How to Apply to an International School in Thailand

A step-by-step guide to applying to an international school in Thailand: when to start, what documents schools ask for, how assessments and interviews work, how waiting lists behave, and how places are confirmed — including applying from overseas before you move.

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How to apply to an international school in Thailand: when to start, the documents you need, English assessments, entrance tests and mid-year starts.

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Country: Thailand
Sections: 14
Questions answered: 10
Schools listed: 18
Read time: 14 min read

How applying to an international school in Thailand actually works

The basic sequence

Contact the school and ask about space in your child's specific year group
Submit the application form and supporting documents, usually with an application fee
Take part in an assessment or interview appropriate to your child's age
Receive an offer, or be placed on a waiting list
Accept by paying a deposit or registration fee before the stated deadline

There is no central application system for international schools in Thailand. You apply to each school separately, on that school's own form, to that school's own timetable, and you can hold applications at several schools at once. Nobody allocates you a place, nobody ranks your preferences, and no catchment area decides where your child goes. That is liberating and slightly unnerving in equal measure: everything depends on you contacting the right schools early enough and keeping track of what each one has asked for.

In practice most applications follow the same broad shape. You make first contact with the admissions team, usually by web form or email. The school confirms whether it has space in the year group your child would enter — this is the question that decides everything, and it is a year-group question, not a school question. You then submit an application form with supporting documents, and usually pay a non-refundable application fee. The school reviews the paperwork, arranges some form of assessment appropriate to your child's age, and if all goes well makes an offer. You accept the offer by paying a deposit or registration fee by a stated deadline, and the place is yours.

When should you apply for an international school in Thailand?

A workable timeline

9–6 months out: shortlist schools, ask about space in the specific year group, book visits or online tours
6–4 months out: submit applications and documents, pay application fees, schedule assessments
4–2 months out: complete assessments, receive offers, compare the full cost of each
2 months out: accept a place, pay the deposit, confirm start date, uniform, bus and any language support
Any time: apply anyway if you are late — schools receive applications year-round

The honest answer is: earlier than feels necessary. Most international schools in Thailand run an August-to-June academic year, and the main intake is at the start of that year. Families aiming for an August start commonly begin enquiring in the previous autumn and apply over the winter and early spring. Six to nine months ahead is comfortable. Three months ahead is workable at many schools. Three weeks ahead is possible but narrows your choices sharply.

That said, the timing question is really two questions. The first is when the school will accept your application, and the answer at most schools is essentially any time — applications are received year-round. The second is when the places actually go, and that is where the pressure lies. Popular year groups at popular schools can be committed months before the year starts, particularly the natural entry points where a school takes in a larger cohort.

Can you apply before you move to Thailand?

Yes, and most relocating families do. Applying from overseas is completely normal, and schools are set up for it. You will usually be able to complete the whole process remotely: the application form online, documents by email or upload, an interview by video call, and in many cases an assessment arranged remotely or through your child's current school.

There are a few practical differences when you apply from abroad. Schools commonly ask for a little more evidence, simply because they cannot meet your child in person — a fuller set of school reports, sometimes a reference from the current school, occasionally a short piece of written work. Time zones make scheduling slower, so allow extra days at each step. And some schools will make an offer conditional on an in-person check once your child arrives, particularly for English-language support or for older students entering an examination year.

What documents do you need to apply?

Documents schools commonly ask for

School reports for the last two years, translated into English where necessary
A reference or transfer form from the current school (more common for older children)
Child's passport, and usually parents' passports
Birth certificate, used to confirm the correct year group
Immunisation and health records, sometimes on the school's own medical form
Passport-style photographs
Any existing learning support, educational psychology or language assessment reports

Requirements vary by school and by the child's age, but the core set is fairly consistent across Thailand. Assemble it once, keep it as clean scans in a single folder, and every subsequent application becomes much faster.

