co-ops, homeschooling families get together for academic classes, sports, field trips, and more.

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If you’re interested in homeschooling your children in Thailand, search for some groups on Facebook. That’s a great place to meet other homeschoolers in the country.

For more information, check out our guide to homeschooling in Thailand.

Costs

As stated above, the cost of education in Thailand can vary, from practically free to over a million Thai Baht per year. Average international school fees are around THB500,000 per year. But expect this sum to change from year to year because fees increase with each year of education. So, parents of grade 12 students pay significantly more than those of kindergarten students.

There are also a whole bunch of extra costs to consider, such as application fees, deposits, and cost of materials.

Here is a sample of average annual fees from some well-known schools in Thailand. Note that these fees are for mainstream classes only. Some schools may offer extra programs that may cost extra.

	Triam Udom Suksa	Bangkok Christian College	Ruamrudee International School	Harrow International School	NIST International School
Kind of School:	Government	Private	International (USA)	International (UK)	International (IB)
KG:	–	–	THB544,400	THB646,100	THB628,200
Year 1-6/P1-P6:	–	THB40,000	THB686,000	THB852,600	THB842,800
Year 7-9/M1-3:	–	THB38,000	THB716,000	THB933,900	THB923,700
Year 10-13/M4-6:	THB12,000	THB80,000	THB786,000	THB1,012,200	THB1,094,500

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Thai education system work?

Basic education runs 12 years across three levels set by the Ministry of Education: Primary (Grades 1-6, Prathom or P1-6), Lower Secondary (Grades 7-9, Matthayom or M1-3), and Upper Secondary (Grades 10-12, M4-6).

Is education compulsory in Thailand?

Yes, but only for 9 years, Grade 1 through Grade 9 (M3). Upper secondary (M4-6) is not legally compulsory, though it is free.

Is Thai public school actually free?

Free education runs longer than the compulsory requirement, 15 years, from kindergarten through Grade 12 (M6), under the 15-Year Free Education Program. Parents still typically pay for uniforms, textbooks, and supplies.

Can expat children attend a Thai government school?

Government schools are open to non-Thai children, including in mixed-nationality families, though most instruction is in Thai and enrolment requirements should be confirmed with the individual school.

What is the difference between a government, private, and international school?

Government and private schools both follow Thailand’s national curriculum (private schools charge tuition for smaller classes and better facilities); international schools follow a UK, US, or IB curriculum instead.

What is a bilingual or English Program (EP) school?

EP and Mini English Program (MEP) schools are Thai-curriculum schools that teach core subjects such as maths and science in English while keeping other subjects in Thai, a middle option between a fully Thai-language school and a full international school.

What is the Thai school year like?

Thai public schools run two semesters a year, roughly mid-May to early October and then November to March, with exact dates set annually by the Ministry of Education. International schools often follow a calendar closer to the Western academic year.

Do international schools require a student visa?

Non-Thai children generally need an Education (ED) visa or equivalent status to enrol long-term; requirements are set through Thai Immigration in coordination with the school.

Sources Cited

• OBEC Basic Education Core Curriculum B.E. 2551 (Ministry of Education)
• UNICEF Thailand / OBEC 15-Year Free Education Program
• World Bank report
• UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2022, Thailand

Now, on to You

There are many great schools in Thailand that will suit the needs of any expat family.

Plus, because there are so many international schools in Thailand, your children’s education won’t be disrupted. They’ll fit right in whether they come from the U.S., U.K., or anywhere else.

Regardless of where you’re coming from, your children can get a quality, yet inexpensive education in Thailand.