How to Choose an International School in Pattaya: 2026 Family Guide

Quick answer: How do you choose an international school in Pattaya? Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard offer a dozen international schools, so filter by curriculum first, then by location between Pattaya city, Jomtien, Ban Chang and the Rayong corridor. Compare annual fees from roughly THB 250,000 to 900,000, look at boarding if you commute to Bangkok or the industrial estates, and visit two or three schools before choosing.

Last reviewed: September 2026 by David from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.

Knowing how to choose an international school in Pattaya has become harder in a good way. Twenty years ago the area had two or three options for expatriate children; today the Eastern Seaboard is one of Thailand's densest international school markets, with a Nord Anglia campus, a branch of a famous English boarding school, long-established American and British schools and a cluster of bilingual programmes. The families they serve are equally varied: engineers at the Laem Chabang and Rayong industrial estates, Bangkok commuters, retirees with young children and Thai-foreign households.

This guide explains how the schools in our directory differ, what they cost in 2026 and how to weigh location, boarding and curriculum. Figures are indicative and should be confirmed with the schools, all of which publish fee schedules and welcome visits.

Pattaya, the Eastern Seaboard and why location comes first

The international schools in this area stretch along about 60 kilometres of coast and motorway. Regents and St Andrews Green Valley sit inland near Ban Chang, roughly halfway between Pattaya and Rayong; Rugby School Thailand is in Chonburi province between Pattaya and Bangkok; Garden International School and International School Eastern Seaboard serve the Ban Chang and Rayong communities; Tara Pattana and several bilingual schools are in or near Pattaya and Jomtien. Where you work and live therefore removes half the list before you look at a single prospectus.

The region's growth is tied to the Eastern Economic Corridor, the government's flagship development zone covering Chonburi, Rayong and Chachoengsao, established under the Eastern Economic Corridor Act of 2018. New motorways and the expansion of U-Tapao airport have improved commutes, but the school bus can still be an hour each way for families who choose a school in the wrong direction. Boarding, offered by several schools, exists partly to solve this problem for Bangkok-based and Rayong-based parents.

Curricula available in Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard

The area covers every major English-medium curriculum, plus French and Thai bilingual routes.

British curriculum with IGCSE and IB Diploma: Regents International School Pattaya, part of Nord Anglia, and St Andrews International School Green Valley both offer the IB Diploma after IGCSE.
British curriculum with IGCSE and A Levels: Rugby School Thailand and Garden International School Eastern Seaboard follow the English National Curriculum to A Levels.
American curriculum: International School Eastern Seaboard in Ban Chang offers a US high school diploma with AP courses and has served the Rayong industrial community since the 1990s.
French curriculum: the French International School of Pattaya follows the French national programme.
Thai-English bilingual and English programme schools: Tara Pattana, Royal English Programme School, Phoenix Wittaya, Mooltripakdee and BJP Elite Academy offer varying degrees of English immersion within the Thai system at lower fees.

The schools to consider in Pattaya

Regents International School Pattaya

A Nord Anglia school with day and boarding places on a large campus near Ban Chang, offering IGCSE and the IB Diploma. It is the most internationally diverse school in the area and has strong arts and sport. Fees are at the upper end, roughly THB 450,000 to 850,000 a year for day pupils, with boarding on top.

St. Andrews International School, Green Valley

Set beside the Green Valley golf course in Ban Chang, St Andrews offers the IB Primary Years and Diploma programmes alongside IGCSE. Parents praise its family atmosphere and pastoral care. Fees are roughly THB 400,000 to 750,000 a year, and its location suits Rayong and Ban Chang families best.

Rugby School Thailand

Opened in 2017 as the first overseas campus of the English boarding school, Rugby School Thailand offers a British education to A Levels with extensive boarding. Its 80-acre campus in Chonburi is nearer Bangkok than Pattaya. Fees are the highest in the region, roughly THB 600,000 to 900,000 for day places, and it attracts families from across Thailand and the region.

