International school open days in Bangkok

By the Editorial team. Reviewed October 2026.

Almost every international school in Bangkok holds open days, open mornings or "discovery days". Few publish a fixed annual calendar, so the families who see the most schools are the ones who book early and ask for private tours when the dates do not fit.

When open days happen

Most Bangkok international schools start their academic year in August. The busiest months for open days are October to March, when families are deciding on places for the following August. Schools with spaces to fill also run events in May and June. Many hold smaller monthly sessions, often on a weekday morning, and will arrange a private tour on request at almost any time of year.

Booking and what it costs

Open days are free. Most schools ask you to register online so that they can plan numbers and assign an admissions officer. Registering also puts you on the school's mailing list, so use an email address you do not mind receiving newsletters at.

What happens on the day

A typical open morning starts with a talk from the head or principal, followed by a guided tour in small groups and time with admissions staff. Some schools run trial lessons for children. On weekday visits you will see classes in session, which tells you more than an empty campus on a Saturday.

Bring your child's last two school reports and any test results. If you are serious about a school, the admissions team can often tell you on the day whether there is likely to be a place in your child's year group and what the entrance assessment involves.

Planning a day of visits

Bangkok's schools cluster in a few areas: central Sukhumvit, the Bangna-Trad corridor, the north around Vibhavadi and Chaeng Watthana, and the riverside. Two schools in the same area can be visited in a morning. Two schools at opposite ends of the city usually cannot, once traffic is counted. Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard have their own cluster of schools, and families moving there should plan a separate trip.

Building a shortlist first

Visiting ten schools is tiring for children and adults. It helps to cut the list to four or five using fees, curriculum and location before you book anything. The International Schools DB listings for Bangkok let you filter by curriculum and area. For families looking further down the coast, its guide to international schools in Pattaya covers the Eastern Seaboard schools.

After the visit

Write down your impressions the same day, before the schools blur together. Note the size of the class your child would join, how teachers spoke to students, and anything the school was vague about. Fees, in particular, are worth asking for in writing, including one-off charges such as registration fees and capital levies.

Our other guides cover British school open mornings, bilingual school visits and boarding school visits.