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 number 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.
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.
In this article, we will go over the cheap universities in Thailand for international students. The universities in Thailand are relatively affordable for international students, with the cheapest university going from 16,000 THB per semester for Bachelor’s and 27,000 THB per semester, which means you can study from USD 2,000 per year for a degree.
Affordable Schools in Thailand for International Students
1. Prince of Songkla University
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: from 16,000 THB/semester (Bachelor’s) | from 27,000 THB/semester (Master’s) | from 77,000 THB/semester (PhD)
Prince of Songkla University (PSU) 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.
Prince of Songkla University is the cheapest university in Thailand for international students. The bachelor’s fee starts from 16,000 THB (USD 500) per semester (e.g., Finance, Marketing) and goes up to 79,500 THB (USD 2,500) per semester (e.g., Management and Entrepreneurship). For Master’s, the tuition fee starts from 35,500 THB (USD 1,100) per semester (e.g., Master of Business Administration) and goes up to 60,000 THB (USD 1,800) per semester (e.g., Master of Business Administration International Program). Regarding tuition fees for a Doctorate, the tuition fee is 77,000 THB (USD 2,400) per semester (e.g., Doctor of Philosophy Management Program).
2. Khon Kaen University (KKU)
Khon Kaen University is a flagship public university in Northeast Thailand and a major research center for medicine, agriculture, and engineering. The International College (KKUIC) and various faculties offer English-taught degrees with a practical, regional focus, strong industry ties, and an active campus community. KKU’s location in Khon Kaen keeps living costs low while giving students access to modern facilities and a large alumni network.
Regarding tuition fees, the bachelor’s fee starts from 50,000 THB (USD 1,500) per semester (e.g., Engineering international programs such as Digital Media Engineering, Logistics Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering) and goes up to 73,000 THB (USD 2,200) per semester (e.g., KKU International College programs like Bio Innovation Management and Digital Innovation Management). For Master’s, the tuition fee ranges from 40,000 THB (USD 1,200) per semester (e.g., M.Eng. programs such as Civil Engineering, Energy Engineering, Mechanical Engineering) to 50,000 THB (USD 1,500) per semester (e.g., M.Sc. in International Technology & Innovation Management). Regarding tuition fees for a Doctorate, programs range from 37,500 THB (USD 1,200) to 47,500 THB (USD 1,500) per semester (e.g., Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Agriculture Engineering). Please note that several graduate programs add an international student fee of 15,000 THB (USD 500).
3. MahaSarakham University
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: from 35,000 THB/sem (undergraduate) | from 82,500 THB/sem (graduate)
MaraSarakham University (MSU) 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! It is the only university in Thailand that offers programs in paleontology and certain programs in Khmer. They offer 86 bachelor’s programs, 58 master’s programs, and 34 doctoral programs. The university also has nine research centers and two colleges of music and politics, and governance.
Maha Sarakham University is a cheap university in Thailand for international students. The bachelor’s fee starts from 35,000 THB (USD 1,100) per semester (e.g., Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Education, Mahasarakham Business School) and goes up to 40,000 THB (USD 1,200) per semester (e.g., Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Architecture Urban Design and Creative Arts, Faculty of Informatics). For Master’s, the tuition fee ranges from 82,500 THB (USD 2,500) per semester (e.g., Tropical Health Innovation, Applied Thai Traditional Medicine) to 100,000 THB (USD 3,100) per semester (e.g., MBA programs such as Strategic Management and Digital Business & Information Systems). Regarding tuition fees for a Doctorate, programs range from 80,000 THB (USD 2,500) to 100,000 THB (USD 3,100) per semester (e.g., Doctor of Philosophy in Health Science, Doctor of Philosophy in Food Technology).
4. Naresuan University (NU)
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: from 80,000 THB/semester (Bachelor’s) | from 120,000 THB/semester (Master’s) | from 150,000 THB/semester (Doctoral).
Naresuan University in Phitsanulok is a comprehensive public research university known for applied science, teacher education, and health programs. NU’s green campus, modern labs, and supportive international office make it an appealing option for students wanting a balanced city–campus lifestyle away from Bangkok’s cost premiums.
The bachelor’s tuition ranges from 80,000 THB (USD 2,300) per semester (e.g., Business, Law, Humanities) to 306,400 THB (USD 9,000) per semester (e.g., Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences). For Master’s programs, tuition ranges from 120,000 THB (USD 3,500) per semester (e.g., Education, Business Administration, Social Sciences) to 400,000 THB (USD 11,700) per semester (e.g., Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences). For Doctoral programs, tuition ranges from 150,000 THB (USD 4,400) per semester to 600,000 THB (USD 17,600) per semester (e.g., Science, Engineering at the lower end; Medicine, Public Health at the higher end). NU also charges per-semester International Student Fees, 60,000 THB (USD 1,800) for bachelor’s, 30,000 THB (USD 900) for master’s, and 45,000 THB (USD 1,300) for doctoral.
5. 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 tuition fees at Chulalongkorn University are competitive for international students. The bachelor’s fee starts from 76,000 THB (USD 2,100) per semester (e.g., Arts, Fine and Applied Arts) and goes up to 106,000 THB (USD 3,200) per semester (e.g., Life Sciences). For Master’s, the tuition fee starts from 85,200 THB (USD 2,600) per semester (e.g., Humanities) and goes up to 133,900 THB (USD 4,100) per semester (e.g., Life Sciences).
6. Sripatum University
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: from 56,150 THB/semester (Bachelor’s)
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. The bachelor’s fee starts from 56,150 THB (USD 1,700) per semester (e.g., B.B.A. International Program) and goes up to 79,450 THB (USD 2,400) per semester (e.g., B.B.A. China–ASEAN Program).
7. Bangkok University
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: from 22,600 THB/semester (undergraduate) | from 188,930 THB for the whole degree (Master’s) | from 568,980 THB for the whole program (Doctoral)
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. The bachelor’s tuition starts from 22,600 THB (USD 700) per semester (e.g., English, Airline Business Management, Tourism and Cruise Management) and goes up to 97,400 THB (USD 3,000) per semester (e.g., Film, Series & Global Content Production and Business). For Master’s programs, total program tuition ranges from 188,930 (USD 6,200) (e.g., Global Communication – International Program) to 370,980 THB (USD 11,400) (e.g., M.Eng. in Electrical & Computer Engineering – International Program). For Doctoral programs, total program tuition ranges from 568,980 THB (USD 17,500) (e.g., D.Com.Arts. in Strategic Brand & Communication Management) to 1,202,000 THB (USD 37,000) (e.g., Ph.D. in Knowledge Management & Innovation).
FAQs: Studying 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 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 by the number of years/semesters of the program.
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!
We hope this article on cheap universities in Thailand was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Study in Thailand and Available Programs for International Students pages for more informative articles.
