International Schools in Bangkok 2026: Fees, Areas and Admissions
Quick Answer: Bangkok has more than 50 international schools, from ฿150,000 kindergartens to ฿1.26 million sixth forms, spread from Sukhumvit to Nichada Thani. This guide covers the curricula, the fee bands, where each school sits on the map, and how admissions work.
Bangkok has more than 50 international schools listed on DailySchools, from small kindergartens charging ฿150,000 a year to British-branded through-schools charging ฿1,256,700 for the final year. Curricula run the full range (British, American, IB, Australian, French, German, Japanese, Singaporean, Cambridge), Thai children can enrol freely, and the schools cluster in four areas: Sukhumvit and Bang Na, central Sathorn and Pathumwan, the north around Nichada Thani, and the east around Krungthep Kreetha. This guide covers the curricula, the fee bands, where each school is and how to apply; the school-by-school fee table is in our Bangkok fees guide, and the full list is on our Bangkok international schools page.
Which curricula do Bangkok international schools offer?
| Pathway | Exit qualification | Schools |
|---|---|---|
| British (National Curriculum, IGCSE, A Levels or IB) | A Levels or IB Diploma | Wellington College, Shrewsbury, Harrow, Brighton College, Denla British School, Bangkok Patana, St Andrews, St Stephen's, Bangkok Prep, Regent's, King's College |
| American (US diploma, AP, often IB Diploma) | US High School Diploma, AP or IB | ISB, Ruamrudee, American School of Bangkok, Wells, ICS, Berkeley, Raffles American School |
| IB continuum | IB Diploma | KIS, Concordian, NIST, Ascot (with Cambridge) |
| Australian, Singaporean, Cambridge value | HSC, IGCSE, A Levels | Australian International School, Singapore International School of Bangkok, Anglo Singapore, Thai-Singapore International School, Garden International, Traill |
| National-language schools | Home-country diploma | Lycée Français International, RIS Swiss Section, Thai-Japanese Association School, Korean International School |
British is the majority curriculum by a distance, which is why "Year 7" and "sixth form" are the terms most Bangkok parents use. If the choice between systems is still open, our Cambridge vs IB guide sets out the trade-offs.
What do they cost?
| Band | Primary tuition 2026/27 (฿ per year) | Final two years (฿ per year) | One-time entry fees | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | 750,000 to 1,015,000 | 950,000 to 1,260,000 | 225,000 to 260,000 plus deposits | Wellington, Shrewsbury, ISB, Brighton, Harrow, Denla, Patana |
| Mid | 400,000 to 750,000 | 600,000 to 1,000,000 | 100,000 to 250,000 | KIS, Ruamrudee, NIST, St Andrews, St Stephen's, Bangkok Prep, Concordian, Wells |
| Value | 150,000 to 400,000 | 300,000 to 600,000 | 20,000 to 100,000 | Ascot, Anglo Singapore, Thai-Singapore, Garden, Traill, and most schools in the outer districts |
The premium figures come from the schools' own 2026/27 schedules (ISB, Patana, Shrewsbury, Harrow) and from The Thaiger's September 2026 comparison of 16 schools; the mid and value bands are our reading of the same sources plus the schools' published ranges. Extras (buses, uniforms, exams, EAL, trips) add 10 to 20%.
Where are the schools?
Bangkok's traffic makes location the first filter for many families. The clusters:
- Sukhumvit, Ekkamai, On Nut and Bang Na (east): Bangkok Patana (Sukhumvit 105), Wells (three campuses on Sukhumvit), Berkeley (Bang Na), Bangkok Prep (Sukhumvit 77), St Andrews Sukhumvit 107, Anglo Singapore (Sukhumvit 31 and 64), Thai-Japanese Association School. The largest choice and the shortest commutes for families living along the BTS Sukhumvit line.
- Sathorn, Silom, Pathumwan and Rama 3 (central): St Andrews Sathorn, Shrewsbury City Campus (Rama 9), Shrewsbury Riverside (Charoen Krung), KIS (Pracha Uthit, Huai Khwang), Garden International (Rama 3), Australian International School (Sathorn).
- Nichada Thani, Pak Kret, Don Mueang and Rama 5 (north): ISB (Nichada Thani, Nonthaburi), Harrow (Don Mueang), Denla British School (Rama 5, Nonthaburi), KIS Reignwood Park (Pathum Thani).
