Located in South Asia, Thailand is a fascinating destination. Although it has gone through rough political times, the number of visitors and the revenue from tourism haven’t stopped growing.

In 2017, Thailand received 37 million tourists. This number of international visitors also translates into a high amount of international students, making its universities the third most popular in Southeast Asia. Maybe people are attracted by the delicious food, the warm weather, the never-ending nightlife, and the wide variety of university options. In this article, we will be looking at cheap universities in Thailand.

The higher education system in Thailand has gone through multiple reforms in the last few years with the objective of improving and unifying education. This includes changing the admissions tests, the academic calendar, the curricula, and funding.

Universities in Thailand are divided into specialized, multidisciplinary, and community colleges. Around 30% of these institutions are located in the capital city, Bangkok. Until 2016, there were 156 universities that were accredited. 48% of them are private.

Thailand has an aging population that is growing quickly. This is why they are making important efforts to keep their young citizens at local universities and to attract international students.

For example, they’ve relaxed certain policies related to visas. In the case of higher education, the number of agreements with universities abroad has increased. They currently offer many double degrees in cooperation with foreign institutions. Many universities are also building satellite campuses in Thailand.

How is the Admissions Process at Universities in Thailand?

The admissions process for public universities was recently changed. The Thai Central Admission System (TCAS) was introduced in 2018 and is comprised of five stages that combine tests and the examination of high school grades and diplomas. There are 54 universities in Thailand that currently use the system.

Private universities choose their own admission methods, which can include interviews, tests, essay writing, or just the submission of documents.

What is the Language of Instruction at Universities in Thailand?

Thailand’s official language is Thai, so the majority of degree programs are taught in this language. However, many universities have programs completely taught in English. Actually, it is estimated that in 2015, Thailand had 1,044 programs taught in English.

How Expensive are Universities in Thailand?

As it happens in most countries, tuition fees for international students are significantly more expensive than for domestic students in Thailand.

Fortunately, they are still very affordable when compared to other universities. Tuition fees for international programs in English usually go from 2,000 USD to 6,000 USD per year. This makes universities in Thailand to be significantly cheaper.

Sometimes, Thai universities include the cost of the whole program instead of the annual or biannual fees. If a program seems way too expensive, check carefully before dismissing a university. Chances are that the costs shown are for the complete program and you just have to do the math and divide the sum into the number of years/semesters of the program.

Check Also: Available Programs for International Students

Is Thailand an Expensive Country to Study?

Like other countries in the region, living in Thailand is relatively affordable. Thailand’s official currency is the Thai baht (THB).

Renting a one-bedroom apartment in the city center costs 13,700 THB per month. In other areas, rent could cost 8,500 THB.

Thailand is famous for its delicious food comprised of multiple spices, exotic fruits, and succulent dishes. You can eat at a local restaurant for less than 5 USD and at a mid-range restaurant for 15 to 20 USD. And don’t forget that Thais eat with their hands!

Now that you know a little bit more about Thailand’s higher education system and lifestyle, let’s talk about the universities. As they have over 100 universities, this time we’ll only cover those that have international programs in English.

Affordable Universities in Thailand for International Students

1. MahaSarakham University (MSU)

The first cheap university in Thailand that we will be looking at is MaraSarakham University. This university came into existence in 1963 as a teaching training college. Its objective was to educate the future teachers of Thailand. The institution started to expand and became the campus of another university. Today, MSU has more than 40,000 students and has many more programs than just teaching training.

MSU has two campuses: one is located in the center of MahaSarakham and the second is in the Kantharawichai District.

The university has 17 faculties, so you can be sure that any program you’re interested in will be available here! Actually, it is the only university in Thailand that offers programs in paleontology and certain programs in Khmer. They offer 86 bachelor programs, 58 master programs, and 34 doctorate programs. The university also has nine research centers and two colleges of music and politics and governance.

The detailed steps to apply to MSU are explained in their admissions section. There is no test but you’ll have to submit many documents.

Tuition fees are affordable at MSU, both for undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The university also has student residences available for international students at both campuses. Visit their website to learn about the services offered, their programs, and more!

2. Chulalongkorn University

The oldest higher education institution in Thailand is Chulalongkorn University. This cheap university in Thailand was named after one of Thailand’s kings (this country has a parliamentary constitutional monarchy) and was created after two institutions merged together in 1917.

It is located in Bangkok and has more than 35,000 students. This cheap university in Thailand has 19 faculties, a school of agricultural resources, four colleges, 14 institutes, and a graduate school.

An interesting aspect is that the King used to be the one who handed over the diplomas at graduations. Nowadays, it is done by members of the royal family. As the royal school is one of the institutions that merged to create this university, students are required to wear uniforms.

