International Schools in Chiang Mai: Ten Compared

Ten schools in and around Chiang Mai publish their own pages. CMIS, NIS and Grace teach American curricula. Lanna, SBS and Meritton teach Cambridge programmes. Prem and Panyaden offer IB programmes. SISB mixes Singapore and Cambridge. Mill Hill follows the UK curriculum.

By Vincent Nguyen

You have a short list of Chiang Mai international schools and one question: which of them teaches the curriculum your child needs next? The table answers it from each school’s own pages. Prices sit in a separate guide to international school fees in Chiang Mai.

Ten international schools at a glance

Curriculum and area in this table come from each school’s own pages.

Quick picks by need

• American curriculum: CMIS, NIS or Grace.
• IB: Prem for the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes; Panyaden for the Diploma.
• Cambridge route: Lanna, SBS Chiangmai or Meritton.
• UK curriculum: Mill Hill Thailand.
• Boarding and day school: Prem.
• Singapore curriculum foundation: SISB Chiang Mai.
• Christian heritage: CMIS or Grace.

Grades and ages: which schools take a 5-year-old and a 9-year-old

Each row uses the youngest and oldest stage the school publishes. A 5-year-old and a 9-year-old both sit inside the stated range at all ten schools.

At Grace, entrants to Grades 3 to 5 must have had at least one year of English-based schooling just before applying. A 9-year-old with no English-medium year is therefore a harder fit there. Grace enrolment for 2026-2027 is complete. Mill Hill takes applications at any time of year.

Nearest area guide for each school

The address each school publishes decides which area guide matters. Rent by area is in where to live in Chiang Mai. Tuition for each school is in the international school fees comparison.

No school in this list gives a San Sai address, so a San Sai home is not next to any of them by address alone.

Chiang Mai International School (CMIS): American curriculum from Preschool

Address: 13 Chetupon Rd., Chiang Mai 50000. It teaches students from Preschool to Grade 12. Its instruction is closely aligned to an American standards-based curriculum.

Legal status with the Thai Government as an international school dates from 1985, and WASC accreditation from 1987. Its first classes began on 1 June 1954 with eight students. It says it keeps the core values of the Christian faith and welcomes students from all faiths, cultures, nationalities and backgrounds.

• Good for: families who want an American curriculum from Preschool to Grade 12 on one campus.
• Skip if: you want a British or IB programme, because the curriculum is American.

Lanna International School: Cambridge from age 2

Address: 166 Moo 10, Baan Waen, Hang Dong, Chiang Mai 50230. It says it was established in 1993 and runs from early childhood through Year 13. Its Early Years band is for ages 2 to 4.

Lanna follows a Cambridge curriculum. It says it is licensed by the Thai Ministry of Education and is a fully accredited international school.

• Good for: families who want a Cambridge route from age 2 to Year 13.
• Skip if: you want an American or IB programme, because the curriculum is Cambridge.

Nakornpayap International School (NIS): American curriculum with AP

Address: 240 Moo 6, San Phi Sua, Muang, Chiang Mai 50300. It says it was founded in 1993, is the oldest secular international school in Chiang Mai and is fully accredited by WASC.

NIS uses an American Common Core-based curriculum complemented by Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Its tuition table runs from an Early Childhood Center band of K1 to K3 to a High School band of Grades 9 to 12.

• Good for: families who want Advanced Placement courses in an American curriculum.
• Skip if: you want a school with Christian heritage values, because NIS is a secular school.

Prem Tinsulanonda International School (Prem): IB with boarding

Address: 234 Moo 3, Huay Sai, Mae Rim, Chiang Mai 50180. It says it was established in 2001 as part of the Traidhos Three-Generation Community for Learning. It says its campus covers 100 acres.

Prem has offered the IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes since it opened. It says it was the first school in Southeast Asia to offer the IB Career-related Programme. Its Early Years programme is for ages 2.5 to 5 years, and Grades 11 to 12 offer the IB Diploma Programme. Prem is an IB boarding and day school.

• Good for: families who want the IB, with boarding available.
• Skip if: you want a campus inside the city, because the address is in Mae Rim.

SBS International School Chiangmai: Cambridge Pathway from age 2

Address: 225/900 Moo 11, Banwaen, Hangdong, Chiang Mai 50230. It offers a Cambridge Pathway from Early Years through Secondary. Its Early Years stage includes ages 2 to 5, and its Secondary School includes students aged 11 to 18.

SBS Chiangmai announces full WASC accreditation through a joint accreditation visit with ONESQA.

• Good for: families who want a Cambridge route from ages 2 to 18.
• Skip if: you want the IB, because SBS Chiangmai teaches a Cambridge Pathway.

Grace International School (GIS): American and faith-based

Address: 88 Muu 3, Harn Kaew, Hang Dong, Chiang Mai 50230. It labels itself a K-12 school.

Grace was established in 1999 to educate the children of international Christian workers. It uses an American curriculum taught from a biblical worldview. Enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year is complete.

• Good for: families of international Christian workers who want an American curriculum.
• Skip if: you need a place for the current school year, because enrollment for 2026-2027 is complete as of 14 October 2026.