School reports are the centrepiece for any child who has already been to school. Most schools ask for the last two years of reports, and some ask for more. If your child's reports are not in English, schools commonly ask for a translation; requirements for whether that translation must be certified vary, so ask before you pay for one. Reports do more than confirm attainment — they tell the receiving school how your child learns, how they behave, and whether they have needed any additional support.

How do previous school reports and references get used?

Reports and references are the main way a school forms a picture of a child it has not yet taught. Admissions teams read them for three things: whether the child is working broadly at the level of the year group they are applying for, whether there is any pattern of difficulty that would need support, and whether the child is likely to settle into the school's particular environment.

An important point for families moving between systems: schools expect reports to look unfamiliar. A grading scale from another country, subject names that do not map neatly, a school year that runs on different dates — none of that is a problem. What matters is that the reports are complete and genuine. If your child has moved schools recently, or if a period of remote or interrupted schooling shows in the record, explain it in a short covering note rather than leaving the school to guess.

English-language assessment: what if your child's English is still developing?

Because international schools in Thailand teach in English, most assess English before offering a place — but the purpose of that assessment varies enormously, and understanding the difference matters more than preparing for the test itself.

Some schools assess to decide whether to make an offer at all. This is most common for older students, particularly those entering the final years of secondary, where there is little time to build academic English before public examinations. Some schools set an entry threshold at those ages for exactly that reason.

Other schools assess to decide what support a child will need, not whether to admit them. Many international schools in Thailand run English as an Additional Language provision, and the assessment simply places the child at the right level. Younger children in particular are very often admitted with limited English, on the reasonable basis that a five-year-old immersed in an English-speaking classroom will pick it up.

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Entrance tests, assessments and interviews

Assessment by age, in broad terms

Early years: play-based observation, focused on settling and communication
Primary: English and mathematics, often with a taster session in class
Lower secondary: written papers, sometimes standardised online tests
Upper secondary: subject-specific assessment plus an interview about course choices
Any age: an English-language assessment where English is not the child's first language

Almost every international school in Thailand assesses applicants in some way, but "assessment" covers a wide spectrum and the form it takes depends mostly on the child's age.

For early years and the youngest primary children, assessment is usually a play-based session or an informal observation, sometimes lasting an hour, sometimes a morning in class. The school is looking at social readiness, communication and how the child separates from a parent. There is nothing to revise and very little to prepare beyond making sure your child is rested and not anxious about it.

For primary-age children, expect a more structured session covering English and mathematics, often alongside a period spent in a class so teachers can see how the child interacts. Some schools use their own papers; others use standardised online assessments, which has the practical advantage that they can be sat from anywhere in the world.

For secondary students, assessment is generally more formal: written English and mathematics, sometimes a reasoning test, sometimes a subject-specific paper where a student is applying for particular courses. Students entering the final examination years may be assessed against the specific subjects they intend to take, because the school needs to know the choices are viable.

How do schools decide whether a child is a good fit?

Schools are making two judgements at once: can we teach this child well, and will this child do well here? The first is largely about academic level and support needs. The second is about the match between the child and the school, and it is the part parents tend to underestimate.

On the academic side, schools look at whether the child can access the curriculum in the year group they would join, whether any gaps are the kind that normally close within a term or two, and whether the support the child needs is support the school actually provides. This last point is the crux. International schools in Thailand vary widely in learning support: some have well-staffed departments and specialist provision, others are candid that they can only offer light in-class differentiation. A school declining a place on those grounds is not a judgement on your child — it is usually an honest assessment of its own capacity, and it saves everyone a painful year.

What happens when a school is full? Waiting lists explained

Waiting lists are normal in Thailand rather than exceptional, and being placed on one is not a rejection. In most cases it means the school would happily take your child but has no space in that particular year group right now.

