International School Fees in Thailand 2026-27: Official Tuition and First-Year Costs at 16 Schools in Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hua Hin, Pattaya and Bangkok

Most guides to international school fees in Thailand stop at Bangkok. Yet many families live, or plan to live, somewhere else: a hillside campus outside Chiang Mai, an island school in Phuket, a boarding school near Pattaya or in the Khao Yai hills. And once you open a fee schedule, the annual tuition is only the first line. Below it come application fees, placement fees, bonds, development funds and deposits, and it is surprisingly hard to work out how much you actually need in the first year.

This guide puts the official 2026-27 fee schedules of 13 international schools outside Bangkok (in Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hua Hin, the Pattaya–Rayong area and Khao Yai) into one table, alongside three well-known Bangkok schools for comparison. For each school we list tuition for the first year of primary (Year 1 or Grade 1) and for the final year of high school, then add the one-off fees to show what the first year really costs.

Every figure comes from the schools’ own websites or PDFs, checked on 31 October 2026. Dollar conversions use a reference rate of 30 October 2026 (USD 1 = THB 33.73) and are rounded estimates.

The short answer: THB 309,000 to 753,500 a year outside Bangkok, and entry fees, deposits and annual charges add 14% to 47% in year one

• Year 1 / Grade 1 tuition at the 13 schools outside Bangkok: THB 309,000 to 753,500 a year (about USD 9,200 to 22,300). The most affordable is Grace International School in Chiang Mai; the most expensive is UWC Thailand in Phuket.
• Final year of high school: THB 379,000 to 999,000. The top figure is Year 13 at Rugby School Thailand, near Pattaya.
• One-off fees on entry: THB 73,500 to 356,000, usually an enrolment or placement fee plus, at many schools, a refundable deposit or bond.
• First-year cost is 1.14 to 1.47 times tuition. British International School Phuket, for example, charges THB 750,000 for Year 1, but with THB 356,000 of one-off fees the first year comes to THB 1,106,000 (about USD 32,800).
• All five Chiang Mai schools publish their fees, and their Year 1 / Grade 1 tuition (THB 309,000 to 530,400) sits at the lower end of the 13.
• Outside Bangkok does not automatically mean cheaper. UWC Thailand and BISP in Phuket charge about the same for the first year of primary as Bangkok Patana School (THB 749,000).

In Bangkok itself, the three schools we checked range from THB 392,000 (Wells) to THB 840,500 (NIST) for Year 1 / Grade 1, so the regional range overlaps almost entirely with the capital. The real differences are between schools, not cities.

International school fees in Thailand outside Bangkok: 2026-27 official table

The table takes each school’s published 2026-27 schedule and shows tuition for the first year of primary (Year 1 at British schools, Grade 1 at American and IB schools) and for the final year (Year 13 or Grade 12). Where a school bills by term, we use the sum of the standard term payments. “First-year estimate” is Year 1 / Grade 1 tuition, plus one-off fees on entry (including refundable deposits), plus any compulsory annual charge. Buses, lunches, uniforms, exam fees and boarding are not included.

Sources: each school’s official website or PDF, checked 31 October 2026. US dollars at USD 1 = THB 33.73 (30 October 2026), rounded to the nearest 100. *1 Regent’s Pattaya: sum of term payments; paying the full year by 31 July earns a 5% discount (THB 616,550 for Year 1). *2 Garden International School publishes a termly fee only (THB 139,500); we assume three terms, so the annual figure is our estimate. *3 St. Stephen’s Khao Yai: the published annual fee; paying in three instalments totals THB 411,900. Fees change every year, so confirm the final figures with each school.

Beaconhouse Yamsaard School Hua Hin is a bilingual school that combines the Thai curriculum with English programmes (its primary AEP track is THB 153,000 a year plus a THB 10,000 registration fee), so we have left it out of the table and the ranges. We could not find published fees on the official website of Kajonkiet International School Phuket.

Chiang Mai international school fees (five schools)

Chiang Mai has the widest choice of international schools in northern Thailand. All five schools below publish a 2026-27 fee schedule, and between them they cover IB, British and American curricula.

Prem Tinsulanonda International School (IB, boarding available)

An all-through IB school on a large campus in Mae Rim. Grade 1 costs THB 446,000 a year (four terms of THB 111,500) and Grades 9 to 12 cost THB 814,000. On entry, families pay a THB 6,000 application fee, a THB 130,000 Foundation Fee and a THB 50,000 security deposit (refundable on conditions), so the first year comes to about THB 632,000. Boarding costs THB 350,000 a year for weekly boarders and THB 478,000 for full boarders. Prem has the steepest rise in the table: Grade 12 tuition is about 1.8 times Grade 1.

