🇹🇭 Thailand · city school guide
International schools in Bangkok
Bangkok has one of Southeast Asia's deepest school markets, but its leading campuses sit in very different parts of the city. Compare the education and the weekday journey together: a school in Bang Na, central Sukhumvit, Riverside or Nonthaburi creates a different family life.
Last verified 12 September 2026
The short answer
What should families know first?
Bangkok offers strong British, American and IB choices from early years to age 18. The harder decision is usually not finding a recognised curriculum; it is balancing year-group space, support, a first-year bill that can exceed tuition by several hundred thousand baht, and a home-to-school journey the family can sustain.
School comparison
Compare the curriculum, complete bill and location
We use current school-published fees where they are available and clearly label schools that require a personalised quotation. Every figure is for shortlisting, not a substitute for a written invoice for your child's exact year and support needs.
| School and area | Curriculum and ages | Published tuition | Joining costs | First-year benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok Patana SchoolBang Na | English curriculum to Year 11; IB in Years 12-13Ages 2-18 | THB 515,000-1,014,000Year 5: THB 796,000 | Application THB 5,500 from Aug 2026; entrance THB 250,000 first child; capital THB 30,000; refundable deposit THB 50,000 | About THB 1,131,500 payableabout £25,400 in your selected planning currency |
| International School BangkokNichada Thani, Pak Kret | American curriculum; AP and IB Diploma optionsAges 3-18 | THB 659,000-1,197,000Grades KG-5: THB 1,015,000 | Application THB 4,700; registration THB 260,000; annual fee THB 22,000; membership THB 10 | About THB 1,301,710about £29,200 in your selected planning currency |
| Shrewsbury International School BangkokRiverside or Rama 9 | English curriculum; IGCSE and A levelsAges 3-18 | THB 696,300-1,256,700Year 5: THB 944,700 | Application THB 5,000; guaranteed-place fee THB 225,000 | At least THB 1,174,700about £26,300 in your selected planning currency |
| St Andrews International School BangkokSukhumvit 71 / Phra Khanong | English curriculum; IGCSE and IB DiplomaAges 3-18 | THB 607,200-873,800Year 5: THB 682,000 | Application THB 6,500; Year 1-6 enrolment THB 160,000 | About THB 848,500about £19,000 in your selected planning currency |
Bangkok Patana School
Bang Na
- Curriculum
- English curriculum to Year 11; IB in Years 12-13 · ages 2-18
- Published tuition
- THB 515,000-1,014,000Year 5: THB 796,000
- Joining costs
- Application THB 5,500 from Aug 2026; entrance THB 250,000 first child; capital THB 30,000; refundable deposit THB 50,000
- First-year benchmark
- About THB 1,131,500 payableabout £25,400 in your selected planning currency
International School Bangkok
Nichada Thani, Pak Kret
- Curriculum
- American curriculum; AP and IB Diploma options · ages 3-18
- Published tuition
- THB 659,000-1,197,000Grades KG-5: THB 1,015,000
- Joining costs
- Application THB 4,700; registration THB 260,000; annual fee THB 22,000; membership THB 10
- First-year benchmark
- About THB 1,301,710about £29,200 in your selected planning currency
Shrewsbury International School Bangkok
Riverside or Rama 9
- Curriculum
- English curriculum; IGCSE and A levels · ages 3-18
- Published tuition
- THB 696,300-1,256,700Year 5: THB 944,700
- Joining costs
- Application THB 5,000; guaranteed-place fee THB 225,000
- First-year benchmark
- At least THB 1,174,700about £26,300 in your selected planning currency
St Andrews International School Bangkok
Sukhumvit 71 / Phra Khanong
- Curriculum
- English curriculum; IGCSE and IB Diploma · ages 3-18
- Published tuition
- THB 607,200-873,800Year 5: THB 682,000
- Joining costs
- Application THB 6,500; Year 1-6 enrolment THB 160,000
- First-year benchmark
- About THB 848,500about £19,000 in your selected planning currency
How we calculated the first-year figure
We used a new nine-year-old entering the closest published Year 5 or Grade 4 equivalent in the latest verified schedule, chose the annual tuition option where available, and added identifiable compulsory joining and development charges. When a current total is not public, we say that a quote is needed. Refundable deposits are explained in each note; optional transport, meals, uniform, devices, trips and individual support are excluded unless stated.
What sits behind the total
Read the small print before comparing two prices
A lower tuition figure is not necessarily a lower first-year bill. Open the current schedule and mark each amount as one-off, refundable, recurring or child-specific.
Bangkok Patana School
About THB 1,131,500 payable
Includes the THB 50,000 refundable deposit; excludes bus and any EAL fee.
Open the school pageInternational School Bangkok
About THB 1,301,710
Excludes optional transport; the place deposit is credited through the school's payment process.
Open the school pageShrewsbury International School Bangkok
At least THB 1,174,700
Minimum disclosed total before any refundable deposit, bus, residential trip or personal equipment.
Open the school pageSt Andrews International School Bangkok
About THB 848,500
Excludes transport and any assessed English or learning-support fees.
Open the school pageLocal-currency figures preserve the school's published billing basis. Selected-currency equivalents are rounded planning estimates, not transaction quotes.
Admissions and waiting lists
Start early, but ask about a real place before paying
“Applications open” and “places available” are not the same thing. Ask the admissions team to explain the position for the exact year group, start date and support profile.
