The beauty of being an expat in Bangkok is the city’s overabundance of educational institutions targeting kids of expatriates like you! 

But even with the extensive selection to choose from, there’s a one really important factor you most certainly can’t afford to ignore: tier differences. Whether you are looking for a British curriculum, American syllabus, Japanese, Chinese, French, Swiss or that of any other country, the school’s tier is the ultimate tie-breaker!

Because they are prestigious, international schools aren’t cheap
With the high-quality education offered coupled with all the 5-star facilities and the reputation they have, the best international schools in Bangkok are not cheap. But for parents who take the plunge and enroll their little ones, rewards are well and truly relative. 

However, despite being as expensive as they are, these institutions have distinctive fee differences. You will find two or more schools, all offering the same Cambridge International curriculum, International Baccalaureate, or Edexcel, but charging different fees. This difference is because of their tier differences. 

How the Tier System works
Every accredited international school in Thailand must belong to one of the three tiers. These categories are, however, separated by a couple of factors, including the institution’s facilities, the number of accreditations it has, history and reputation and several more. 

Tier 1
This refers to what we can refer to as “the best of the best” or the “crème de la crème” in the country. Mostly, they are those foundation schools owned and run by the opulent who also maintain strong connections to institutions of higher learning abroad. Admission isn’t as easy as you would imagine. 
All Tier 1 international schools understandably have multiple international accreditations and often perform exemplarily well in examinations. A Tier 1 school offering British syllabus, for example, has all of its teachers being qualified, native English speakers carefully handpicked to not only teach, but also inspire. Fees at any Tier 1 school are high, essentially ranging from 400,000 baht, up! 

Tier 2
Owned by large corporations, Tier 2 schools also offer top-quality education. Aside from their relatively low termly fees and fewer accreditations, international schools under this category aren’t as exclusive as their “crème” counterparts. Most Thai kids prefer to attend Tier 2 international schools, though.  

Tier 3
With fewer local accreditations and the lowest fee requirement among the three, Tier 3 international schools are quite popular in Bangkok. In this category, expats and locals alike bring their kids to study not just because of the affordable fees, but also due to the ease of enrolling them. 
It is, however, important to mention that, schools in all these categories guarantee quality education. They are accredited and are regularly monitored by the relevant education watchdogs to ensure they maintain acceptable education standards. 

If you are looking international school in Bangna, please visit Thai-Chinese International School.