Guidance on how to study in Thailand. Top 30 schools and universities in Thailand, study fees, rankings

For foreigners who came to Thailand for a long time, from the first day the problem of choosing an educational institution for children arises. The educational system in Thailand, at first glance, is very similar to the Russian one and consists of several stages:

• pre-school (nursery and kindergarten),
• school secondary,
• vocational and technical,
• Higher.

Educational institutions of all stages of education are of three types: public, bilingual (private) and international.

The Constitution of Thailand guarantees free secondary education and makes it mandatory for all citizens of the country, but parents will still have to spend money on transport to school, uniforms, food. For foreigners, all training is paid.

Due to the hot tropical climate, the school year does not begin in September, but in May and consists of two semesters. The first is from May to October, the second begins in November and ends in March. International high schools adhere to the curriculum adopted in Europe and the United States (depending on the curriculum).

Another feature of local education is the mandatory uniform. Starting from kindergarten, the appearance of students is strictly regulated.

There're no problems to choose a kindergarten in Thailand as there's a plenty of them. The choice is huge and presented by municipal institutions, private, international. Private kindergartens can be either Thai or foreign (leisure and education of children is organized according to the system of another country, the staff are foreigners).

Children are accepted on kindergarten from 2 years old, kids up to this age can be sent to a private nursery.

A feature of Thailand's pre-school education is its unlimited diversity and loyalty: this applies both for  the curriculum and the schedule of visits. For state kindergartens there is a system of requirements from the ministry, but each institution independently builds a program and classes. There is also no strict schedule of visits: parents can bring and pick up their child at any time, and not necessarily all days of the week.

In private kindergartens, more attention is paid to classes: in some institutions, kids get acquainted with English, learn to write and read. The cost of studying is from 6000 ฿ per month.

Programs of international kindergartens are most often built according to the British system, a lot of time is devoted to studying English. Such kindergartens cost more - about 10,000 ฿ per month.

The secondary education system in Thailand has the following structure: two stages (primary and secondary), each is divided into two stages. In general, secondary school takes 12 years (from 6 to 17).

The school year begins in May (with the exception of international schools, and at the end of each school year students pass the required exams. There are letters to estimate students' success as in the USA , where A is excellent and F is unsatisfactory.

Thais' worldview is reflected in the educational sphere, which may be unusual for foreign students. A soft attitude towards children, a ban on any punishment (the teacher cannot even raise his voice), life on the principle of “sanuk sabay” (fun and harmony) - all this makes the Thai school a place where children are very comfortable to develop.

The international certificate, the quality of knowledge that meets European standards and fluency in English will allow the child to continue education abroad. The cost of studying for foreign students depends on the prestige of the institution, at least 30,000 ฿ per year. The best schools include:

• International School of the Eastern Seaboard (Pattaya International School);
• Regents International school (Pattaya);
• British International School (Phuket).

At the age of 15, students go to the second level of secondary education (Matthayom 4-6), where they choose the direction of their further education. There are two options: academic (for those who plan to enter the university) and professional (after receiving a certificate they start working).

The higher educational system in Thailand is represented by universities (public, private, international). Education in them is paid for everyone, but the price is affordable (sometimes even lower than in private schools) - from 15,000 ฿ per semester. Student dormitory accommodation is already included. All higher educational institutions of the country are open to foreign students, admission is on a common basis. Classes are held in English and Thai, and knowledge of these languages is a prerequisite for admission (in some universities, knowledge of English is sufficient). The best universities whose diplomas are valued throughout the rest of the world are in Bangkok and Phuket:

• Chulalongkorn University Bangkok. Included in TOP-200 world ranking of the best universities;
• Mahidol University, State University. Recognized as one of the best medical universities in the world. The central building is located in Bangkok;
• Assumption University of Thailand, Bangkok. Prestigious University of Thailand. There are more than 100 undergraduate programs (from medicine to art);
• Kasetsart University, Bangkok. Included in all world university rankings. The most popular is a program for engineers. One of the best in teaching quality.

Thai university diplomas are valued by employers around the world, and the low cost of studying makes international higher education accessible to everyone.