International Schools in Thailand: Which to Pick by Area, With 2026/27 Fees

Live in Bang Na or eastern Sukhumvit? Bangkok Patana is on Soi La Salle, from THB 515,000 a year. Near the river or centre, Shrewsbury has campuses on Charoen Krung Road and Khlong Samsen Road. North Bangkok: Harrow, in Don Mueang. Chiang Mai: Prem in Mae Rim, Lanna in Hang Dong.

On this page
  1. Bangkok east, Bang Na: Bangkok Patana School
  2. Bangkok riverside and central: Shrewsbury International School Bangkok
  3. Bangkok north, Don Mueang: Harrow International School Bangkok
  4. Chiang Mai north, Mae Rim: Prem Tinsulanonda International School
  5. Chiang Mai south, Hang Dong: Lanna International School
  6. All five schools side by side
  7. Visas for a child
  8. Common questions

Start with where you live, because each school sits in a different part of Bangkok or Chiang Mai. Then check the one-off fees: Lanna in Chiang Mai asks THB 96,000 in non-refundable fees, and Bangkok Patana asks THB 255,500 for a first child.

Bangkok east, Bang Na: Bangkok Patana School

Choose Patana if you live in Bang Na or along eastern Sukhumvit, because it is on Soi La Salle (Sukhumvit 105).

Outdoor swimming pool with lane ropes and shade canopies on a school campus under a blue sky
The swimming pool at Bangkok Patana.

The curriculum is British up to Year 11 and the International Baccalaureate in Years 12 and 13. Apply early, since Patana often has waiting lists. From Year 8 up, students can ride a school shuttle to and from Bangna BTS.

Patana also runs its own school bus across a large part of the city, but it cannot guarantee a seat in every district. A one-way ride in Zone 1A costs THB 47,000 a year on top of tuition. Ask the school to confirm your bus zone before you sign a lease.

Tuition already includes lunch for primary students and the compulsory residential visits for Years 3 to 10 and Year 12. A third child gets 5% off.

Skip Patana if you want a low entry cost, because the entrance fee is THB 250,000 for a first child. Skip it too if your child needs English support, which costs THB 105,000 a year in Year 1 to Year 9.

The application fee is THB 5,500 from 1 August 2026, and an offer brings an invoice for a non-refundable initial THB 50,000, offset against the first tuition invoice. The THB 50,000 deposit comes back on withdrawal with the required notice.

Bangkok riverside and central: Shrewsbury International School Bangkok

Choose Shrewsbury if you live near the river or the centre. Riverside is on Charoen Krung Road, and City Campus is on Khlong Samsen Road in Huai Khwang.

School name sign in English and Thai at the entrance, with flags and hedges behind
The entrance sign at the riverside campus.

Shrewsbury teaches the English National Curriculum to boys and girls aged 2 to 18 across two central campuses. Nursery is on the City Campus only, and Years 7 to 9 are Riverside only. Tuition covers lunch, snacks, books and library use.

Plan the move between campuses early. A child who finishes Year 6 at City Campus goes on to Year 7 at Riverside, and the refundable deposit transfers with them. Uniform, IT devices, music lessons, residential trips and the school bus are extra.

Skip Shrewsbury if the deposit is a problem. The refundable deposit is THB 225,000 per child, on top of a THB 225,000 non-refundable Guaranteed Place Fee. The deposit is refunded on graduation or when the school gets written notice at least 60 school days before the child leaves. The application fee is THB 5,000 per child.

Bangkok north, Don Mueang: Harrow International School Bangkok

Choose Harrow if you live in the north of Bangkok, since it is at Soi Kosum Ruam Chai 14 in Don Mueang. It follows IGCSE and A Level courses.

Dark entrance sign reading Harrow International School in English and Thai beside the gate
The school gate sign.

Tuition comes with lunch and snacks at no additional charge. Young children who need English get support from Pre Nursery to Year 5 at no extra charge.

Harrow takes day students and boarders. Buses are door-to-door routes run by Montri Transportation, and a new route can open once five or more students live in an area. If your area has no route yet, you could ask other families nearby, since five students are enough to open one.

Skip Harrow if you want low entry fees, because the admission fee is THB 225,000 and non-refundable. The deposit is THB 200,000 for a day student and THB 275,000 for a boarder. It comes back only with one full term of written notice on the school’s withdrawal form.

Chiang Mai north, Mae Rim: Prem Tinsulanonda International School

Choose Prem if you live north of Chiang Mai, since it is in Huai Sai, Mae Rim District. The IB Middle Years Programme runs in Grades 6 to 10.

Campus entrance sign among green lawns and a flowering tree beside a curving path
The campus entrance.

Prem sits on a 100-acre campus with a forest school and a farm. Children in Grades 3 to 8 who need extra English can join the Intensive English Programme, and the boarding fee covers accommodation, meals, health insurance, laundry and weekend activities. Book a visit on a school day, since the campus is what sets Prem apart from the city schools.

