Quick answer: When should I apply to international schools in Pattaya? Aim to enquire between September and December for the following August intake, with applications and assessments typically completed between January and March. Most schools use rolling admissions, so places in popular year groups and all boarding houses can close well before the summer.
Last reviewed: September 2026 by Emma from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.
International school admissions in Pattaya are more competitive than the city's holiday reputation suggests. The Eastern Seaboard is Thailand's industrial heartland, home to the automotive, petrochemical and electronics plants of the Eastern Economic Corridor, and the engineers and managers who run them bring families with them. The result is a cluster of serious British and American schools along the Chonburi and Rayong coast, several with boarding, and year groups that fill earlier than parents expect. This 2026 guide sets out how the process actually works.
The admissions calendar
Almost all international schools on the Eastern Seaboard run a northern-hemisphere academic year, starting in mid to late August and finishing in June, split into three terms. That single fact drives everything else:
- September to December. Best window to enquire and visit for the following August. Schools are in session, so you see them working rather than empty.
- January to March. Peak application and assessment period. Most offers for the August intake are made here.
- April to June. Places still available in many year groups, but the strongest schools and all boarding houses may already be closed in popular years.
- January intake. Several schools accept mid-year entry in January, which suits families relocating on a corporate timetable that does not match the academic one.
Most schools operate rolling admissions rather than a single hard deadline, which sounds relaxed but works against late applicants. Places go as they are filled. If you know you are moving, apply as soon as you have a confirmed posting, even if your housing is not settled.
Documents you will need
Thai international schools are regulated by the Ministry of Education and their paperwork requirements are correspondingly precise. Assemble the following before you apply, because chasing documents from a previous school across time zones is the most common cause of delay:
- Child's passport, plus the passport pages of both parents
- Birth certificate, with a certified English translation if the original is not in English
- School reports for the previous two academic years, in English
- A transfer certificate or leaving certificate from the current school
- Immunisation and vaccination records
- Any educational psychology reports, learning support plans or medical documentation
- Recent passport-sized photographs
- Parent employment letter or work permit, often requested for the student visa route
Ask each school early whether documents need notarisation or legalisation. Requirements vary between schools and can change, and a notarised translation obtained in your home country is far easier than arranging one from Thailand after you arrive.
Assessment and entry testing
Expect an assessment rather than a formality. Typical components are an English language screening, a mathematics paper appropriate to the year group, a standardised cognitive test such as CAT4 in the more academic schools, and an interview with the child and parents. Younger applicants are usually observed in a play or classroom setting instead of sitting a paper.
Where English is an additional language, the screening determines both the offer and the support package. This is the point to be direct with the school. Ask how many hours of EAL support are provided each week, whether it is delivered in class or withdrawal, who teaches it, whether it costs extra, and what the criteria are for exiting the programme. Schools with genuine provision answer this crisply. Schools without it talk about their international atmosphere instead.
Schools on the Eastern Seaboard
Regents International School Pattaya
Part of the Nord Anglia group, offering the British curriculum through IGCSE and then the IB Diploma, with day and boarding places. Established, sizeable and used to processing internationally mobile families, which usually means a smooth admissions experience. See the Regents International School Pattaya profile.
Rugby School Thailand
A sister campus of Rugby School in Warwickshire, on the coast toward Ban Chang, running the British curriculum with day and boarding. A relatively recent opening by regional standards, so ask about the size of the senior cohort and the examination results to date. Profile: Rugby School Thailand.
St Andrews International School Green Valley
Part of the Cognita group, set in the Green Valley area between Pattaya and Rayong, offering the British curriculum and the IB Diploma with boarding available. Popular with families working in the Amata and Hemaraj industrial estates. See St Andrews International School Green Valley.
International School Eastern Seaboard
Known as ISE, one of the longest-established schools in the region and a common choice for American and Japanese corporate families. Ask about the balance of nationalities in your child's specific year group, since it varies more than the school-wide figure suggests. Profile: International School Eastern Seaboard.
Garden International School Eastern Seaboard
A smaller British-curriculum school serving the Rayong side of the corridor. Small cohorts mean close attention but a narrower subject offer at IGCSE, so check the option blocks against your child's intended pathway before applying. See Garden International School Eastern Seaboard.
Fees and the deposit question
As a 2026 guide, expect annual tuition of roughly THB 300,000 to THB 600,000 in primary and THB 500,000 to THB 1,000,000 in the IGCSE and IB Diploma years at the established schools, with boarding adding THB 400,000 to THB 800,000. Application fees, a non-refundable registration fee, a refundable deposit of around one term, uniforms, transport and examination entry fees are charged separately.
Read the deposit and withdrawal terms carefully before you accept an offer. Corporate relocations get cancelled and postings get changed. Most schools require a full term's written notice, and accepting a place in February for an August start can commit you to fees you had not planned for if the move falls through.
Visas and residency
Most children at these schools are dependants on a parent's non-immigrant visa and work permit. Where that does not apply, schools can usually sponsor a non-immigrant ED student visa, but the process takes time and the school issues the supporting documentation only after a place is confirmed. Resolve which route applies to your family before you commit to travel dates. Thai nationals should also note that Ministry of Education rules require Thai language and Thai studies for citizens, which affects timetabling.
Compare Eastern Seaboard schools
Admissions terms and fee schedules are easier to judge side by side than one prospectus at a time. Browse verified profiles, parent reviews and pricing across the country in the International School Advisor Thailand ranking, then shortlist two or three for a visit.
Frequently asked questions
When should I apply to international schools in Pattaya?
Aim to enquire between September and December for the following August intake, with applications and assessments typically completed between January and March. Most schools use rolling admissions, so places in popular year groups and all boarding houses can close well before the summer.
What documents do Pattaya international schools require?
Passports for the child and both parents, a birth certificate with certified English translation if needed, school reports for the last two years in English, a transfer certificate, immunisation records, any learning support or medical reports, photographs, and usually a parent employment letter or work permit.
Do Pattaya international schools support children who do not speak English?
Most offer English as an additional language support, but the quality varies widely. Ask each school how many hours a week are provided, whether support is in class or withdrawal, who delivers it, whether it costs extra and what the exit criteria are before accepting a place.