High School in Thailand

From the stunning coastlines to the historic temples in the jungle, Thailand offers it all. Want to learn more about this amazing country first hand? You can with our high school study abroad programs!

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Overview

Overview

During your time in Thailand, our host families will open their hearts and welcome you into their homes sharing their culture and learning more about your home country.

The program includes daily language lessons starting at a minimum of 5 hours per week. As you gain proficiency, these lessons may become less frequent. School runs from May to March with a break in October. Thai schools are the center of life for Thai youth and you and your new friends’ social lives will revolve around school.

Location

About Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand, also called ‘the Land of smiles’, is situated in the heart of Southeast Asia. Thailand is host to some of the most breathtaking natural beauty found anywhere in the world. Enjoy its many beautiful white sandy beaches with vibrant blue water or stunning nature reserves and mountains. Amazing Thailand is rich with culture & history, this is evident in its grand architecture and vast array of temples all bearing their own unique beauty. Experience the scintillating flavors of Thai food with its delectable sweet, savory and spicy dishes. Thai people are kind and friendly and life is often relaxed and peaceful.

Thailand Placeholder
Thailand

Program Dates

Program Dates & Deadlines

Apply early and get a discount! Submit your application 45 days before the deadline to receive an Early Bird Discount.

These are the approximate start dates. Exact start dates will be provided closer to your arrival.

Spring

Academic Semester: Mid-May – Early October

Academic Year: Mid-May – Early March

Final Deadline to Apply: February 1st

 

Fall

Academic Semester: Mid-November – Early March

Final Deadline to Apply: August 1st

Costs & Discounts

Program Costs

Semester

Academic Year

Costs

$7,590

$8,590

Discounts, Scholarships & Fundraising

Early Bird Discount – $250 discount if you apply 45 days prior to the application deadline

Host Family Discount – Discount of up to $1000 for families that hosted an inbound student

Area Representative Discount – Discount of up to $500 for children of ISE Area Representatives

ISE Ambassador Scholarship – Designed for students who would like to engage deeply with their host community and reflect on their experience via blog/video contributions. 

Additional Scholarships –  We gathered a list of some additional scholarships that can help finance your dream exchange

ISE Fundraising Guide –  Check out our tips and tricks for planning your very own study abroad fundraiser.

Inclusions

What's Included In The Program

  • Arrival Orientation
  • Comprehensive medical insurance
  • Support and supervision by local representative
  • Host family accommodation including 2 meals a day during the week, and 3 meals a day on the weekends.
  • School tuition and fees
  • Progress reports sent directly to parents
  • 24/7 emergency support
  • ISE Tote bag, luggage tag & lanyard

Additional Expenses You Might Incur

  • Personal Expenses – cell phone bills, personal spending money, travel expenses
  • Transportation to airport at conclusion of program
  • Extra School Fees – Uniform, class trips, extra curricular activities

Eligibility

Eligibility

This program is open to worldwide participants studying in Grades 9-12. Intermediate level of English or higher is recommended. Some basic Thai would be useful but not essential. All students will be assessed for study placement according to their academic levels at the time of their
application.

Academic Info

Academic Info

Education in Thailand is provided mainly by the Thai government through the Ministry of Education from pre-school to senior high school. Formal education consists of at least twelve years of basic to higher education.

The school year in Thailand is divided into two semesters, and generally begins early May through to mid-March, with school breaks in April and October. High School is divided into 3 years of Lower High School and 3 years of Upper High School. Students usually study eight core subjects each semester: mathematics, science, physical education, arts and music, technology, Thai language, social science, and foreign languages. At Upper High School, 16 Years and over, students are allowed to choose one or two elective courses. The science and the mathematics programs are among the most popular; English language programs and social science programs are also offered.

Exchange students will be placed in selective classes based on their current course of study and transcript subjects, grades and language skills. Some elective courses that require pre-requisite study completion may be changed with additional core subject classes or other language classes. Uniforms are compulsory for all students throughout the public and private school systems, including colleges and universities. Exchange students are enrolled into a government accredited school. Numbers of the same nationality per school are kept to a minimum as we aim to place no more than two per nationality per school.

Orientation

Orientation

Upon arrival in Thailand, you will receive a full cultural orientation. This includes a Thai cultural course, as well as an orientation pack which includes the following:

  • Local maps, information on how to get to school, town/city, etc.
  • Important contact details
  • Excursion itinerary

Trips & Attractions

Trips & Attractions

We offer complimentary escorted tours every calendar month to places of cultural and historic interest and/or popular tourist attractions.

