🇹🇭 Thailand · city school guide
International schools in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai offers credible British, American and international pathways at lower headline prices than many Bangkok schools. The market is smaller, though, so families should confirm space, learning support and the route to the exact campus before choosing a home.
Last verified 12 September 2026
The short answer
What should families know first?
Chiang Mai can give families a manageable school run and a strong international community, provided the chosen school works through the child's next stage. For a primary-age new starter, the published examples below produce first-year totals of roughly THB 496,000 to THB 736,200 before transport and individual support.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiang Mai International SchoolWat Ket / east of the Ping | American standards-based curriculum; AP coursesAges 3-18 | THB 341,700-580,200Kindergarten-Grade 5: THB 426,800 | Application THB 5,000; new-student enrolment THB 100,000; alumni THB 2,000; annual capital improvement THB 10,000; PTG THB 1,000; enrolment deposit THB 5,000 | About THB 549,800about £12,300 in your selected planning currency |
| Lanna International SchoolHang Dong / south-west Chiang Mai | English National Curriculum; Cambridge IGCSE and A levelsAges 2-18 | THB 413,400-803,400Years 3-6: THB 616,200 | Assessment THB 6,000; registration THB 90,000; refundable equipment deposit THB 13,000; annual asset fee THB 10,000; parent committee THB 1,000 | About THB 736,200 payableabout £16,500 in your selected planning currency |
| Panyaden International SchoolNam Phrae / Hang Dong | British-style inquiry pathway; IB Diploma in senior schoolAges 2-18 | THB 321,000-594,000Years 5-6: THB 403,000 | Application THB 3,000; admission THB 75,000; refundable deposit THB 15,000 | About THB 496,000 payableabout £11,100 in your selected planning currency |
Chiang Mai International School
Wat Ket / east of the Ping
- Curriculum
- American standards-based curriculum; AP courses · ages 3-18
- Published tuition
- THB 341,700-580,200Kindergarten-Grade 5: THB 426,800
- Joining costs
- Application THB 5,000; new-student enrolment THB 100,000; alumni THB 2,000; annual capital improvement THB 10,000; PTG THB 1,000; enrolment deposit THB 5,000
- First-year benchmark
- About THB 549,800about £12,300 in your selected planning currency
Lanna International School
Hang Dong / south-west Chiang Mai
- Curriculum
- English National Curriculum; Cambridge IGCSE and A levels · ages 2-18
- Published tuition
- THB 413,400-803,400Years 3-6: THB 616,200
- Joining costs
- Assessment THB 6,000; registration THB 90,000; refundable equipment deposit THB 13,000; annual asset fee THB 10,000; parent committee THB 1,000
- First-year benchmark
- About THB 736,200 payableabout £16,500 in your selected planning currency
Panyaden International School
Nam Phrae / Hang Dong
- Curriculum
- British-style inquiry pathway; IB Diploma in senior school · ages 2-18
- Published tuition
- THB 321,000-594,000Years 5-6: THB 403,000
- Joining costs
- Application THB 3,000; admission THB 75,000; refundable deposit THB 15,000
- First-year benchmark
- About THB 496,000 payableabout £11,100 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.
Chiang Mai International School
About THB 549,800
Uses the published primary tuition and listed entry or annual charges; excludes transport, meals and individual support.
Open the school pageLanna International School
About THB 736,200 payable
Includes the refundable equipment deposit; excludes transport, meals, uniform and child-specific support.
Open the school pagePanyaden International School
About THB 496,000 payable
Includes the refundable deposit; excludes transport, meals and published EAL or Thai-language support charges.
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 year, not the whole school
A school can be accepting applications while a particular grade or support team is full. Ask for the child's current position before paying a non-refundable assessment fee.
Keep the next stage in view
A school that suits primary may offer a different senior pathway from the system the child will re-enter. Check subject breadth, examinations and transfer records now.
Plan for the air-quality season
Ask how the campus monitors air, filters indoor spaces, changes outdoor activity and communicates closures or remote-learning arrangements during severe episodes.
- 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.
Chiang Mai International School
Verify current WASC accreditation and the AP subjects available in the child's likely senior years.
Lanna International School
Verify Cambridge registration, exam boards and any current accreditation or membership claimed for this campus.
Panyaden International School
Verify the exact IB Diploma authorisation and any accreditation claim in the official 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
Is a place and suitable support capacity available in the child's exact grade?
- 2
Which EAL, learning-support, counselling or one-to-one services are included, and what is charged separately?
- 3
How does the school manage air filtration, indoor sport and learning during poor-air-quality days?
- 4
Can support continue through IGCSE, A levels, AP or the IB Diploma, including examination access arrangements?
- 5
Will the support lead review reports and speak with the current school before the family accepts 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.
Hang Dong
Lanna, Panyaden and other southern choices make this a practical school-first base, with more space but a longer trip to some city-centre workplaces.
Wat Ket and the east
CMIS sits east of the Ping. Nearby living can simplify school days while keeping central Chiang Mai accessible.
Nimman and Suthep
Popular for apartments and amenities, but cross-city travel to Hang Dong schools should be tested during the actual school run.
Mae Rim and the north
Northern living can suit other campuses and a quieter setting, but is not a neutral base for the south-west school cluster.
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 Chiang Mai sheetContinue your research
Put the school inside the wider family move
Common questions
Questions about international schools in Chiang Mai
How early should we apply to international schools in Chiang Mai?
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 Chiang Mai?
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 Chiang Mai 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.
Are Chiang Mai international schools cheaper than Bangkok schools?
Many published Chiang Mai fees are lower than Bangkok's premium-school schedules, but this is not universal and the market offers fewer alternatives. Compare the complete first-year invoice and the likely secondary-stage cost, not city averages.
How should families assess Chiang Mai air quality when choosing a school?
Ask for the school's written monitoring thresholds, filtration approach, indoor alternatives, communications and attendance policy. Also inspect filtration and sealing in the intended home, because exposure continues outside school hours.