Best universities in Thailand

Chulalongkorn is No. 1 university in Thailand and No. 182 in the world. In the SCImago institutions Ranking, which ranks international researches of universities. Chulalongkorn is ranked 475th in World rankings in 2016, up six places from last year.


Chulalongkorn seems to be a top tier university, together with Thammasat, both located in the capital city Bangkok.

   Their International Programme seems to be great and they usually employ the best lectures they can get.

You can study for a Bachelor, a Master's, or even a Doctorate.

  Please have a look here: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/admissions/i … -programs/

BTW, it's right now the right time to sign up for your kids' education, should "Chula" how almost all people call this place, be of interest for your kids, or yourself.

   Duration of Application
From February 1 to March 31, 2019. ( For International Undergraduate)

Oral Interview and/or Written Examination (If any)
April 2019.

Tuition Fees:
Non-degree or Visiting Student (Audition student)*
Group    Undergraduate Level                               Graduate Level
Group 1    16,375 Baht/semester                              43,250 Baht/semester
Group 2    15,375 Baht/semester                              40,000 Baht/semester
Summer    9,187 Baht/semester                               22,875 Baht/semester

Remark: *Program Fees will vary according to the program.

Degree Student
Group    Undergraduate Level                                            Graduate Level
Group 1    65,500 Baht/semester                                        86,500 Baht/semester
Group 2    61,500 Baht/semester                                        80,000 Baht/semester
Summer    36,750 Baht/semester                                        45,750 Baht/semester

Remarks:
Special fees for weekend and evening programs or special programs are set by the individual program.

Program Fees will vary according to the program.

Exchange student (University level) will have tuition and program fees waived.

Living Costs
Books: Approximately 5,000 Baht/semester

Food and other expenses: ≥10,000 Baht/month (apart from room rent, a meal is on average is 50-100 Baht)

Dormitory: ≈15,000 Baht/month (including electricity and water rates)

For those who are interested, please see: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/admissions/tuition-and-fees/


As you can see, the tuition fee, plus living expenses can easily skyrocket.

Chula and Tammasat are regarded as the two best schools in Thailand, per my impression.  Mahidol may also be worth considering but I wouldn't expect other schools and programs to be on the same level, and maybe not even Mahidol.  I hire Thai employees from a number of institutions but that doesn't necessarily make me well-informed about schools; I'm basing this input more on general hearsay.

A friend's daughter is doing an exchange semester here in a business program at Mahidol now, living and studying in Bangkok.  I'm not sure why she isn't at Chula or Thammasat instead, or if they offer such programs.  It would seem very likely that they do.  It's really a different thing since if you go to a four-year program it makes a lot of difference how well that program is respected, related to further study or employment opportunities, but if you go to a US or European school (or wherever else) and only do a semester or two somewhere else your degree is still coming from that other institution, and it wouldn't be much of a factor if you did some contributing studies somewhere else.

My wife has degrees in education and journalism from Chulalongkorn (a bachelors and a masters), and I'd assume that there isn't much that they don't cover for education there, that the range of departments and majors is really broad.  As with any schools anywhere individual programs could be seen as stronger at the different schools, and I'm not sure how that works out.  My wife was able to attend a US school based on that study, and even obtained a full scholarship to attend the University of Hawaii at Manoa through the  East-West Program. 

That last kind of thing, great scholarship opportunities, tends to relate to a number of different factors, and being able to network to make the right contacts is more helpful than good grades, attending a better school, related work experience, or other types of credentials.  Such is life; politics and networking are what get things done, more than anything else.  Attending a school that isn't accredited to the same level is an example of where that kind of factor reaches a limit, and I'd expect that not far beyond those three schools that becomes a relevant concern.

Mahidol seems to be a very good institution as well. Here's some information for those who're interested:

  https://www.timeshighereducation.com/wo … university

    But generally speaking, the senior students at my school from wealthier families seem to prefer either Chula or Thammasat. Those who can afford it study at Chula.

What are the most affordable options?

Hi folks,

Regards to the Living Costs I think there is little misunderstanding here, Just to clarify a few things out:

- Food and other expenses is a way less than 10.000 baht if you are alone, one meal cost between 35 baht (around a US dollar) and 50 baht on an average restaurant or you can cook if you have time, even cheaper and healthy! If you like to keep a small stock, Makro is your choice.