Application Process

Application Process

  1. Explore our programs, options and countries to find your best match. 
  2. Complete our interest form and, if applicable, let us know who referred you to us.
  3. Schedule a meeting with one of our Travel & Study Abroad experts.
  4. Submit your application and a $200 application fee. This non-refundable fee will be applied to your overall program costs.
  5. Upon acceptance, you will be required to pay a deposit of 50% of the total program costs, up to $1500. The final payment is due several weeks before your departure. 

Parents

Parent FAQs

Moving away from your support network and into a new and unfamiliar environment can be difficult even for the most well-adjusted students. Students with pre-existing mental health conditions may find this adjustment particularly challenging, which could worsen any issues they were previously facing. In order to ensure the safety of our participants, we conduct a thorough screening of all applicants to ensure they are in the right mindset to participate. While the majority of students are eligible to participate, we may not be able to accept students who have recently struggled with mental illness and/or are reliant on medication to treat mental illness in certain circumstances. Pre-existing mental health conditions include, but are not limited to:
  • Severe anxiety
  • Depression
  • Eating Disorders
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
For students prepared to take on the challenge, absolutely. It is, however, important to consider a student’s level of maturity prior to the program because it directly impacts their success.  Ideally, our programs will push students beyond their comfort zone and into what is referred to as their stretch zone. It’s in the stretch zone that learning, growth, and development - along with challenges and risk - occur.  If a student is not ready and/or willing to move beyond their comfort zone, plunging into a new and unfamiliar environment could actually have an adverse effect and place them in what is referred to as the panic zone.  Parents should make an honest assessment of their child’s maturity level and understand that study abroad will not fundamentally change their child’s personality or behavior when considering the program. 
While abroad, your child will be fully supported. First, they will receive a personal Program Manager to assist with everything from the initial request to your child’s departure. Then, they will be supported abroad by a dedicated Local Coordinator who will frequently check in on the student and provide monthly progress reports. Your child will have the contact information of their Local Coordinator and can contact them at any time. There is also a 24/7 emergency line managed out of ISE headquarters.
No. Visits of any kind are not allowed during our programs. If you plan to visit your child, you should plan to do so after the program has ended.
The vast majority of our participants are placed in small to medium-sized towns outside of major cities. They may not be living in the most “touristy” areas, but as long as participants are open-minded they will be treated to a truly immersive and authentic experience.

FAQ

High School Program FAQs

We can’t offer any guarantees that certain classes will be offered at your host school. We can provide you with general curriculum information, but often students are not able to sign up for specific classes until after they arrive in the host country.
Upon successful completion of the program, everyone is guaranteed a Certificate of Attendance. Transcripts (i.e. grades) have to be earned. To earn the grades, you will have to excel in your classes abroad, in the language of your destination country. All of our high schools abroad are accredited institutions, therefore their grades are transferable to the United States. Please visit Scholaro for more information on translating and evaluating grades from abroad. As part of the preparation process, you have to check with your guidance counselor which classes/credits you will need to graduate or to advance to your next year of high school. Some classes, such as US History might not be offered abroad, and therefore you will have to find a way to earn those credits either before your study abroad year or after. One option to consider are Virtual High Schools, such as Franklin.
Yes, you should be able to follow along and participate in your classes. Classes like Math, Science & Physics, you will be graded on your ability to solve the problems, not on your grammar. Literature, Language & Social Science classes may be more difficult in a new language. Prior to studying abroad, there are numerous ways to prepare and improve your language skills:
  • Watch Netflix in your countries language
  • Find a language buddy
  • Study online
You will not be able to take the SATs while abroad. We highly recommend that you take the SATs prior to or after the program.
Yes! We offer a post-high school Gap Year Program. Visit our Gap Year Program page for more details.