Lanna International School (British)

A British school teaching Cambridge IGCSE and A Levels. Years 1 to 2 cost THB 530,400 and Years 12 to 13 cost THB 803,400, and unusually, IGCSE and A/AS Level exam fees are included in tuition. New students pay a THB 6,000 assessment fee, a THB 90,000 registration fee and a THB 13,000 equipment deposit (returned on leaving). A THB 10,000 capital fee, THB 1,000 parent contribution and THB 2,000 accident insurance are charged every year, bringing the first year to THB 652,400.

Chiang Mai International School (American)

Grade 1 costs THB 426,800 a year and Grade 12 THB 580,200, paid in two equal instalments. One-off fees are a THB 5,000 application fee, a THB 100,000 enrolment fee, a THB 2,000 alumni fee and a THB 5,000 deposit, which the school states is non-refundable. With the annual capital improvement fee (THB 10,000) and parent fee (THB 1,000), the first year is about THB 549,800.

Nakornpayap International School (American)

A WASC-accredited American school. Grades 1 to 3 cost THB 404,400 a year and Grades 9 to 12 THB 521,800. On entry, families pay a THB 5,000 application fee, a THB 80,000 registration fee and two refundable deposits (book THB 10,000, damage THB 20,000), for a first year of THB 519,400. Paying the registration fee by 31 July 2026 reduced it to THB 66,000.

Grace International School (American)

The most affordable full international school in this guide. Grades K to 5 cost THB 309,000 a year and Grade 12 THB 379,000. One-off fees are small (THB 2,000 application, THB 1,500 testing, THB 70,000 entrance, plus THB 1,500 if an English test is needed), but a THB 30,000 capitalization fee is charged every year. The first year comes to THB 412,500, or about 1.33 times tuition.

Phuket international school fees (three schools)

Phuket offers an IB school (UWC Thailand), a British school with the IB Diploma (BISP) and a British school (HeadStart). The first two are priced at the level of Bangkok’s best-known schools.

UWC Thailand International School (IB, boarding available)

Grades 1 to 5 cost THB 753,500 a year and Grades 11 to 12 THB 933,000. One-off fees total THB 297,000: a THB 7,000 application fee, a THB 100,000 placement fee, a THB 165,000 School Development Fund (once per family, or THB 220,000 for two or more children) and a THB 25,000 refundable deposit. With the THB 500 annual parent association fee, the first year comes to THB 1,051,000. Boarding costs THB 653,000 a year.

British International School Phuket (British + IB)

Year 1 costs THB 750,000 (terms of 300,000, 225,000 and 225,000) and Year 13 THB 960,200; the highest annual fee on the schedule is THB 982,700, for Years 9, 10 and 12. One-off fees are the largest in this guide: THB 6,000 application, THB 200,000 placement (for a one-child family; THB 250,000 for two or more) and a THB 150,000 refundable bond, THB 356,000 in all. The first year comes to THB 1,106,000. Boarding costs THB 396,400 to 509,300 a year.

HeadStart International School Phuket (British)

The same fees apply at both campuses: THB 480,000 a year for Years 1 to 6 and THB 540,000 for Years 12 to 13, the smallest rise from primary to final year in this guide. One-off fees are a THB 8,000 application fee, a THB 100,000 entrance fee and a THB 75,000 endowment fee that is refunded on conditions when the child leaves, for a first year of THB 663,000.

Hua Hin, Pattaya, Rayong and Khao Yai international school fees (five schools)

Hua Hin International School (British + IB)

Primary costs THB 603,150 a year (three terms of 201,050) and the IB Diploma THB 740,550. One-off fees are just a THB 4,000 application fee and a THB 80,000 enrolment fee; the schedule lists no refundable deposit. That gives the lowest ratio in this guide: a first year of THB 687,150, about 1.14 times tuition. There is no Regent’s school in Hua Hin; Regent’s schools in Thailand are in Bangkok and Pattaya.

Regent’s International School Pattaya (British + IB)

Years 1 to 2 cost THB 649,000 a year in term payments and Years 12 to 13 THB 899,000, with 5% off for paying the full year by 31 July (THB 616,550 for Year 1). One-off fees are a THB 7,500 application fee and a THB 107,000 enrolment fee. From Year 6, an Experiential Curriculum fee of THB 18,000 is charged every year. A Year 1 first year is about THB 763,500.

Rugby School Thailand (British)

The Thai sister school of Rugby School in England. Years 1 to 2 cost THB 736,000 a year and Years 12 to 13 THB 999,000, with lunch and exam fees included. One-off fees total THB 305,500 (THB 5,500 application, THB 200,000 acceptance, THB 100,000 refundable deposit), for a first year of THB 1,041,500. Boarding costs THB 285,100 to 493,800 a year.