How lists work varies. Some schools maintain a strict queue in date order; others hold a pool and select from it when a place opens, weighing academic fit, cohort balance and sometimes siblings. Some charge a small fee to join, some do not, and policies on whether a place must be accepted within a fixed window differ. Ask directly how the school's list operates, roughly how many families are ahead of you in that year group, and how much movement they typically see — most admissions teams will tell you, and the answer varies dramatically between year groups at the same school.

Movement itself is fairly predictable in character if not in timing. Expat populations turn over: contracts end, families repatriate, companies transfer people at short notice. That means places genuinely do appear, often with very little warning, and often in the weeks immediately before a term starts. Waiting-list patterns are also strongly local — how much turnover a school sees depends on the industries and communities around it — which is exactly the kind of detail a city-level guide can add.

Can a child start mid-year, and what if you arrive mid-term?

Yes, mid-year starts are common and international schools in Thailand handle them routinely. A child arriving in November or February is not unusual, and schools generally have induction arrangements — a buddy, a settling-in period, a check-in with the form tutor — because they do it every year.

Availability is the real constraint, and again it is year-group specific. A school can be completely full in one year and have three spaces in the next. Because of that, the single most useful question when you arrive mid-year is not "do you have space?" but "do you have space in Year X starting in January?" — ask it of every school on your list, including the ones you assumed were full.

Bangkok Patana School — an international school in Bangkok — Bangkok Patana School, Bangkok

School visits and campus tours: do you need to be in Thailand?

You do not need to be in Thailand to apply, and you do not need to visit before applying. You should, if you possibly can, see a school before you commit to it — but that can happen at several points in the process, and there are good alternatives when it cannot happen at all.

In-person tours are usually straightforward to arrange and are best taken on a normal school day rather than at an open event, because you see the school as it actually runs. Ask to see the specific year group your child would join and, ideally, to meet the teacher. A tour of impressive facilities tells you far less than ten minutes in the classroom your child would sit in.

Where a visit is impossible, most schools now offer video tours and video calls with admissions staff, and many will arrange a conversation with a current parent — often one from your own country or in a similar situation. That last option is undervalued: current parents will tell you about the bus routes, the real cost of the extras and the school's communication style in a way a prospectus never will.

Offers, deposits and confirming a place

Before you accept a place, check

The full fee schedule, including registration, capital or development levies, bus, lunch, uniform, devices, trips and exam fees
Which payments are refundable, and under exactly what conditions
The notice period for withdrawal and what happens if you leave at short notice
How fees have changed over the last few years
What language or learning support was agreed, in writing
The exact year group, start date and, where relevant, subject choices
The real commute at the real time of day, and which areas the school bus serves

When a school decides to offer a place, you will normally receive a written offer setting out the year group, the intended start date, the fees for the coming year, the amount payable to secure the place and the deadline for paying it. That deadline is the part to watch, because it is often short — a week or two is common — and it does not usually move just because you are waiting to hear from another school.

The payment that secures a place goes by several names: a registration fee, an enrolment fee, a place deposit or a refundable security deposit. They are not the same thing. Some are one-off and non-refundable, some are credited against the first term's fees, and some are genuinely refundable when your child eventually leaves, provided notice is given correctly. Requirements vary, and the difference can be substantial, so ask in writing exactly what each payment is, whether it is refundable, and under what conditions.

How the process differs by your child's age

Age changes almost everything about an application, and families with more than one child often find they are running two quite different processes at once.

For early years and kindergarten, applications are the most informal. Assessment is observational, English is rarely a barrier, and the main constraints are class size limits and the school's minimum age rules — which vary, and are usually tied to a cut-off date rather than to the child's birthday alone. Confirm which class your child's date of birth places them in, because British and American systems divide the same ages differently.

For primary, the process becomes more structured but remains flexible. Places at the start of primary are usually the easiest to obtain because schools take a larger intake at that point; places in the middle of primary depend on turnover. English support is widely available at this stage and rarely blocks an offer.