Ask about the exact year now
Bangkok Patana reports waiting lists, while other schools accept rolling applications subject to space. Ask whether the correct year is open, wait-pooled or only likely to open later.
Send the whole learning picture
Provide recent reports, curriculum history, language profile and any assessments before paying. A school may have a general place but no capacity for the support required.
Protect the move from timing risk
Read offer-expiry, deposit, refund and deferral rules alongside the family's employment and immigration timetable.
- Ask whether the year is open, at capacity, using a wait pool or only accepting priority applicants.
- Confirm what assessment is required, whether it can be completed remotely and when a decision is normally made.
- Request the offer deadline, deposit treatment, deferral rules and refund position if employment or immigration changes.
- Ask whether siblings receive priority and whether each child is assessed independently for a place and support.
Accreditation checks
Verify the exact claim, campus and programme
“International”, “British”, “American”, “IB” and “Cambridge” do not all describe the same kind of approval. Check each claim with the body responsible for it.
Bangkok Patana School
Verify CIS accreditation and the IB Diploma/Career-related programmes for this campus.
International School Bangkok
Verify WASC/CIS status and the exact IB Diploma authorisation.
Shrewsbury International School Bangkok
Verify claimed COBIS status and the exam boards used for IGCSE and A levels.
St Andrews International School Bangkok
Verify the school's current IB programme and COBIS/accreditation claims in the relevant directories.
Useful distinction: IB candidacy is not authorisation; membership of an association is not always accreditation; and an exam-centre relationship does not prove that every year follows that provider's full curriculum.
Learning and language support
Questions to ask the support lead, not only admissions
A school can be a strong general choice and still be unable to meet one child's needs in one particular year. Ask for a conversation with the person responsible for provision.
- 1
Can the school meet the child's needs in the requested year now, and is support capacity capped separately from class capacity?
- 2
Which support is included in tuition, and which EAL, therapy, aide or specialist services carry an extra fee?
- 3
Who coordinates outside therapists and how are recommendations used in the classroom?
- 4
What happens if needs become clearer after admission or additional one-to-one help is recommended?
- 5
Can the family speak with the support lead before accepting an offer?
School transport and neighbourhoods
Let the confirmed campus shape the home search
Compare the door-to-door journey in school-week traffic, including rain, bus collection, sibling campuses and after-school pickup.
Bang Na
Bangkok Patana sits east of the centre. Nearby living can simplify school days, but may lengthen commutes to Sathorn, Silom or northern Bangkok.
Central Sukhumvit
NIST and St Andrews suit different points along Sukhumvit. BTS access helps adults, but the school gate and final road journey still matter.
Riverside and Rama 9
Shrewsbury's campuses serve different ages. A convenient home for one campus may not work after a child changes site or when siblings split.
Nichada / Nonthaburi
ISB can support a close-knit school-home routine in Nichada, but it is a distinct northern base rather than a central Bangkok commute.
Ask the transport team: Is the route door-to-door or stop-based? Who supervises younger pupils? What is the earliest pickup, latest drop-off and after-activity option? Can routes change, and is a seat guaranteed for the intended address?
Printable school shortlisting sheet
Keep every answer in one place
Use the city-labelled worksheet to compare up to six schools, build the full first-year bill and record the accreditation, support and transport questions that still need an answer.
Download the Bangkok sheetContinue your research
Put the school inside the wider family move
Common questions
Questions about international schools in Bangkok
How early should we apply to international schools in Bangkok?
Start serious enquiries six to twelve months before the intended start, and earlier for a popular year group or specialist support. Many schools use rolling admissions, but that means applications are considered as places arise - not that every grade always has space.
Does paying an application fee guarantee a place?
No. Application and assessment fees are normally non-refundable and pay for the admissions process. Ask whether the school has a likely place in the correct year and can support your child before paying.
What does the first-year estimate include?
Our benchmark uses one new primary-age pupil and the school's published annual-payment tuition plus compulsory application, registration, entrance, capital or development charges that could be identified. We show refundable deposits separately or explain when they are included. Transport, meals, uniforms, devices, trips and individual support remain outside the total unless stated.
Can we rely on a school's accreditation logo?
Do not rely on the logo alone. Search the accreditor or programme provider's current directory, match the exact campus and programme, and check whether the status is membership, candidacy, authorisation or full accreditation.
How should we compare learning support?
Send recent reports and professional assessments before applying. Ask what is delivered in class, what requires extra staffing or fees, the current caseload, whether places are limited, and what would happen if your child's needs change.
Should we choose a home before choosing a school in Bangkok?
Usually no. Confirm a realistic school place first, then test the journey at the actual drop-off and collection times. A short map distance can still create a difficult weekday routine.
Are the schools in this guide ranked or sponsored?
No. This is an independent research comparison, not a league table. Schools are included because their curriculum, location and published information help families understand the Bangkok market. Sponsored directory visibility does not affect this guide.
Do international-school fees in Thailand stay the same after the first year?
No. Fees are normally reviewed annually and often rise as a child moves through the school. Model at least three years, including a move into secondary or senior qualifications, and read withdrawal and refund rules before paying.
Which Bangkok area has the most international schools?
There is no single school district. Established clusters include central and eastern Sukhumvit, Bang Na, Rama 9, the Riverside corridor and the Nichada/Pak Kret area. Start with the school and work locations, then choose the smallest workable triangle.