- Krungthep Kreetha, Minburi, Bang Na-Trat and Samut Prakan (east and south-east): Brighton College (Krungthep Kreetha), Ruamrudee (Minburi), Wellington College (Krungthep Kreetha), Ascot (Saphan Sung), Concordian (Bang Na-Trat), Raffles American School and VERSO (Samut Prakan), Thai-Singapore International School (Samut Prakan).
Most schools run buses; ISB prices its at ฿111,300 to ฿178,000 a year by distance. Living within 20 minutes of the school is the single biggest quality-of-life decision for a Bangkok family.
How do admissions work?
- Timing. The academic year runs August to June at nearly every school. Applications for August 2027 open in the autumn of 2026; the popular entry points at premium schools fill by spring.
- Documents. Two years of school reports, passport copies, and for children over about seven an assessment in English and maths, often with an interview. Schools assess English level and may require English as an additional language support (Patana charges ฿105,000 a year for Years 1 to 9).
- Fees at offer. Application fee ฿4,000 to ฿5,000; on acceptance an entrance, registration or guaranteed-place fee of ฿225,000 to ฿260,000 at premium schools (much less lower down), and at some a refundable deposit of ฿50,000 to ฿200,000.
- Thai families. Thailand imposes no nationality quota, and Thai students are the largest single group at many schools. Schools licensed under the Private Education Commission teach Thai language and culture to all students.
- Waiting lists. Common at ISB, Patana, Shrewsbury and Harrow in Nursery to Year 2 and at Year 7. Apply to two or three schools rather than one.
How should you shortlist?
- Decide the exit qualification (A Levels, IB, AP) and rule out schools that do not offer it.
- Set the all-in budget against the fee table, including entry fees and bus.
- Draw a 20-minute circle around home or work and start with the schools inside it.
- Visit two or three, on a normal school day, and ask about class sizes and support for the middle of the cohort.
- Ask each school directly whether it has a place in your child's year group before paying an application fee.
Compare every school by curriculum, age range and district on our Bangkok international schools page, and see the 2026/27 fee table before you visit.
Frequently asked questions
- How many international schools are there in Bangkok?
- DailySchools lists more than 50 in Bangkok and the adjoining provinces of Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan. The International Schools Association of Thailand represents 200 member schools across the country, and the majority of them are in Greater Bangkok.
- What do international schools in Bangkok cost?
- Published 2026/27 tuition runs from about ฿216,000 a year at the lowest published entry point to ฿1,256,700 for Year 12 at Shrewsbury Riverside. The big British-branded and legacy schools charge ฿750,000 to ฿1,015,000 for primary and ฿950,000 to ฿1,260,000 for the final two years; a wide band of smaller schools charges ฿150,000 to ฿600,000. Add one-time entry fees of ฿225,000 to ฿260,000 at the top schools.
- Which curriculum is most common in Bangkok?
- British. Wellington, Shrewsbury, Harrow, Brighton, Denla, Patana, St Andrews and St Stephen's all run the English National Curriculum with IGCSE at 16 and A Levels or the IB Diploma after. ISB and Ruamrudee are American with the IB Diploma; KIS and Concordian are full IB schools; NIST is IB; a long tail of schools run Cambridge or American programmes at lower fees.
- Which areas have the most international schools?
- Four clusters: Sukhumvit and Bang Na in the east (Patana, Wells, Berkeley, Bangkok Prep, St Andrews Sukhumvit); the central Sathorn and Pathumwan districts (St Andrews Sathorn, Shrewsbury City, KIS on Pracha Uthit); the north around Nichada Thani, Don Mueang and Rama 5 (ISB, Harrow, Denla, KIS Reignwood Park); and the east and south-east around Krungthep Kreetha, Minburi and Bang Na (Brighton, Ruamrudee, Wellington, Ascot).
- When should we apply?
- Most Bangkok schools run August to June and open admissions a year ahead. Entry points (Nursery, Year 1 or Kindergarten, Year 7, Year 12) at the popular schools fill first. Apply in the autumn before entry and visit during the October to February open-house season; mid-year places exist at most schools outside the top tier.
- Can Thai children attend international schools in Bangkok?
- Yes. Unlike Singapore or Taiwan, Thailand places no nationality restriction on international school enrolment, and Thai families make up a large share of most schools. Schools licensed by the Office of the Private Education Commission must teach Thai language and culture to all students.
- Do Bangkok schools offer boarding?
- A few: Harrow (weekly ฿456,700 or full ฿571,100 on top of tuition in 2026/27), Shrewsbury Riverside, Brighton College and Wellington offer boarding places; most others are day schools with buses.