A practical checklist for parents

Your application checklist

Confirm the year group your child's date of birth places them in
Shortlist by curriculum, location, budget and support needs — not by reputation alone
Email each school asking specifically about space in that year group on your start date
Scan reports, passports, birth certificate and health records into one folder
Arrange translations of non-English reports where required
Book visits, video tours or parent conversations
Submit applications and pay application fees; note every deadline
Complete assessments and interviews; ask what support was identified
Compare full costs, not tuition alone, before accepting
Read the enrolment contract, especially notice periods, before paying a deposit

Applying well is mostly organisation. The families who find it straightforward are not the ones with the most time — they are the ones who prepared their documents once and asked the same clear questions of every school.

Start by deciding your non-negotiables: the curriculum, the part of Thailand you will live in, the realistic annual budget including extras, and any support your child needs. Those four filters usually reduce a long list to a manageable handful of schools. Then work through the sequence below, keeping a simple spreadsheet with each school's status, deadline and outstanding requirements — with three or four applications running at once, deadlines are the thing that slips.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you apply to an international school in Thailand?

You apply directly to each school — there is no central system. Contact the admissions team to check space in your child's specific year group, submit the school's application form with school reports, passport, birth certificate and health records, pay the application fee, complete an assessment or interview, and then accept any offer by paying a deposit or registration fee before the stated deadline.

When should I apply for an international school in Thailand?

Six to nine months before your intended start date is comfortable for an August start, and many families begin enquiring the previous autumn. Applications are accepted year-round, but popular year groups fill months ahead. If you are applying later than that, apply anyway — availability varies sharply by year group and places do appear.

Can I apply to an international school in Thailand from overseas?

Yes. Applying before you move is normal and schools are set up for it — forms online, documents by email, interviews by video call and assessments arranged remotely or through your child's current school. Some schools make an offer conditional on an in-person check after arrival, particularly for English support or for older students.

What documents do I need for an international school application in Thailand?

Most schools ask for the last two years of school reports (translated into English where necessary), your child's passport, parents' passports, a birth certificate, immunisation and health records, and photographs. Some also request a reference from the current school and any existing learning support or language assessment reports. Requirements vary, so check each school's list.

Is there an entrance test for international schools in Thailand?

Most schools assess applicants, but the form depends on age. Early years is usually a play-based observation, primary typically involves English and mathematics plus time in class, and secondary generally means written papers and an interview. Some schools use standardised online tests that can be sat from overseas.

What happens if the school is full and my child goes on a waiting list?

A waiting list usually means the school would take your child but has no space in that year group. Some schools work in strict date order, others select from a pool when a place opens. Ask how the list works and how much movement that year group sees, apply to more than one school, and keep the school updated on your arrival date.

Can my child start mid-year at an international school in Thailand?

Often yes, if there is space in the right year group — mid-year starts are common and schools have settling-in arrangements. The exception to think carefully about is a child part-way through a two-year examination course such as IGCSE or the IB Diploma, where the subjects and examination boards need to match.

Do I need to visit the school in Thailand before applying?

No, you can apply and receive an offer without visiting. Most schools offer video tours and calls with admissions staff or current parents. If you can, see the school in person before paying the main deposit — on a normal school day, and ideally travelling at the time your child would travel, because commutes vary a great deal.

What does it cost to apply, and is the deposit refundable?

Most schools charge a non-refundable application fee, and secure the place with a registration or enrolment fee or a deposit. These are not the same thing: some are one-off and non-refundable, some are credited against the first term's fees, and some are refundable on departure if notice is given correctly. Ask in writing which applies before you pay.

What if my child's English is not strong enough yet?

Many international schools in Thailand admit children with developing English and provide English as an Additional Language support, especially at younger ages. Some schools set an entry threshold for older students entering examination years, because there is less time to build academic English. Ask how support is delivered, whether it costs extra and how long the school expects it to last.

International schools in Bangkok

International schools in Chiang Mai

International schools in Phuket

International schools in Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard

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