The university has student residences available for international students. CU iHouse has 846 fully furnished units that cost between 36 to 546 USD per month. It also has bus services for students.

Admissions start by completing an application form online. Students may be asked to take a written test or go to an interview. Get more details by reading the information available here.

Majors are divided into groups for determining tuition fees. To check which majors are included in each group, click here.

3. Prince of Songkla University (PSU)

The next cheap university in Thailand that we’ll be looking at is Prince of Songkla University. The university was created in 1967 in the southern area of Thailand to tackle the needs of the region, contribute to the development of the area, and actively participate in the community.

In order to have a significant presence in the region, PSU has five campuses. These have 39 faculties, institutes, and colleges. There are also four hospitals for the healthcare faculty that benefit the community.

The university has student residences for international students. International dormitories have 64 places available. You must register online to book a room.

Regarding tuition fees, international students pay two times what domestic students have to pay. They go from 54,000 THB to 154,000 THB. There are international programs that have their own fees. These go from 35,000 THB to 90,000 THB.

4. Burapha University (BUU)

Burapha University was founded in 1955 in the coastal area of Thailand. Almost 48,000 students receive education in one of the three campuses of the university and about 5,000 students are admitted each year.

This cheap university in Thailand has 24 faculties distributed throughout the three campuses. It also has two colleges and three graduate schools.

To assure students’ well-being, there are many activities and events available. There are over 100 student clubs and organizations, recreation and sports facilities, and art-related events. The university also has an on-campus bus service.

The detailed application process along with the requirements and tuition fees are available on their admissions website.

5. Sripatum University

Sripatum University was originally founded in 1970 as a college. 17 years later, it became a university. It has ten schools and six colleges. At this university, students also wear uniforms.

One of these colleges is the Sripatum International College (SIC), which offers 8 international programs that are completely taught in English. These are Airline Business, International Business Management, International Logistic and Supply Chain Management, Accountancy, Media & Marketing Communication, and Thai Studies.

The other two programs were created in cooperation with institutions abroad. The first one is International Hospitality Management with the Swiss College of Hospitality Management Lenk (SHML). The other one is Business Chinese in cooperation with the Beijing Language & Culture University.

All undergraduate degree programs last for four years. Annual tuition fees go from 123,900 THB to 139,000 THB. This is quite an affordable tuition fee for a university in Thailand. To learn how to apply, visit their admissions section.

6. Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)

The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), a cheap university in Thailand, was created in 1969 with the objective of fostering improvement in the field of technology and the search for sustainable development in the region. Its areas of expertise include engineering, management, technology, and of course, sustainable development.

AIT is a leader in terms of internationalization because of the comprehensive number of affiliate programs with universities around the world and for how well prepared they are to receive international students. Actually, the university educates around 2,000 students and 70% of them are international, coming from over 50 countries.

The university has three schools of Management (SOM), Engineering and Technology (SET), and Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD). There are also other departments called AIT Solutions and AIT Extension, which offer short courses, professional certificates, and services of consultancy.

Along with the campus in Thailand, AIT also created AIVC, which is a campus in Vietnam.

They offer master and doctorate programs, dual degree and joint degree programs, exchange and Erasmus programs, and a special Unified International Bachelor-Master (UIBM) that lasts for five years and is offered in cooperation with Partner University (PU). There are also over 450 research projects that are currently sponsored.

In their admissions section, they explain everything related to the admissions procedures, requirements, and eligibility. There are also details on the preparatory program called the Bridging Program.

Tuition fees are calculated according to the price of the credit, which is 16,000 THB. This means that for all programs, each semester (12 credits) would cost 192,000 THB. Check their FAQ section to learn more!

7. Bangkok University (BU)

Bangkok University (BU) is a private institution that was established in 1962. Along with the campus in the capital city, the university opened a second campus in the city of Rangsit. For most of the programs, students complete the first two years of their major at the Rangsit campus and then move to the campus in Bangkok.

Each year, this cheap university in Thailand receives around 30,000 students who choose one of their programs in English or Thai.

International programs in English include seven bachelor’s degree programs in marketing, entrepreneurship, hotel and restaurant management, international tourism and hospitality management, culinary arts and design, communication arts, and business. All of them last for four years.

There’s also a master’s program in electrical and computer engineering, and three doctorate programs in electrical and computer engineering, knowledge and innovation management, and philosophy in communication arts.

Tuition fees depend on the program. In case you need financial aid, there’s a wide variety of scholarships available. Visit their international students’ section to learn more about admissions.

 

We hope that this article on cheap universities in Thailand was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs for International Students!

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hyun is the founder at Global Scholarships. He has received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College as well as $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for his undergraduate degree and has been offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. Read more about his scholarship journey here.

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