General FAQs

ISE’s Travel & Study Abroad Program will take your academic, career, and life opportunities to new levels! College admissions and employers love compelling personal growth stories, and Travel & Study Abroad will supply you with those stories.  Some of the many benefits of participating in our programs include: Academic & Career Benefits
  • Stand out during the college admissions process
  • Develop new language skills in an immersive environment
  • Develop problem-solving skills
  • Identify interests to better select academic & career paths
  • Establish cross-cultural skills
  • Improve academic scores
Personal Benefits
  • Improve personal organization and time management skills
  • Develop a sense of adaptability, independence, and self-reliance
  • Boost self-confidence
  • Learn about new lifestyles
  • Experience new cuisines
  • Make lifelong friends
  • Gain life experience
Since 1982, our nonprofit organization has remained committed to educating future leaders and making a positive, long-lasting impact in communities.   To make cross-cultural experiences accessible to more people, we offer the best pricing available to our participants...and we do so without compromising the quality of the experience or level of support offered.    We assign each participant a personal Program Manager, so you’ll receive assistance throughout your entire program experience by someone you know by name. We also provide 24/7 support from our dedicated Student Services Team.   Lastly, the trusted international organizations we partner with have been trained and certified over the course of many years working to provide study abroad programs
“The summer abroad experience does lend itself to some very important essays that students write.” Deputy director of admissions for the University of Texas  “A lot of schools, including ours, are looking for a diverse perspective, and international experiences lend themselves to that.” - Admissions Advisor, University of California “Anything that makes your application stand out is a good thing.” - Admissions officer, University of Chicago “Not only does studying outside the United States help build necessary language fluency for all college-bound students, it shows those headed to elite institutions will go outside their comfort zone and expand to meet the challenge. Nothing speaks to the ethics of those institutions quite like a commitment to that kind of excellence and personal achievement.” - Admissions Advisor, New York University
First and foremost, program candidates should be mature, open-minded, and adaptable. Wondering if our Travel & Study Abroad Program is right for you? Check out our article Should You Study Abroad? 8 Signs You’d Make a Great Exchange Student to find out!
During the Academic Year (Visit Our High School Programs Page for Specific Dates)
  • Short Term Option (1-2 months)
  • Trimester and Semester Options
  • Full Year Options
During the Summer (Visit Our Summer Program Page for Specific Dates)
  • Program options from 1-8 weeks
Post-High School Gap Year (Visit Our Gap Year Page for Specific Dates)
  • 12-month program option
For the majority of our programs, you’ll be living with a host family.  A few of our programs offer boarding schools. In those cases, you will be living with other students in a dormitory.
If you have a family in your country of choice that you know of and that is willing to host you, we may be able to place you in their home after they are properly vetted. Otherwise, host families are chosen based on your application for the most compatible fit. If you happen to have strong and valid reasons to deny a chosen family, we will try to accommodate your request to the best of our ability.
Yes, pick up and drop-off at the airport is included in all of our programs.
We don’t include airfare in our pricing because we know that allowing people to shop around for the most competitive rates and convenient airport locations is best. Not to mention you might have frequent flyer miles that you could use towards the purchase of a ticket, why take that opportunity away? You may see other programs that include flights, but it should be noted that often these flights will cost more than what participants could find on their own and/or depart from less convenient locations.
Yes, a travel medical insurance policy is included in the program price for all participants.
All program fees must be received before departure, usually 6-8 weeks before.    The usual payment schedule is: $200 student application fee, $1500 deposit before your application is forwarded to our partner in the country of choice and a remainder 6-8 weeks before departure.    Personalized installment plans are also available, where a minimum payment is set at $500.    We understand that financing a study abroad program might be challenging for some, therefore we want you to know that we are here to help as much as we can. Please visit our Scholarship and Fundraising pages for additional financing hints.
To attend a high school you must be sufficiently proficient in the native language of the country you would like to visit, but you don’t have to be fluent. Your language skills will improve quickly once you are culturally immersed!  Don’t speak another language? Don’t worry - we offer several programs in English-speaking countries.
We try to make the application process as simple as possible. Here are the steps you should follow if you’d like to apply:
  1. Explore our programs, options, and countries to find your best match.
  2. Complete our interest form and, if applicable, let us know who referred you to us.
  3. Schedule a meeting with one of our Travel & Study Abroad experts.
  4. Submit your application and a $200 application fee. This non-refundable fee will be applied to your overall program costs.
  5. Upon acceptance, you will be required to pay a deposit of 50% of the total program cost, up to $1500. The final payment is due several weeks before your departure.
Minors are not permitted to travel alone or with other minors. You may travel with your host family, local representative, or with a school. Students above 18 years old, must coordinate with their host family and local representative before making any travel plans.
Making the best decision on how to prepare for a trip to another country where different currency is used takes a bit of planning. Besides US dollar banknotes, that you can exchange anywhere in the world, most debit and credit cards are also accepted worldwide. Before leaving the US you should speak to your bank to make sure that you won’t be charged exorbitant international fees. Many banks in the US offer cards with no international or ATM fees. Also, consider inquiring about prepaid cards. Another option might be traveler’s checks that are an alternative to cash and cards. It is not very common that you will be able to open a local bank account to which you could transfer money to. However, since we live in an ever-changing world, you should never disregard this option; we encourage you to inquire about it upon your arrival. Our local representative will always be happy to assist you. Remember, never keep all of your cards and cash in one place.
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