Study in Thailand

Why Thailand

Thailand's headline advantage is a genuine partner-country credential at Southeast Asian pricing. Global Academy at Siam University co-delivers dual bachelor's and master's degrees with La Trobe University (Australia) and the University of Victoria (Canada) — students pay one tuition fee in Bangkok and graduate with two testamurs, with the option to physically transfer overseas for the final two years. The Asian Institute of Hospitality Management (AIHM) trains students inside a working Bangkok hotel under Minor Hotels backing and a Les Roches (Switzerland) academic association, with a direct transfer route into the Les Roches Master's. Raffles International College Bangkok extends the Singapore-headquartered Raffles Education Network into a boutique, portfolio-led design and business campus.

The second advantage is accessibility. English requirements are genuinely lower than most NZ, Canada or Malaysia branch campuses — IELTS 4.5–5.5 covers general entry across all three institutions — and none of them gate entry on a specific percentage or GPA cut-off, just a straight pass on the qualification. Combined with living costs of THB 15,000–30,000 a month, Thailand is one of the most affordable genuine-degree destinations in this guide.

What it costs

AIHM's Certificate in International Hotel Administration starts near THB 320,000 total. A full Global Academy at Siam University dual bachelor's degree runs THB 885,800, and AIHM's flagship 3.5-year BBA in Global Hospitality Management totals THB 1,403,000 (plus roughly THB 113,200 in additional compulsory expenses across the programme). Raffles Bangkok's design and business bachelor's programmes range from THB 695,000–927,000 — though that fee sheet is dated January 2025 and not yet officially updated for 2026, so always reconfirm with admissions before quoting a family. Living costs run THB 15,000–30,000 per month, with a first-month setup budget of THB 30,000–50,000.

The honest post-study picture

We are direct about this: Thailand has no multi-year post-study work visa like Canada's PGWP or New Zealand's PSWV, and no fast-track permanent residence pathway. Since 15 July 2024 there is a 1-year post-study stay — but it is widely misdescribed, so be precise with families. It is not a visa a graduate applies for at the end of the course; it is an extension of the Non-Immigrant "ED Plus" student visa, which covers bachelor's level and above and must be requested at a Thai embassy before entering Thailand (you generally cannot switch to it from a standard ED visa once inside the country). The institution must also file the extension on the graduate's behalf, and the year grants no work rights by itself — actually working requires a job offer, a change to a Non-Immigrant B visa and a separate Ministry of Labour work permit. It also isn't offered everywhere: of the three institutions in this guide, only AIHM's own visa materials confirm it — Global Academy at Siam University's and Raffles International College Bangkok's own visa pages show no evidence of it, so confirm directly with them before counting on it. The standard Non-Immigrant ED visa permits no employment while studying and simply ends with the course. The realistic positioning is: a genuine, low-cost dual/transfer degree, or hands-on hospitality/creative-industry training with strong built-in internships — not an immigration destination. Families prioritising a long-term stay-and-work outcome are better served by the New Zealand or Canada guides.