- Dormitory for 15.000 /mo again is a way to high for a dorm room, I used to live in BKK and I paid for the condo room (nice place with security and some amenities, internet included) around 5.000 baht + utility bills. Generally speaking you are only going to sleep in your room, it will be cheap, around 1.000 baht /mo for utility bills). Total cost for about 6.000 /mo.

A friend of mine from France left a couple months ago since he finished his semester, he used to pay about 10.000 baht (for food + condo + other expenses). Ah! It doesn't include weekends on the beach and/or party in Bangkok).

He was graduating marketing at Chulalongkorn business school and was very satisfied with the course.

I think most people graduating or just making a semester abroad they are also looking to save money with the ordinary expenses, if they were millionaires, why in the first place coming to Thailand? there exist plenty of better places across the globe, for example someone that can not afford Oxford or another great school, Thailand seems to be a good option, not saying Chulalongkorn or any other academic center in Thailand is not good, but it's affordable by the standards, again generally speaking Thailand as a whole is an affordable country to live and study.

aleksandra.v wrote:

What are the most affordable options?

To get an answer, you should be more specific. Options for what? A Bachelor in a particular field, a Master's in Education, or perhaps a Doctorate?

     Even the annual tuition fees for some International high schools can be as expensive as a house in Isaan.

    There are quite a lot of good universities that are affordable for example in Khon Kaen, but you've got to be more precise what you're looking for.

     Kind regards,

             

fapc wrote:

Hi folks,

Regards to the Living Costs I think there is little misunderstanding here, Just to clarify a few things out:

- Food and other expenses is a way less than 10.000 baht if you are alone, one meal cost between 35 baht (around a US dollar) and 50 baht on an average restaurant or you can cook if you have time, even cheaper and healthy! If you like to keep a small stock, Makro is your choice.

- Dormitory for 15.000 /mo again is a way to high for a dorm room, I used to live in BKK and I paid for the condo room (nice place with security and some amenities, internet included) around 5.000 baht + utility bills. Generally speaking you are only going to sleep in your room, it will be cheap, around 1.000 baht /mo for utility bills). Total cost for about 6.000 /mo.

A friend of mine from France left a couple months ago since he finished his semester, he used to pay about 10.000 baht (for food + condo + other expenses). Ah! It doesn't include weekends on the beach and/or party in Bangkok).

He was graduating marketing at Chulalongkorn business school and was very satisfied with the course.

I think most people graduating or just making a semester abroad they are also looking to save money with the ordinary expenses, if they were millionaires, why in the first place coming to Thailand? there exist plenty of better places across the globe, for example someone that can not afford Oxford or another great school, Thailand seems to be a good option, not saying Chulalongkorn or any other academic center in Thailand is not good, but it's affordable by the standards, again generally speaking Thailand as a whole is an affordable country to live and study.

- Dormitory for 15.000 /mo again is a way to high for a dorm room,

   There are many reasons to live in a dormitory on the campus of a very good university.

    You do not have the daily hassle to get from point A to point B, which is a pain in the but. 
   For younger students who used to live with their families before, a great opportunity to meet others in the same situation, or studying the same courses.
   You're not just going to sleep in that room, there's homework to do, the laundry and plenty of other "extracurricular activities" when you're a student at a university in Bangkok.

   15,000 baht per month, if laundry, internet, etc is included isn't a lot of money for those who can afford it to study at Chula. Greetings from Isaan.

bkk tea blog wrote:

Chula and Tammasat are regarded as the two best schools in Thailand, per my impression.  Mahidol may also be worth considering but I wouldn't expect other schools and programs to be on the same level, and maybe not even Mahidol.  I hire Thai employees from a number of institutions but that doesn't necessarily make me well-informed about schools; I'm basing this input more on general hearsay.

A friend's daughter is doing an exchange semester here in a business program at Mahidol now, living and studying in Bangkok.  I'm not sure why she isn't at Chula or Thammasat instead, or if they offer such programs.  It would seem very likely that they do.  It's really a different thing since if you go to a four-year program it makes a lot of difference how well that program is respected, related to further study or employment opportunities, but if you go to a US or European school (or wherever else) and only do a semester or two somewhere else your degree is still coming from that other institution, and it wouldn't be much of a factor if you did some contributing studies somewhere else.

My wife has degrees in education and journalism from Chulalongkorn (a bachelors and a masters), and I'd assume that there isn't much that they don't cover for education there, that the range of departments and majors is really broad.  As with any schools anywhere individual programs could be seen as stronger at the different schools, and I'm not sure how that works out.  My wife was able to attend a US school based on that study, and even obtained a full scholarship to attend the University of Hawaii at Manoa through the  East-West Program. 

