Thailand ED (Student) Visa

Non-Immigrant ED (Education) Visa — the complete 2026 guide

The Non-Immigrant ED visa is the visa category for anyone studying at a Ministry of Education-registered Thai institution — from four-year university degrees to Thai-language schools to Muay Thai vocational programmes. It has historically been popular with expats using Thai-language study as a lightweight long-stay solution. However, in 2015 and again in 2019 the Ministry of Education and Immigration Bureau cracked down on 'fake language schools' that sold ED visas without genuine curricula, and the compliance bar is now considerably stricter. In 2026 the visa still works — but only through accredited schools that verify attendance.

Initial issuance is a 90-day single-entry stamp obtained at a Thai embassy in your home country. Once in Thailand you extend at Immigration in-country, usually to a further 90 days or 180 days depending on your programme's schedule, up to a total of one year for language study or the full length of a university degree. Immigration typically requires 80% attendance verified by the school and progress evidence (test scores, class attendance records). Miss the attendance target and your extension is refused; you then have 7 days to leave or convert to another visa. Government fee is 2,000 THB for the initial visa, plus 1,900 THB per in-country extension. School fees for accredited Thai-language programmes run 25,000–60,000 THB per year — considerably cheaper than the language schools of Singapore or Taiwan.

The ED visa cannot be used to work legally. If you take even a paid English-teaching side-gig you have violated the visa and risk deportation. Long-term ED holders (2–4 years of Thai study) sometimes progress to a Non-Immigrant B (business) visa via a teaching job at their language school, but this transition requires the school to sponsor a work permit — a distinct process. Compare with /dtv-visa if the study is Muay Thai or Thai cooking (DTV's Soft Power track), which allows longer stays with less monitoring; use /ltr-visa if you have USD 80k+ income already. See /language for a review of Bangkok Thai-language schools and /education for university-degree paths.

Government fees

Documents you'll need

• School acceptance letter with MoE approval number
• Course curriculum and hours schedule
• Passport valid at least 6 months
• Recent passport-sized photo
• Proof of funds (usually 20,000 THB or equivalent)
• Onward-travel evidence (return ticket, unless multi-entry)
• For extensions: 80% attendance record from school

Application process, step by step

1. 1

   Enrol at a Ministry of Education-registered school

   Verify the school's registration status before paying. Reputable Bangkok Thai-language schools include Duke Language School, Piammitr, and Chulalongkorn Intensive Thai Program. Ask to see the school's MoE approval certificate — the number will appear on your visa paperwork. Pay tuition in full up front for the 90-day or 180-day term.

2. 2

   Collect enrolment documents from the school

   The school issues an acceptance letter, a curriculum outline, an attendance schedule, and a Ministry-of-Education-stamped verification form. This packet is what you present at the Thai embassy for the visa. Well-run schools handle this within 3–5 business days; less organised places take up to 3 weeks.

3. 3

   Apply at a Thai embassy in your home country

   Present the school packet along with passport, photos, and application form. Some embassies (Vientiane, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong) also process ED visas for third-country nationals, useful if you're already in Southeast Asia. Single-entry costs 2,000 THB and takes 1–3 weeks. Do not attempt to convert an existing tourist visa to ED in-country — the paths are separate.

4. 4

   Enter Thailand and start the course

   Your first 90-day stamp starts on your day of entry. Attend classes as scheduled — the school tracks attendance. Under 80% attendance for the term typically means your extension will be refused. Some schools are strict; others are more lenient (though 'lenient' schools risk being flagged by Immigration).

5. 5

   Extend the visa at Immigration before day 90

   Bring the school's attendance report, test scores (if applicable), passport, TM.7 form, one passport photo, and 1,900 THB. Chaeng Wattana Immigration processes ED extensions in about 2 hours. The extension typically grants 90 or 180 days more, up to a total of one year on a language visa or the length of your degree programme on a university visa.