How many bilingual schools in Phuket
Phuket has around twelve schools running a credible bilingual stream in 2026, the largest single category in the island’s private education market. The majority operate inside the Thai Ministry of Education bilingual school framework, which allows a Thai national curriculum to be delivered with 50 to 80 per cent English medium instruction, alongside Thai language and Thai cultural studies in the home language. Smaller numbers of schools attach French Thai, Mandarin English or Russian English streams to a core English or IB programme, reflecting the diversification of Phuket’s residential migrant base over the past decade.
The bilingual category sits between two well defined ends. At one end are the fully Thai national schools that serve domestic Thai families with light English language enrichment. At the other are the fully international schools delivering British, American or IB curricula in English, with Thai as a community language only. The bilingual middle ground is the workhorse of mixed Thai expat households, of families who want their children to retain academic Thai while accessing university pathways outside Thailand, and of families seeking the cost advantage of a Thai registered school with credible English language outcomes.
Fees and the Phuket tiers
Bilingual school fees in Phuket divide into three clear tiers. The value tier sits at THB 230,000 to THB 320,000 a year and covers the smaller boutique schools and the lower year groups of the mid tier bilingual programmes. The mid tier runs THB 320,000 to THB 540,000 and captures most of the credible Thai English bilingual schools serving the Phuket Town, Chalong and Cherngtalay corridors. The premium tier, THB 540,000 to THB 760,000, includes the bilingual streams inside larger international schools where the bilingual programme runs alongside an IB or British pathway.
Registration fees are non refundable and run THB 5,000 to THB 25,000. Capital levies are smaller than at the fully international tier, typically THB 30,000 to THB 80,000 one off at registration. School bus fees of THB 40,000 to THB 70,000 a year are standard, and bilingual schools tend to publish slightly shorter bus routes than the larger international schools because their catchments are more locally concentrated. For a wider cost picture see our Phuket international school fees deep dive.
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Illustrative example schools
The schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each runs a recognised bilingual programme with at least five years of operating history on the island.
Kajonkiet International School in Phuket Town runs one of the largest Thai English bilingual streams on the island alongside its IGCSE and A Level pathway. Around 1,100 students across an integrated Thai English programme from age 2 through 18, with strong Thai language outcomes for mixed Thai expat families and a credible university counselling track to UK and Australian destinations. Mid tier fees.
Berda Claude International School in Mai Khao runs a French Thai bilingual primary stream alongside the IB Primary Years Programme and a smaller English bilingual cohort. The only school on the island offering a credible French language pathway from early years, with around 280 students and a tight community feel. Convenient for Mai Khao and northern Bang Tao families.
Oakridge International School in Cherngtalay runs a Thai English bilingual stream and a Mandarin English add on stream within a wider international curriculum. Around 360 students, mid tier fees and a notable Chinese family cohort, reflecting the post 2020 migration wave from Hong Kong, mainland China and Taiwan into the Bang Tao corridor.
Darasamuth Phuket in Phuket Town is a long established Thai school running a credible English bilingual stream under the Thai Ministry of Education bilingual framework. The lowest fees of any of the illustrative examples and a strong fit for Thai national families seeking incremental English exposure.
Where bilingual families live
Bilingual school families in Phuket cluster differently from fully international school families, reflecting the higher proportion of mixed Thai expat households and the more locally rooted character of the bilingual market. Phuket Town and Koh Kaew, in the centre, host the largest concentration of bilingual school families, including the Thai professional middle class, Thai European mixed households and Thai Chinese families. Property is materially cheaper than in the western beachfront pockets, and the schools sit alongside the city’s administrative and commercial life.
Cherngtalay and Bang Tao, on the west coast, host the bilingual school families attached to the larger international schools running parallel bilingual streams. Mandarin English bilingual demand has grown sharply here since 2020. Chalong and Rawai, in the south, serve the bilingual schools associated with HeadStart and the smaller southern providers; a notable Russian Thai bilingual community has developed in this pocket. Mai Khao, in the north, hosts the French Thai families attached to Berda Claude, often co located with the airport corridor and the Anchan residential clusters. See the Phuket city hub for the broader residential map.
Admissions calendar
Phuket bilingual schools mostly run on the Thai academic calendar with two main intakes, May and November, alongside rolling admissions through the year. Most schools commit places three to six months ahead, with the larger Thai English bilingual programmes opening their main registration round in October for the following May. Year 7 entry into the mid tier bilingual streams is the most competitive single entry point, particularly at Kajonkiet and Oakridge, where waitlists at the popular cohort years can stretch six to twelve months.
Late applicants for May entry are reviewed on a rolling basis subject to space. Mid year entry into the lower year groups is common because of expatriate movement, particularly in January and after the Songkran break. Bilingual schools typically run a short Thai language placement assessment at entry to set the right stream, and offer Thai language support classes for non Thai speaking entrants. For relocation planning see our moving to Phuket with kids guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many bilingual schools are there in Phuket?
Phuket has roughly twelve schools running a credible bilingual stream in 2026, the largest single category in the island’s private education market. Thai English programmes account for the majority, with smaller French Thai, Mandarin English and Russian English streams attached to specific schools.
What languages do Phuket bilingual schools offer?
Thai and English is by far the most common pairing across Phuket bilingual schools. French Thai is offered at Berda Claude in Mai Khao. Mandarin English and Russian English streams have grown sharply since 2020 alongside Phuket’s tourism and lifestyle migration profiles.
How much do bilingual schools in Phuket cost?
Bilingual school tuition in Phuket runs from THB 230,000 a year at the value tier boutique schools to THB 760,000 at the premium end where bilingual streams sit inside larger international schools. The mid tier, where most credible bilingual programmes cluster, runs THB 320,000 to THB 540,000.
Are Phuket bilingual schools good for Thai expat families?
Yes. Bilingual schools are the most common choice for mixed Thai expat families who want their children to retain conversational and academic Thai while building English language capacity for an international university pathway. The Thai government bilingual school framework supports this dual track explicitly.
When should I apply for a bilingual school in Phuket?
Apply 3 to 6 months ahead for most year groups. The most over-subscribed entry points are early years and the Year 7 entry into the mid tier bilingual programmes. Mid year entry is common at the lower year groups because of expatriate movement, particularly in January and after the Songkran break.