That last kind of thing, great scholarship opportunities, tends to relate to a number of different factors, and being able to network to make the right contacts is more helpful than good grades, attending a better school, related work experience, or other types of credentials.  Such is life; politics and networking are what get things done, more than anything else.  Attending a school that isn't accredited to the same level is an example of where that kind of factor reaches a limit, and I'd expect that not far beyond those three schools that becomes a relevant concern.

A German friend of mine who's married to a Thai English teacher in Ubon R./Isaan thought he'd take his wife to Germany where he taught at a school in the northern part, to find a teaching position for her. But it turned out that her ordinary "Rajabhat degree" wasn't worth the paper it was printed on.

    He finally moved to Thailand to stay with his family and had a starting salary of 35,000 baht at a Thai government high school,  with 24 contact hours and a heavy "extracurricular workload".

  The only jobs he could find for his wife was a job as a receptionist of a Hotel in Hamburg, the second offer was a waitress position at a highway ( Autobahn) restaurant!! So much about qualifications from no-name universities in Thailand.

   Then the problem to find the right school for their son. Their relationship got worse from day to day and they finally separated and the guy went back. His dream to live in Thailand with his family didn't last long.

If students can afford to pay then why even bother with the cost of things, right? Check in with Hilton Hotel and everything will be more than fine.

I used to enjoy going from point A to point B in my time as a student, eat in a different place every day, seeing lot of people, interact with culture which is very important, feel the breeze in your face, Instead of been confined to the university environment 24 hours a day. I had both experience living in a dorm room and rent by myself.

Laundry is pretty cheap, the condo I was living they pick up every couple of days, also they clean up the room on your demand and "extracurricular activities" is pretty much OK doesn't matter where you are living.

Most students that I know didn't grow up using a silver spoon. They have to work hard toward their goals and not just wait "honey" from the parents.

It reminds me my wife, she is a qualified nurse and her degree was not accepted in my country, she end up cooking Thai food and today (after 7 years) she is a Thai Chef. Most part of our time in life we have to change, re-shape, adapt ourselves instead of waiting for a good job in a foreign country based on our qualifications, in one country you can be a doctor and in another country you will end washing dishes! Harsh reality.

fapc wrote:

If students can afford to pay then why even bother with the cost of things, right? Check in with Hilton Hotel and everything will be more than fine.

I used to enjoy going from point A to point B in my time as a student, eat in a different place every day, seeing lot of people, interact with culture which is very important, feel the breeze in your face, Instead of been confined to the university environment 24 hours a day. I had both experience living in a dorm room and rent by myself.

Laundry is pretty cheap, the condo I was living they pick up every couple of days, also they clean up the room on your demand and "extracurricular activities" is pretty much OK doesn't matter where you are living.

Most students that I know didn't grow up using a silver spoon. They have to work hard toward their goals and not just wait "honey" from the parents.

Great post. Yep, kids need to find out, as early as possible, how it is to stand on their own feet. The "spoonfed ones" are usually problem kids in my opinion.

There's a "wannabe private school" near Ubon where you'll meet more than one kid with very strange behavioral problems. These are usually the kids of some rich people who do not have enough time for their "loved ones."

Isaanfarang wrote:

Mahidol seems to be a very good institution as well. Here's some information for those who're interested:

  https://www.timeshighereducation.com/wo … university

    But generally speaking, the senior students at my school from wealthier families seem to prefer either Chula or Thammasat. Those who can afford it study at Chula.

What is your opinion regarding Bangkok University?

I know that Mahidol (Salaya campus) has a very descent course in Biology/Biochemistry, one of our in-law relative just graduated at Mahidol, but he graduated in Marketing and Management but of course he knows what he is talking about.

Another university I heard good things was Burapa (campus Chataburi - course Marine Technology) http://marine.chanthaburi.buu.ac.th/

I think, those interest can dig more, sometimes size doesn't matter and small institutions will surprise of what they are capable to provide.

Hi, I am planning to pursue my mba from stamford university. Is it worth it? Being an indian student i am planning to have a job in thailand

I live in Bangladesh and I want to study in any thai university in undergraduate level; I mean bachelor.
But I have study gap of 3 years due to medical issues. I have been keeping well since I started my treatment in Bumrungrad International Hospital.
[i]I have already paid visit to Bangkok 4 times for treatment but not for higher studies.
Is it possible to get admission in Thai universities ,especially those in Bangkok? [/i]