Garden International School Rayong and St. Andrews International School Green Valley (British + IB)

Two schools in the same Ban Chang area. Garden lists Year 1 at THB 139,500 a term (THB 418,500 if three terms, our estimate) and Year 13 at THB 304,900 for each of two terms (THB 609,800). One-off fees are THB 5,000 application, THB 120,000 enrolment and a THB 40,000 refundable deposit, so the first year is about THB 583,500. St. Andrews charges THB 632,000 for Year 1 and THB 867,500 for Year 13; with a THB 5,000 application fee, THB 100,000 entrance fee and THB 100,000 deposit (refundable on conditions), the first year is THB 837,000. St. Andrews also lets families spread the entrance cost as a THB 20,000 capital levy over six terms.

St. Stephen’s International School Khao Yai (British, boarding available)

A British boarding school in the cool Khao Yai hills. Years 1 to 2 cost THB 403,800 a year and Years 12 to 13 THB 581,000. One-off fees include a THB 5,000 application fee, a THB 80,000 enrolment fee and three deposits (THB 10,000 for trips and events, THB 50,000 against notice of withdrawal, THB 30,000 refundable security), THB 175,000 in all. The first year comes to THB 578,800, about 1.43 times tuition. Full boarding costs THB 370,800 a year.

Beyond tuition: how one-off fees change the first year

Thai international school fee schedules usually carry three kinds of charge on top of tuition:

• Enrolment fees (also called entrance, placement or acceptance fees): paid once, not refunded. In this guide they range from THB 70,000 (Grace) to THB 200,000 (BISP and Rugby).
• Development or capital fees: some schools charge them once on entry (Prem’s THB 130,000 Foundation Fee, UWC’s THB 165,000 Development Fund); others charge every year (Grace THB 30,000, Lanna THB 10,000).
• Deposits and bonds: returned when your child leaves, minus anything owed. BISP’s bond is THB 150,000, Rugby’s and St. Andrews’ deposits THB 100,000. You get the money back, but you still need the cash on day one.

Two schools with similar tuition can end up far apart. Nakornpayap (Grade 1, THB 404,400) and St. Stephen’s (Year 1, THB 403,800) differ by only THB 600 in tuition, yet their first years are THB 519,400 and THB 578,800, a gap of almost THB 60,000. The reverse also happens: Hua Hin International School’s tuition is THB 157,150 higher than Prem’s, but because its one-off fees are smaller, the first-year gap shrinks to THB 55,150. Compare schools on two numbers: the first-year total, and the annual cost from year two.

International elementary school in Thailand: Year 1 vs Grade 1 fees

If you are looking for an international elementary or primary school in Thailand, first note that Year 1 and Grade 1 are not the same year. At a British school, a child starts Year 1 at age 5 (on 31 August); at an American school, Grade 1 is usually age 6. A six-year-old at a British school goes into Year 2.

• American Grade 1 (Chiang Mai): Grace THB 309,000, Nakornpayap THB 404,400, Chiang Mai International School THB 426,800.
• IB Grade 1: Prem THB 446,000, UWC Thailand THB 753,500.
• British Year 1: St. Stephen’s THB 403,800, Garden THB 418,500 (estimate), HeadStart THB 480,000, Lanna THB 530,400, Hua Hin THB 603,150, St. Andrews THB 632,000, Regent’s THB 649,000, Rugby THB 736,000, BISP THB 750,000.
• Bangkok, for reference: Wells Grade 1 THB 392,000, Bangkok Patana Year 1 THB 749,000, NIST Year 1 THB 840,500.

Fees also rise as your child moves up. Final-year tuition ranged from about 1.13 times the Year 1 / Grade 1 fee (HeadStart) to 1.83 times (Prem). A primary fee that feels manageable can become a stretch by secondary school, so trace the fee schedule all the way to graduation before you commit. Our guide to affordable international schools in Bangkok covers lower-cost primary options in the capital.

How Bangkok compares

Bangkok has more than 100 international schools and a much wider range of fees. Here are three well-known schools from their official 2026-27 schedules:

• NIST International School (IB): Year 1 THB 840,500, Year 13 THB 1,132,800. One-off application, assessment and registration fees total THB 273,500, and families then choose either a refundable THB 575,000 Campus Development Deposit or a non-refundable THB 60,500 every year. With the annual option, the first year is THB 1,174,500; with the deposit, THB 1,689,000. NIST’s Year 1 is the same age as a British Year 1 (a US kindergarten).
• Bangkok Patana School (British + IB): Year 1 THB 749,000. One-off fees are a THB 5,500 application fee, THB 250,000 entrance fee and THB 50,000 deposit; with the THB 30,000 annual capital assessment fee, the first year is THB 1,084,500.
• Wells International School (American): Grade 1 THB 392,000, Grade 12 THB 570,000. One-off fees of THB 180,000 (including a THB 35,000 refundable damage deposit) make the first year THB 572,000.

