How much does a student ED visa in Thailand cost in 2026 and how to arrange it in Phuket? We compare language schools and prices, analyze documents, deadlines, renewals, exits and rules that are important to check before paying for a course.
Living in Thailand long-term as a tourist is becoming increasingly difficult. Visa extensions, time restrictions, dependence on the border officer's mood. A student visa, commonly called "ED", solves this problem: you get a legal status for 3–12 months and don't need to run around for stamps.
Below is a detailed breakdown: legal basis, programs in Phuket with actual prices, step-by-step procedure, extensions, exits and visa closure.
This is the Non-Immigrant ED category according to Thailand's Immigration Law B.E. 2522 (1979). The visa is issued to a foreigner enrolled in a course at an institution that holds a valid license from Thailand's Ministry of Education (MOE).
Key point that is often confused: the school does not issue the visa to you, the immigration service does. The school prepares a package of documents and obtains a permit letter from the provincial office of the Ministry of Education. Without this letter, the immigration service will not accept the application.
A separate Non-Immigrant ED Plus visa was introduced in July 2024. It is available only to undergraduate and above students at universities, allows free travel without Re-Entry, and gives a year to find a job after graduation. It does not apply to Phuket language schools.
The initial stay period is 90 days. Then come extensions within the country, usually for a total of up to 12 months per program.
🔹 Those who want to spend the winter without border runs and live at one address
🔹 Those who are relocating but are not yet ready for an investment visa or property purchase
🔹 Those who want to try living in Thailand for an extended period before making a decision
🔹 Those who want to improve their Thai or English
School | District | Program | Price per year | Important to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The Genius Language School | Patong Chalong | Thai language, group classes 120 hours, annual program | 36 000 ฿ | Classes 2 times a week for 2 hours. School since 2010, nine classrooms, two campuses |
Patong Language School | Patong | Thai according to the Easy-Going program, 48 weeks, minimum 200 hours for annual visa | 53 450 ฿ | Operating since 1983. Free visa assistance, you only pay immigration fees. |
Phuket PALS | Katu | English or Thai, 12 months | 42 000 ฿ | Center has been operating for over 15 years. Learning materials are included in the price. |
BLS Language School | Chalong | English, Thai, Chinese, French. Visa for 3, 6, 9 and 12 months | Upon request | The school quotes the price at a consultation. |
Why there are no sports schools in the table
Muay Thai, diving, yoga and golf in Phuket are not processed through ED visa. They are processed through DTV (Destination Thailand Visa) in the Thai Soft Power category. The reason is administrative: sports studios are accredited by the Thai Sports Authority, while ED licenses are issued by the Ministry of Education.
These amounts go directly to the immigration service and do not depend on the school.
Payment | Amount | Comment |
|---|---|---|
Status change within Thailand (TM.86 or TM.87) | 2 000 ฿ | Paid once when transitioning from a tourist stamp or tourist visa |
ED visa at a consulate abroad, single entry | 2 000-3 000 ฿ | The exact amount depends on the consulate |
Visa extension (TM.7), every 90 days | 1 900 ฿ | If the school mentions 3 000-5 000 ฿, the difference is its service fee for assistance |
Re-entry Permit: single / multiple | 1 000 ฿ / 3 800 ฿ | Without it, the visa is cancelled at the moment of departure from the country |
Address report every 90 days (TM.47) | Free | Delay of more than 7 days costs 2 000 ฿ |
1. Choose a school with a valid license
Ask to see a copy of the MOE license and check if the school has available visa quota in the current period. Quotas are limited, and during high season they run out.
2. Contact your school curator before you fly
This will save you two to three weeks. The curator will tell you in advance what entry stamp you need, which documents to prepare at home, and when it's best to arrive. Arriving "and we'll figure it out" is more expensive: if there isn't enough time, you'll have to do a border run at your own expense.
3. Pay for the course and submit documents
The Ministry of Education needs proof of payment, so the course is paid before the procedure begins. The school submits the package to the provincial education office, approval takes from one to three weeks.
4. Passport is submitted to the immigration service
The passport remains with immigration for approximately two weeks. The entire cycle from signing the contract to getting the visa takes 30-45 days.
5. Start your studies
You must start studying within 14 days of receiving your visa. Immigration periodically checks schools: they look at attendance records, program quality, and actual student presence.