Panyaden International School: British, IB and Thai curriculum blend

Address: 218, 218/1 Moo 2, Namprae, Hang Dong, Chiang Mai 50230. It says it was founded in 2011. Its fee table starts with Nursery and ends with Years 12 and 13, the IB Diploma Programme.

Panyaden’s philosophy blends the British Curriculum, the IB Diploma Programme and the Thai National Curriculum. It says it is a fully accredited institution of WASC and is certified by ONESQA.

• Good for: families who want British, IB Diploma and Thai national content in one programme.
• Skip if: you want an American curriculum, because Panyaden names British, IB and Thai strands.

Meritton British International School: Cambridge, ages 2 to 16

Address: 168 Moo 7, Nongkwai, Hangdong District, Chiang Mai 50230. It says it welcomes enrolment applications year-round for pupils aged 2 to 16, from Pre-Nursery to Year 11.

Its Primary School follows the Cambridge International Curriculum. It says AS and A Level programmes are offered in Years 12 to 13.

• Good for: families who want a Cambridge primary route with year-round applications.
• Skip if: you want an IB or American programme, because the primary curriculum is Cambridge International.

SISB Chiang Mai: Singapore and Cambridge programmes

Address: 10 Hussadhisawee Road, Tambon Sripoom, Amphoe Muang, Chiang Mai. Its fee table starts at Nursery 1 for age 2 and over and ends at Grade 12 for age 17 and over.

SISB’s programmes sit on a strong Singapore curriculum foundation. Its secondary school uses a hybrid curriculum combining the Singapore and Cambridge systems. Its high school presents Cambridge International AS and A Levels.

• Good for: families who want a Singapore curriculum foundation with Cambridge exams later.
• Skip if: you want an IB programme, because SISB teaches Singapore and Cambridge programmes.

Mill Hill International School Thailand: UK curriculum in Doi Saket

Address: 117 Moo 8, San Pu Loei, Doi Saket, Chiang Mai 50220. It says it combines the UK curriculum with innovative teaching.

Mill Hill runs an Early Years Foundation Stage for ages 3 to 5 and a Senior School for ages 13 to 18. Its tuition table stops at Year 9.

• Good for: families who want a UK-curriculum school.
• Skip if: you need a campus in Hang Dong or the city, because the address is in Doi Saket.

How to choose: curriculum, age, area and fee band

Work through four filters in order. Each one cuts the list using facts the schools publish.

• Curriculum: American at CMIS, NIS and Grace; Cambridge at Lanna, SBS Chiangmai and Meritton; IB at Prem and Panyaden; Singapore and Cambridge at SISB; UK at Mill Hill.
• Child’s age, youngest entry: Lanna Early Years is for ages 2 to 4. SBS Chiangmai includes ages 2 to 5.
• Meritton takes pupils aged 2 to 16. SISB starts at Nursery 1 for age 2 and over.
• Prem’s Early Years is for ages 2.5 to 5. Mill Hill’s Early Years Foundation Stage is for ages 3 to 5.
• Area: Lanna, SBS Chiangmai, Grace, Panyaden and Meritton give Hang Dong addresses. CMIS, NIS and SISB give Chiang Mai city addresses. Prem is in Mae Rim and Mill Hill in Doi Saket.
• Fee band comes last: the fee comparison lists tuition for each school left on your list.

Boarding narrows the list to Prem. Enrollment at Grace for 2026-2027 is complete, and inquiries are open for 2027 entry.

Admissions: timing, documents and student visas

Entry rules differ by school, so check three things before you pay anything.

• Timing, rolling entry: Mill Hill accepts online applications at any time of year and offers places on a rolling basis subject to availability. Meritton welcomes applications year-round.
• Timing, fixed windows: Grace is taking inquiries for 2027 entry, with admissions between February and May 2027. Applicants without Member Associate status may be waitlisted until April or May.
• English level: Grace requires grades 3 to 5 applicants to have had at least one year of English-based schooling.
• Documents: NIS asks for the past two years of school records and its admissions team replies within 5 to 7 business days.
• Application fee: Mill Hill charges 5,000 baht with the registration form.
• Visas: the Destination Thailand Visa is not eligible for student enrolment at Grace, whose non-Thai students need a Non-Immigrant visa such as the ED. The guides to the Non-Immigrant ED visa and to dependant visas for kids cover the routes.

Licensing and accreditation: what to check before you pay

OPEC publishes a separate procedure for obtaining a licence to establish a formal private school of the international category. Before that step, the school gets approval to use its curriculum. That approval result is not tied to certification of the school’s educational standards.

A licence application for a formal international school is filed at least 180 days before semester 1 opens. OPEC’s website has a check for licensed schools.

• Run OPEC’s check for the school you are considering, at school.opec.go.th (the “Check licensed schools” link on OPEC’s site).
• Ask the school for its licence details before you pay a deposit, because curriculum approval alone does not certify its standards.
• Accreditation: CMIS, SBS Chiangmai and Panyaden each name WASC, and NIS is fully accredited by WASC. Lanna’s accreditations are on its about page. Ask a school for its accreditation certificate if the claim decides your choice.

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Not confirmed: Whether each school is on OPEC's licensed-school list. Only CMIS and Lanna state a licence. For the other eight, run OPEC's check at school.opec.go.th. Mill Hill Years 10 to 13: its tuition table stops at Year 9, so ask admissions.

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General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.

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