Prem’s one-off cost is THB 136,000 non-refundable, well below the Bangkok schools. Families with two or more children enrolled at once get tuition reductions, starting at 10% for the second child. A 2% reduction applies when a full year is paid up front.

Skip Prem if you want the bus included, because day-student transport costs THB 17,100 to THB 20,700 per term. The deposit is refundable only after one term of written notice. For a first look at the city, see the Chiang Mai first-time guide and the sister guide chiangmaijao.com (opens in a new tab).

Chiang Mai south, Hang Dong: Lanna International School

Choose Lanna if you live south of the city in Hang Dong District. We recommend it for families who want the lowest entry cost of the five, since assessment plus registration come to THB 96,000.

Brick and glass school building with an Early Years sign
The Early Years building.

Lanna opened in 1993 as a British school for ages 2 to 18, built on the National Curriculum of England and the Cambridge pathway. Tuition includes the external tests and all examination fees, including IGCSE and A/AS Levels. Lunch and transport are optional fees you can take or leave.

Early Years cost THB 413,400 a year and Years 12 to 13 cost THB 803,400. Ask for the fee schedule before you compare, since the capital fee and insurance below come on top.

Skip Lanna if you want one flat fee. Every student also pays a capital fee of THB 10,000 a year and a THB 2,000 accident insurance supplement. Intensive English costs THB 40,000 a year. Enrolment fees are charged again if a student returns after more than 12 months.

All five schools side by side

Fees are in Thai baht for the 2026/27 school year. Compare stages, not school names, because each cell is the youngest or oldest stage the school prices.

School Area Youngest stage, per year Final years, per year One-off, non-refundable The one thing to know
Bangkok Patana Bang Na, Bangkok THB 515,000 THB 1,014,000 THB 255,500 Lunch and residential visits sit inside tuition
Shrewsbury Riverside and City Campus, Bangkok THB 696,300 THB 1,256,700 THB 230,000 Refundable deposit of THB 225,000 per child
Harrow Don Mueang, Bangkok THB 737,600 THB 1,063,000 THB 230,000 Boarding is offered, with a THB 275,000 boarder deposit
Prem Mae Rim, Chiang Mai THB 416,000 THB 814,000 THB 136,000 Day-student transport costs THB 17,100 to THB 20,700 per term
Lanna Hang Dong, Chiang Mai THB 413,400 THB 803,400 THB 96,000 Exam fees sit inside tuition

Adding the refundable deposit, the cash due before the first day is:

  • Patana: THB 305,500.
  • Shrewsbury: THB 455,000.
  • Harrow, day student: THB 430,000.
  • Prem: THB 186,000.
  • Lanna: THB 109,000.

Visas for a child

A child studying at a Thai private school can hold a Non-Immigrant ED visa, and the school writes a letter confirming enrolment, signed by an authorised person. A private school must hold a licence to operate before the Immigration Bureau grants a student extension. Ask the school for its licence before you pay the entrance fee.

For a formal private school the Bureau grants the period the school certifies, up to 1 year at a time. A non-formal private school gets up to 90 days at a time and 1 year in total. The ED visa guide covers the extension step by step.

If a parent holds another visa, a child can often join it:

  • A Non-Immigrant O dependant visa covers the spouse and children of a Non-Immigrant B, ED or O-A holder.
  • Children under 20 of a DTV holder can apply under the family purpose. See the DTV visa guide.

The LTR visa guide explains who counts as a dependant under that programme. For a wider budget, see Thailand cost of living by city and moving to Thailand. More in the living guides.

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  • Lanna International School

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Not confirmed: Whether a state school will enrol a foreign child. Ask the education office for the district where you live. Exam results, entrance test content and application deadlines are not covered here. Ask each school's admissions office.

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Common questions

What do I pay Bangkok Patana before my child starts?

The application fee is THB 5,500 from 1 August 2026. The entrance fee is THB 250,000 for a first child. The refundable deposit is THB 50,000.

Which of the five schools includes lunch in tuition?

Shrewsbury includes lunch and snacks, and Harrow provides lunch and snacks at no additional charge. Patana includes lunch for primary students. At Lanna, lunch is an optional fee.

Are the deposits refundable?

Yes at all five, with conditions. Patana returns it on withdrawal with the required notice. Shrewsbury needs 60 school days of written notice, and Harrow needs one full term.

Do the schools give sibling discounts?

At Patana the third child is 5% off, and Shrewsbury matches it. At Prem the second child is 10% off. At Lanna, families with two or more children get sibling discounts.

Which visa does a foreign child need to study at a Thai private school?

A child can study on a Non-Immigrant ED visa, backed by a letter from the school confirming enrolment. The school must hold a licence to operate before a student extension is granted.

Can my child join a parent's visa?

A Non-Immigrant O dependant visa covers the spouse and children of a Non-Immigrant B, ED or O-A holder. Children under 20 of a DTV holder can apply under the family purpose.

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