Studying in Thailand

What a year costs

Tuition is set by each university, often per credit. Mahidol University International College (MUIC), one of the best-known international colleges, publishes its non-resident fees:

• Lecture credit: 5,700 baht; lab or studio credit: 9,000 baht
• Education service fee: 24,000 baht a trimester
• Student insurance: 1,500 baht a trimester
• Admission fee: 10,000 baht, paid once
• Estimated four-year bachelor's total: 1,211,400-1,621,620 baht, depending on the major

That works out to roughly 300,000-405,000 baht a year. MUIC's schedule was updated on 25 August 2025 and notes that fees may change. Other universities price their international programmes differently, so compare total programme cost, not the per-credit rate.

Living costs. MUIC's monthly estimates for Bangkok:

• Housing: 7,000-30,000 baht
• Utilities: 2,000-4,000 baht
• Food: 9,000-12,000 baht
• Transport: about 6,000 baht
• Course materials: about 5,000 baht a trimester

A careful student in university-area housing can live near the lower end, roughly 24,000-30,000 baht a month. Central Bangkok condominiums push the total much higher.

Health insurance is mandatory at MUIC, in English, with a provider that has a Thai branch office. Other universities set similar rules.

The visa

Students need a Non-Immigrant visa, category ED or ED Plus. You apply online through the Thai e-Visa system at thaievisa.go.th, with an acceptance letter from your Thai institution.

Which one you need. According to the Royal Thai Embassy in Budapest:

• ED: full-time study below bachelor's level, short training courses, exchanges and internships. The visa is valid for 90 days from issue, and each entry gives up to 90 days' stay.
• ED Plus: full-time study for a bachelor's degree or higher. ED Plus holders do not need a re-entry permit to leave and return during their studies, and may stay for one year after graduating.

The fee is set by each embassy in local currency and is non-refundable: US$80 in Washington DC, €70 in Budapest, SGD 100 in Singapore.

The money: there is no single national figure. Each embassy publishes its own requirement, and they differ widely:

• Washington DC and Los Angeles: bank statements for the last three months with an ending balance of at least US$4,000 each month for degree study
• Singapore: a balance of at least SGD 3,000 or THB 75,000 over three months
• Budapest (ED Plus): a bank statement for the past six months showing at least THB 20,000

Use the figure published by the embassy or consulate where you will apply, and do not rely on a figure from another country's page.

Apply early. Washington asks for applications at least 30 working days before travel, Singapore at least 21 working days, Los Angeles at least 15 working days.

After arrival. Your 90-day entry is extended at an immigration office for the length of your studies. Assumption University quotes the extension fee at 1,900-1,960 baht, with transcripts, registration receipt, your Thailand Digital Arrival Card copy and address notification forms. Every foreigner on a Non-Immigrant visa staying more than 90 days must also report their address to Immigration every 90 days, within 14 days before or 7 days after the due date.

Working while you study

You cannot work without a work permit. MUIC states it directly: student visa holders "are not allowed to work part-time unless they obtain a valid work permit." There is no student work allowance of a set number of hours, and casual cash work, private tutoring or online work for Thai clients is not a grey area. Budget on the assumption that you will earn nothing in Thailand during your degree.

After you graduate

If you hold an ED Plus visa for a bachelor's degree or higher, you may extend your stay in Thailand for one year after graduation to seek employment, travel or take part in other activities, and you can change to another visa type inside Thailand if you are employed. Universities may file the extension on your behalf.

The extra year does not itself give you the right to work. To take a job, your employer must support a Non-Immigrant B visa and a work permit.

ED visa holders below bachelor's level have no post-study stay: your permission ends with your course.

Language

International programmes teach in English. Entry requirements, usually IELTS or TOEFL scores, are set by each university and programme, so check yours.

Thai-taught programmes expect a high level of Thai. Outside campus, immigration offices, landlords, clinics and most jobs work in Thai, and many universities offer Thai language courses for international students. Even basic Thai makes 90-day reports and extensions far easier.

When to apply

Thai universities set their own admission rounds, and many run several a year. Chulalongkorn University's international undergraduate programmes for the 2026 academic year, for example, ran an early admission round followed by an online application window of 9-31 March 2026 (dates revised after flooding in southern Thailand).

Work backwards: admission letter first, then the e-Visa application at least 15-30 working days before travel depending on the embassy, then arrival with time to arrange your extension of stay before the first 90 days run out.

What to watch out for

Entering on the wrong visa. MUIC warns that entering Thailand on a tourist visa with the intention of studying is not permitted. Get the ED or ED Plus before you travel.

ED versus ED Plus. If you are starting a bachelor's degree or higher, make sure your university's letter and your application are for ED Plus. It is the ED Plus that gives you re-entry without a permit and the one-year stay after graduation.

Different embassies, different rules. The funds figure, the fee and the processing time depend on where you apply. Read the page of your own embassy or consulate, and apply from the country where you live if that embassy requires it.

The 90-day report. It is separate from your extension and applies throughout your studies. Late reports can bring fines.

Language schools and short courses. Choose an accredited institution and attend: the extension process asks for evidence of registration and study, and your permission depends on remaining a full-time student.

Where these numbers come from

Rules change, sometimes at short notice. Every figure above carries the date we checked it. Check the official source before you rely on it, and always use the requirements page of the Thai embassy or consulate where you will apply.