Schools in Bangkok: British international schools, fees and the road back to UK universities

If you want an English-curriculum education, Bangkok is spoilt for choice: there are British international schools from Don Mueang in the north to Bang Na in the south. The hard part is the bill, and choosing a school whose bus route won't add two hours to your child's day.

The short version

• Bangkok has a long list of British-curriculum schools, including Harrow, Shrewsbury, Bangkok Patana, St Andrews, Garden, King's College, Brighton College, Wellington, Regents and Bangkok Prep.
• For 2026/27, tuition at the schools below runs from about THB 431,100 (about £9,560) a year in primary at Garden to over THB 1.25 million (about £27,860) in the A level years at Shrewsbury [3][4][5][6][7].
• Expect one-off charges on top: application fees, a non-refundable entrance or admission fee of up to THB 250,000 (about £5,540) and a refundable deposit [3][4][5][6][7].
• Thai state schools teach in Thai. All children aged 6 to 15 living in Thailand must attend school or be home-schooled [1].
• For home fees at an English university, your child normally needs to have lived in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for the three years before the course starts [2].

Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = THB 45.1092).

The British schools at a glance

Most of these follow the National Curriculum for England through Key Stages 1 to 3, then IGCSEs and either A levels or the IB Diploma. Many belong to FOBISIA, the Federation of British International Schools in Asia, which runs sports fixtures and competitions between member schools.

For little ones, Bangkok also has early years settings on the British EYFS, such as Annabel's Early Years in Ekkamai, BEYC in Huai Kwang and Future Steps on Sukhumvit 31 and 39.

What it costs in 2026/27

Fees below come straight from each school's own fee page for 2026/27. They're annual tuition for day pupils, rounded to the nearest £10. Fees usually go up each year.

A few quirks worth knowing:

• Exam years are cheaper on paper. Shrewsbury charges Years 11 and 13 for two terms only, and Patana's and St Andrews' Year 11 and 13 fees are lower too, usually because those years finish early for exams (St Andrews includes exam fees in them) [4][5][6]. Garden charges Years 11 to 13 for two terms [7].
• Boarding at Harrow adds THB 456,700 (about £10,120) a year for weekly boarding or THB 571,100 (about £12,660) for full boarding [3].
• Siblings. Harrow gives sibling discounts from the third child, and Patana's entrance fee is lower for second and later children [3][5].

The one-off charges

Then come the extras: uniforms, the school bus, trips (Harrow makes residential trips compulsory for most year groups from Year 1), exam fees and after-school activities [3]. If you're moving with a job, ask your employer early whether they'll pay school fees. In Bangkok that's often the difference between affordable and not.

Getting a place

1. Start early. Popular year groups fill up, especially Reception, Year 7 and the start of the Sixth Form. Apply as soon as you know you're moving.
2. Visit. Most schools run tours and virtual open days. Ask about class sizes, the British teacher mix, and what the school's exam results look like.
3. Assessments. Expect an entrance assessment and a look at reports from your child's UK school. Bring their last two school reports and any special educational needs assessments.
4. Check the commute. Bangkok's traffic decides family life. Harrow is out at Don Mueang, Patana and St Andrews are in the east, and Garden and Shrewsbury are near the river. Many families pick the school first and rent near it. See renting in Bangkok.
5. Sort the visa. Children usually go on a parent's dependant visa. Garden lists an educational visa document fee for pupils who need one [7]. Our guide to moving to Bangkok as a Brit covers the routes.

The academic year at the British schools runs from August to June, with the main intake in August, though most take pupils through the year if there's room.

Thai state schools

All children aged 6 to 15 in Thailand must attend school or be home-schooled, and the Thai Ministry of Education runs the state system [1]. State schools teach in Thai, follow the Thai curriculum and have big classes. They can work well for younger children in Thai-British families who speak Thai at home. Some state and private Thai schools run English Programmes (EP) with more lessons in English, at much lower fees than international schools. Ask the school directly what it teaches in English and which documents it needs for a foreign child.

UK universities from Bangkok

Plenty of pupils at these schools go on to UK universities through UCAS, applying from Bangkok in the same way as a pupil in Bristol. The catch is fees.

To be charged home fees and get student finance in England, a UK national normally needs to have been living in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for the three years before the first day of the course [2]. The GOV.UK guidance allows for temporary absences such as holidays [2]. A family that has lived in Bangkok for years will usually be classed as international, which means much higher fees.

There are exceptions, for example where the family is abroad only temporarily for a parent's job and always intended to return. Each university decides fee status itself, so ask its admissions or fees team early, and have your evidence ready. The rules differ for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our guides to UK student loans while living abroad and moving back to the UK go into more detail.

Want to know which school fits a footie-mad eight-year-old? Ask other parents in our community group for Brits in Thailand.

Sources

1. GOV.UK (FCDO): Living in Thailand (last updated 11 December 2025)
2. GOV.UK: Student finance, who qualifies (last updated 2 January 2025)
3. Harrow International School Bangkok: Schedule of fees and charges, academic year 2026/27
4. Shrewsbury International School Bangkok: Fees overview 2026-27
5. Bangkok Patana School: Fee announcement 2026/27
6. St Andrews International School Bangkok: Tuition fees 2026/2027
7. Garden International School Bangkok: Fee structure, academic year 2026-2027

Keep reading

• Moving to Bangkok as a Brit: visa and residence routes
• Renting in Bangkok
• Cost of living in Bangkok vs London and the UK average
• UK student loans while living abroad