For a full comparison of the capital’s schools, see our guide to international schools in Bangkok, and for assessments and application timing, international school admissions in Bangkok. Elsewhere in the region, we compare affordable international schools in Asia and the fees of 18 well-known international schools in Asia. Japanese families can also weigh Japanese School tuition abroad; the Japanese School in Bangkok charges THB 146,000 a year.

Choosing a school in Thailand: three steps

• 1. Work out the first-year total. Add enrolment, development and deposit payments, plus compulsory annual charges, to Year 1 / Grade 1 tuition. Across the 13 schools outside Bangkok, that came to 1.14 to 1.47 times tuition.
• 2. Line up the year groups and the rise to graduation. A British Year 1 is a year younger than an American Grade 1, and final-year tuition can be up to 1.8 times the first year of primary.
• 3. Separate money you get back from money you do not. Deposits and bonds are refunded on leaving; enrolment fees are not. Check early-payment and full-year discounts too, such as Regent’s 5%.

If an employer pays, ask whether one-off fees, deposits and boarding are covered. And if no school within reach offers the curriculum you want, or the fees simply do not fit, adding English-medium learning online is another route; we explain how that can work in our online school curriculum.

Where NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY fits

NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY (NGA) is an online international school for ages 6–18, planned to open in September 2027. It is run by NIJIN Inc., which operates NIJIN Academy, an online school in Japan for children who do not attend school, where more than 1,000 children have studied. NGA’s idea is to move beyond test-score rankings and help children come to like both themselves and the world. It plans small live classes in which subjects are taught in English and supported by bilingual Japanese–English mentors, with admission that is not based on test-score rankings.

To be clear about the limits: NGA has not opened, is not accredited, has not published its fees and has no graduates. It cannot replace a Thai international school if your child needs a campus to attend every day, friends to see in person, or a recognised qualification such as the IB Diploma or A Levels. Where we hope to help is for families who live far from the school they want, or whose children attend a Japanese or Thai school and need more time learning in English.

FAQ

How much are international school fees in Thailand?

From the official 2026-27 schedules in this guide, Year 1 / Grade 1 tuition runs from THB 309,000 (Grace, Chiang Mai) to THB 753,500 (UWC Thailand, Phuket) outside Bangkok, and from THB 392,000 (Wells) to THB 840,500 (NIST) at the three Bangkok schools we checked. Final-year tuition reaches THB 999,000 outside Bangkok and THB 1,132,800 at NIST. One-off fees then add 14% to 47% in the first year at the 13 schools outside Bangkok.

Are international schools in Chiang Mai cheaper than in Bangkok?

The five Chiang Mai schools here (THB 309,000 to 530,400 for Year 1 / Grade 1) cost less than Bangkok’s best-known schools, but not less than every Bangkok option: Wells in Bangkok charges THB 392,000 for Grade 1. Phuket’s UWC Thailand and BISP cost about the same as Bangkok Patana.

Are deposits and bonds refundable?

Usually, when your child leaves and after anything owed is deducted, but the terms vary. Chiang Mai International School, for example, states that its THB 5,000 deposit is non-refundable, and some schools hold a deposit against notice of withdrawal. Read the refund terms before you pay.

Does my child need to speak English to enrol?

Most schools assess applicants, and many list an assessment or testing fee (Lanna THB 6,000, Grace THB 1,500). The level expected depends on the school and year group, so ask each admissions office before applying.

Choosing where to live and choosing a school are the same decision

Outside Bangkok, international school fees in Thailand run from the low THB 300,000s in Chiang Mai to the THB 700,000s at the best-known schools in Phuket and near Pattaya, a gap of more than two times within one country. One-off fees then lift the first year by 14% to 47%. Before the size of the numbers decides for you, put the first-year total and the rise to graduation side by side; a workable choice usually becomes clearer.

In Thailand, where you live largely decides which schools you can reach. So while you compare the schools around you, it can help to keep one option on the list that does not depend on your address. NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY plans to open in September 2027, with trial classes expected in April–May 2027.

Get NGA opening updates by email →

Related reading

• International elementary schools in Bangkok——2026-27 primary fees at nine schools, Year 1 vs Grade 1 and EAL support