What to look for in an international school in Bangkok

Selecting an International School in the city Bangkok is not an easy task as the city of Bangkok has quite a large number of them. Quite a number of these schools run on either a British or American curriculum but there are also Australian, Singaporean, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, French and Swiss/German curriculum based schools.

These schools do not have the same academic calendar year as the Thai as it runs from mid August/early September to June/early July.

Tuition

The tuition fee in an International school is quite expensive but this is because they offer good quality education. A less expensive choice is a Mini English Program (MEP) which is a private program that is run within a Thai government school. A Mini English Program will offer tuition jointly in both Thai and English, with Math, Science and some Social Studies being taught through the English language but the remaining subjects in the curriculum will be taught in Thai.

School fees will charged either on a per-year or per-term basis. In addition to the regularly recurring school fee, an international school might have a one-time “application fee” or “registration fee”. Check carefully to see if there are any other hidden costs in the form of additional fees for textbooks, food, computers, etc.

Curriculum
All international school in Bangkok have different curricula; some follow British curriculum while others follow American curricula and then there are a few others which boast Australian, Japanese, German, French, or Canadian curriculum. In order to make sure that your child is being given the best education he deserves, you have to select an international school that complements your child’s talent and strengths.

No matter the curriculum of an international school in Bangkok, its students must attend classes in Thai language and cultural studies. The Thai ministry of Education puts this as a requirement in every school, no matter the curriculum the school follows.

Co-curricular programme

An international school is considered as complete if it gives rooms for programmes that enable students to develop their skills through a variety of off-classroom experiences.

A good international school should have teachers that are experienced and specialized in this field. They should also have studios equipped with materials that are in line to give the students the best experience.