6. Extend your visa every 90 days
The school prepares the documents, you go to the immigration office in person. The procedure itself takes about 15 minutes. You need to contact the school 30 days before the end of your current stamp.
What to check | Rule | What to do and what it affects |
|---|---|---|
Remaining days in the stamp | At the time of application - minimum 15 business days of stay remaining | Schools request 30-45 days, comfortably 45-60. While the school obtains the letter from the Ministry of Education, 2-3 weeks pass |
Initial status | You can only switch to ED from a tourist visa or visa-free stamp | From Non-B, volunteer visa, DTV and other categories, switching within the country is not available, you will have to leave |
Application form | From a tourist visa, form TM.86 is submitted, from a visa-free stamp TM.87 | An error in the form means refusal at the counter. The school selects the form, but verify it against your entry type |
Visa-free period | On May 19, 2026, the cabinet of ministers approved the return to 30 days for 54 countries. As of August 2026, it has not come into force | The change will come into force 15 days after publication in the Royal Gazette. |
TDAC | Registration of Thailand Digital Arrival Card is mandatory from May 1, 2025 | Completed online no later than 72 hours before arrival. The officer verifies it at passport control |
Entry history | Since November 2025, officers have the right to deny entry to those who systematically use visa-free | It's safer to enter on a tourist visa |
Document | Requirements | Who prepares it and what to pay attention to |
|---|---|---|
Foreign passport | Valid for the entire study period plus 6 months | You need several blank pages for new visas and stamps |
Photographs | Standard passport photos, 4×6 cm, color, on light background, taken no earlier than six months ago | Schools request 8 to 12 for the entire visa cycle, including extensions |
Housing rental agreement | Contract for an apartment or villa in Thailand in your name | Serves as proof of residence address |
Housing owner documents | Copy of owner's ID or passport with signature and copy of proof of ownership | Request from the landlord. Ask for it right away when signing the lease, it's harder to get later |
Form TM30 | Notification of your arrival at the specified address | Submitted by the landlord or you can get it yourself. A copy is requested at immigration, ask for a screenshot of the submitted form |
Study application and visa questionnaire | Forms provided by the school | Filled out together with the curator, who also checks the wording |
Proof of course payment | Receipt or check from the school, the course is paid in advance | The Ministry of Education requires proof of payment before the procedure begins |
If you leave Thailand without a re-entry permit, the ED visa is cancelled at the moment of departure. You will return as a tourist, and you'll have to start all over again. The permit is issued at the Phuket immigration office in advance or on the day of departure at a special counter at the airport.
🔹 Work. Any employment in Thailand on a student visa is prohibited, you need Non-B and work authorization
🔹 Transfer to another school while keeping the visa. The Phuket Education Office does not allow this, you will have to get a new visa abroad
🔹 Allow your stay to expire (overstay). Fine is 500 baht per day, maximum 20 000 baht, plus a mark in the system which will complicate future applications
No separate cancellation procedure is required. The visa expires automatically when the last stamp expires. After that, there are three scenarios:
1. You extend your studies to the next level and submit a new extension through the same school.
2. You leave the country before the stamp expires without a re-entry permit, and the visa closes automatically.
3. You change your status to another category. The change occurs within the country through the immigration office, you need to apply at least 20 days before the end of your current stay.
If you plan to switch to another visa type, warn the school in advance: it must close your file at the education office correctly, otherwise questions may arise in the future application.
An annual ED visa in Phuket will cost 35 000-55 000 baht for a language course plus approximately 9 500-11 000 baht in government fees for the initial visa and three extensions.
The procedure takes 30-45 days and requires a fresh entry stamp with a margin.
Two actions save the most time and money: contact the school curator before you fly and check the school's license before paying for the course.
Yes. Foreigners can purchase condos as Freehold subject to quota, and also use long-term leasehold structures. We advise on transaction structure for both primary and secondary markets.
Off-plan often allows entry at an earlier price with installment plans. The resale market offers a ready property with clear ownership history.
Phuket combines developed infrastructure, international schools, private hospitals, and high service levels. We help select areas and projects that fit your family's lifestyle.
In most cases, yes. We support clients outside Thailand and arrange the remote purchase process.
Yes. We advise on management, rental, and possible resale of your property.
Yes, through separate rights: the villa is registered as Freehold, full ownership, while the land under it is taken on a long-term lease for 90 years. This is the most common and effective method for foreigners in Phuket, and we arrange it for most of the villas we select for clients.
