🇹🇭 Thailand · city school guide
International schools in Phuket
Phuket's international schools stretch from the north of the island to Chalong, with major campuses around Thalang, Koh Kaew, Cherngtalay and the south. Choose the school and campus before the beach or neighbourhood: island traffic makes a cross-island school run difficult to sustain.
Last verified 12 September 2026
The short answer
What should families know first?
Phuket offers British, Cambridge, IB and French/international routes, including day and boarding options. The comparison is wide: the published primary first-year examples below range from at least THB 403,500 to more than THB 1.1 million before transport and optional 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British International School, PhuketKoh Kaew | English curriculum; IGCSE and IB DiplomaAges 3-18 | THB 489,000-1,037,900Year 5: THB 758,300 | Application THB 6,000; family placement fee THB 200,000 for one pupil; refundable bond THB 150,000 | About THB 1,114,300 payableabout £25,000 in your selected planning currency |
| HeadStart International SchoolChaofah or Cherngtalay | English curriculum; Cambridge qualifications and A levelsAges 2-18 | THB 347,000-540,000 at ChaofahYears 1-6: THB 480,000 | Application THB 8,000; endowment THB 75,000; entrance THB 100,000 | About THB 663,000about £14,900 in your selected planning currency |
| UWC Thailand International SchoolThalang / north Phuket | Full International Baccalaureate continuumAges 2-18 | THB 345,000-933,000Grades 1-5: THB 753,500 | Application THB 7,000; placement THB 100,000; one-child family development fund THB 165,000; refundable deposit THB 25,000; annual parent association THB 500 | About THB 1,051,000 payableabout £23,600 in your selected planning currency |
| BCIS PhuketChalong | Cambridge/English and French streamsAges 2-18 | THB 302,000-502,500Years 3-6: THB 403,500 | Application, registration, entrance and deposit charges apply; use the school's current calculator or written quotation for the complete amount | At least THB 403,500about £9,100 in your selected planning currency |
- Curriculum
- English curriculum; IGCSE and IB Diploma · ages 3-18
- Published tuition
- THB 489,000-1,037,900Year 5: THB 758,300
- Joining costs
- Application THB 6,000; family placement fee THB 200,000 for one pupil; refundable bond THB 150,000
- First-year benchmark
- About THB 1,114,300 payableabout £25,000 in your selected planning currency
HeadStart International School
Chaofah or Cherngtalay
- Curriculum
- English curriculum; Cambridge qualifications and A levels · ages 2-18
- Published tuition
- THB 347,000-540,000 at ChaofahYears 1-6: THB 480,000
- Joining costs
- Application THB 8,000; endowment THB 75,000; entrance THB 100,000
- First-year benchmark
- About THB 663,000about £14,900 in your selected planning currency
UWC Thailand International School
Thalang / north Phuket
- Curriculum
- Full International Baccalaureate continuum · ages 2-18
- Published tuition
- THB 345,000-933,000Grades 1-5: THB 753,500
- Joining costs
- Application THB 7,000; placement THB 100,000; one-child family development fund THB 165,000; refundable deposit THB 25,000; annual parent association THB 500
- First-year benchmark
- About THB 1,051,000 payableabout £23,600 in your selected planning currency
BCIS Phuket
Chalong
- Curriculum
- Cambridge/English and French streams · ages 2-18
- Published tuition
- THB 302,000-502,500Years 3-6: THB 403,500
- Joining costs
- Application, registration, entrance and deposit charges apply; use the school's current calculator or written quotation for the complete amount
- First-year benchmark
- At least THB 403,500about £9,100 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.
British International School, Phuket
About THB 1,114,300 payable
Includes the refundable bond; excludes transport, boarding, meals and optional activities.
Open the school pageHeadStart International School
About THB 663,000
Uses the published Chaofah primary fee; excludes transport, meals and any EAL or additional-needs fee.
Open the school pageUWC Thailand International School
About THB 1,051,000 payable
Includes the one-child development amount and refundable deposit; excludes bus, boarding and individual support.
Open the school pageBCIS Phuket
At least THB 403,500
Tuition floor only because joining charges require a current personalised calculation; exclude transport and optional services.
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.
Name the campus in every question
Some Phuket providers operate more than one campus. Confirm the child's starting site, any later move and whether siblings would travel together.
Ask for the full island-family invoice
Request joining charges, transport, meals, devices, trips, EAL, additional-needs support and boarding where relevant—not tuition alone.
Test availability before committing to a home
Popular grades and support places can fill. Keep the lease flexible until the school has issued a suitable offer and the family has checked its conditions.
- 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.
British International School, Phuket
Verify current IB Diploma authorisation, CIS accreditation and the exam boards attached to the relevant programme.
HeadStart International School
Verify Cambridge registration, examination pathways and the current status of any external accreditation claimed.
UWC Thailand International School
Verify PYP, MYP and DP authorisation separately in the IB directory and check current CIS status.
BCIS Phuket
Verify the exact Cambridge programmes, French-stream recognition and any accreditation claimed for the campus.
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 the place available at the correct campus and is support capacity confirmed separately?
- 2
Which EAL, additional-needs, counselling, therapy or one-to-one services are included and which cost extra?
- 3
How does support transfer if a pupil moves between campus, division or qualification stage?
- 4
What transport supervision and emergency arrangements apply during heavy rain or disrupted roads?
- 5
Can the family speak with the support and safeguarding leads before paying the placement or registration charge?
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.
Koh Kaew
BISP creates a central-north school anchor. The area can reduce daily travel while retaining access towards Phuket Town and Thalang.
Cherngtalay and Thalang
HeadStart Cherngtalay and UWC Thailand support different northern shortlists. Check the exact campus and road rather than grouping the whole north together.
Chaofah and Phuket Town
Central living may balance work and HeadStart's Chaofah campus, but can still be a long journey to north-island schools.
Chalong and Rawai
BCIS and other southern options favour a southern family base. Cross-island school runs are especially vulnerable to rain and road incidents.
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 Phuket sheetContinue your research
Put the school inside the wider family move
Common questions
Questions about international schools in Phuket
How early should we apply to international schools in Phuket?
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 Phuket?
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 Phuket 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 part of Phuket is best for international schools?
There is no single best area. Koh Kaew, Cherngtalay/Thalang, central Chaofah and Chalong serve different campuses. The most practical home is usually close to a confirmed school place and still workable for employment and healthcare.
Do Phuket international schools offer boarding?
Some do, including selected programmes at BISP and UWC Thailand. Treat boarding as a separate decision: verify age eligibility, supervision, medical support, weekend arrangements and the complete residential fee.