Garden International School, Eastern Seaboard

GIS in Ban Chang follows the English National Curriculum to A Levels and has a long-standing reputation for academic results with a modest, unflashy ethos. Fees are roughly THB 350,000 to 650,000 a year, a step below Regents and Rugby, which many Rayong-based families see as strong value.

Tara Pattana International School

Located in Pattaya itself, Tara Pattana offers a British-based curriculum with Cambridge assessments in a smaller, more affordable setting, roughly THB 250,000 to 450,000 a year. It suits families living in Pattaya or Jomtien who want to avoid the long commute to the Ban Chang campuses.

Fees in Thai baht and the extras to expect

For 2026, budget roughly THB 150,000 to 300,000 a year for bilingual and English programme schools, THB 250,000 to 450,000 for smaller international schools in Pattaya, THB 350,000 to 750,000 for the established Ban Chang schools and THB 600,000 to 900,000 for Rugby School Thailand day places, with boarding adding THB 300,000 to 500,000. Fees are billed termly and rise with year group.

A verifiable detail for budgeting: Thai international schools are exempt from VAT as licensed educational establishments, so tuition carries no tax, but bus operators, caterers and uniform suppliers usually charge it. The following extras are standard across the Eastern Seaboard.

Application or assessment fee: THB 3,000 to 10,000, non-refundable.
Registration or capital fee: THB 50,000 to 250,000, usually one-off per child.
Refundable deposit: THB 30,000 to 100,000, returned on departure with notice.
School bus: THB 40,000 to 90,000 a year; long routes cost more.
Lunches: THB 25,000 to 45,000 a year.
Uniform and PE kit: THB 8,000 to 15,000 in the first year.
Boarding, where offered: THB 300,000 to 500,000 a year on top of tuition.

Practical advice for choosing well

Draw a 30 minute circle around your home or workplace first. The Eastern Seaboard schools are excellent but far apart. A family in central Pattaya sending a child to a Ban Chang campus commits to a bus ride of 45 minutes or more each way; a Rayong engineer choosing Rugby School Thailand faces the same in the other direction. Boarding solves this for older children but not for a six-year-old.

Weigh the IB against A Levels honestly. Regents and St Andrews lead to the IB Diploma; Rugby, Garden and Tara Pattana lead to A Levels. If your child is a strong all-rounder who may apply to universities in several countries, the IB is a natural fit; if they are a specialist who wants depth in three or four subjects, A Levels suit better. Neither route is stronger for UK or US admissions in the abstract.

Visit on a normal school day, not just an open morning. Ask to see a lesson in your child's year group, eat in the canteen and talk to a parent with children of the same age. Teacher tenure, the size of the sixth form and how the school handles arrivals mid-year tell you more than any brochure.

Compare Pattaya schools with verified reviews

Compare all Eastern Seaboard schools on fees, facilities and parent reviews, and shortlist by curriculum and location, in the ISA ranking of the best schools in Thailand.

More guides to schools in Pattaya

Frequently asked questions

Which international schools in Pattaya offer boarding?

Regents International School Pattaya, Rugby School Thailand and St Andrews Green Valley all offer boarding options, ranging from weekly to full boarding from around age 11. Boarding is popular with Bangkok-based parents, families in Rayong and regional families from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, and typically adds THB 300,000 to 500,000 a year to day fees.

Is Pattaya cheaper than Bangkok for international schools?

For comparable schools, yes, usually by 10 to 25 percent. The most expensive Eastern Seaboard day places at Rugby School Thailand reach roughly THB 900,000 a year, while the leading Bangkok schools exceed THB 1,000,000. Mid-range Ban Chang schools at THB 400,000 to 650,000 offer strong facilities that would cost considerably more in the capital.

Do Pattaya international schools accept children who do not speak English?

Most do in the early years and primary, with English as an additional language support built into the fee or charged separately. From around age 11 schools become more selective and may ask for a minimum English level to cope with IGCSE preparation. Bilingual and English programme schools are the natural route for children starting with little English later in primary.