Singapore International School - Chiangmai vs Varee Chiangmai International School
Singapore International School - Chiangmai and Varee Chiangmai International School are both in Chiang Mai, about 6 km apart. Both schools offer Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels and Cambridge A Levels programmes. Singapore International School - Chiangmai also offers EYFS and Singapore, and Varee Chiangmai International School also offers British. Published annual fees are THB 324,300 - 564,300 at Singapore International School - Chiangmai and THB 244,000 - 524,000 at Varee Chiangmai International School, which puts Singapore International School - Chiangmai roughly 16% higher. Both take pupils from 2 to 18. The two are similar in size, at around 280 and 300 pupils. Both keep typical class sizes around 20.
Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels, EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Singapore Curriculum
Curriculum
British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels
Pupils
Pupils
280
Pupils
300
Typical class size
Typical class size
20
Typical class size
20
Instruction language
Instruction language
English
Instruction language
English
Opened
Opened
2017
Opened
2010
Bus service
Bus service
—
Bus service
No
Essentials
Essentials
Location
Location
The school is located in Si Phum, the historic central district of Chiang Mai, roughly 400 m west of the Chang Phuak city gate, near Wat Lok Molee and Wat Pa Phrao Nai. It lies within walking distance of city-centre amenities and is accessible by local roads from the Old City.
Location
The school is situated at 59 Moo 6, Mahidol Road, Nong Hoi, Mueang District, Chiang Mai, Thailand. It lies within easy reach of shopping centres, hospitals, supermarkets, and bus and train stations.
Stages
Stages
The school serves children aged 2 to 18 years, structured into Nursery–Kindergarten (2 – 6 years), Primary School (6 – 12 years), Secondary School (12 – 16 years), and Sixth Form (16 – 18 years).
Stages
VCIS serves children aged 2 to 18, from Pre‑Nursery up through Year 13.
School type
School type
SISB Chiang Mai is a co‑educational day school.
School type
The school is fully co‑educational and currently operates as a day school. No boarding facilities are provided.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
—
Pupil nationality mix
—
Additional learning support
Additional learning support
Singapore International School Chiangmai offers structured support for students requiring additional help in language acquisition. The school provides Chinese Learning Support (CLS) and two levels of English Learning Support (ELS1 and ELS2). These services are designed to assist students who may need extra guidance to meet the school’s trilingual curriculum expectations in English, Chinese, and Thai.
Additional learning support
Varee Chiangmai International School provides Learning Support and English as an Additional Language Programme.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
The school is part of the Singapore International School (SISB) group, following the Singapore and UK curricula, but operates independently in Thailand. There is no formal affiliation with the Singapore government.
Country affiliation
The school is not affiliated with any specific country.
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
The school does not have a religious affiliation.
Religious affiliation
The school has no affiliation with any religion.
School day structure
School day structure
At SISB Chiangmai, the school day runs from 8:00 am, with end times varying by level: 2:30 pm for Nursery to Kindergarten, 3:30 pm for Primary (P1–P6), and 4:00 pm for Secondary and Sixth Form (G7–G12).
School day structure
Early Year and Primary School classes run from 8.00 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday to Friday. Secondary School is from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. After-school activities for children in Primary run from 2:45 PM to 3:30 PM. For Secondary, after-school activities run from 3:15 PM to 4:00 PM.
Bus service details
Bus service details
The Chiang Mai campus does not clearly state the availability of a school bus service.
Bus service details
The website does not mention any school bus or transport service.
Sibling Discount 5% for the second child 10% for third child onward
Refund Policy A deposit refund requires 1 1-term written notice. Credited within 1 month after departure, subject to clearance of accounts. Tuition & Enrolment Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Payment Methods Cash, Credit Card, Alipay/WeChat, and Bank Transfer.
Fee details
Application and Placement Fee: THB 6,000 (one-time, non-refundable)
Enrollment Fee (non-refundable): New student: THB 80,000 2nd and subsequent child: THB 60,000 Entry at A Level: THB 40,000
Sibling Discounts 5% for the second child 10% for third and additional children
Other Required Fees English Support (IEP/EAP): THB 30,000 per semester Lunch (Early Years to Key Stage 2): THB 9,000 per semester PTA Fee: THB 750 per family per year DoE Registration (if applicable): THB 2,000
Payment Options Cash, Visa/MasterCard, and Bank Transfer.
Refund Policy New students: 75% refund if withdrawn within 7 business days after semester start.
Current students: Full refund if withdrawal notice is given 15 days before the semester start.
No refunds for mid-semester withdrawals.
Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
—
Boarding arrangements
—
Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
—
Uniform requirement
—
Food options
Food options
—
Food options
—
House system
House system
—
House system
—
Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
—
Governance and ownership
—
Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
Singapore International School Chiangmai offers a trilingual curriculum with English as the primary language of instruction, and additional instruction in Chinese and Thai. In Early Years (Nursery to Kindergarten), students follow the UK’s EYFS framework. From Primary School, the Singapore Curriculum is used, emphasising core subjects including English, Mathematics, and Science. In Secondary School, students prepare for the Cambridge IGCSE examinations. In Years 11–12 (Sixth Form), students undertake Cambridge International AS and A Level courses. Across all stages, the curriculum is designed to build bilingual and bicultural competencies alongside academic progression.
Curriculum details
Varee Chiangmai International School follows the English National Curriculum from Early Years through to Year 13. In the Early Years (Pre-Nursery to Reception), the curriculum is based on the UK’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) with a focus on language, numeracy, and learning through play in English and Thai contexts. The Primary phase (Years 1–6) continues with subjects such as English, maths, science, humanities, computing, arts, Thai language, and physical education. In Secondary (Years 7–9), students prepare for Cambridge Checkpoint exams in English, mathematics, and science, alongside subjects including geography, history, ICT, and the arts. For Years 10–11, the school offers the Cambridge IGCSE curriculum with a combination of core and elective subjects. In Years 12–13, students choose three A-Level subjects and continue with non-exam subjects such as Thai language, PE, and university preparation activities.
1. Get in Touch Contact the school by phone or submit an online inquiry to discuss your child’s educational needs. You can also book a school tour to visit the campus and speak with the admissions team in person.
2. Submit Application Form Complete the SISB application form and submit all required documents as advised by the Admissions Office. These typically include identification, past school reports, and health records.
3. Take an Assessment After the application is reviewed, SISB will schedule an assessment and an interview for your child. The format may vary depending on the year level, with younger students often assessed through observation.
4. Admission Decision Families will be informed of the admissions outcome by phone or email. If a place is offered, you will receive a formal letter of acceptance.
6. Payment of School Fees Pay the applicable tuition and enrolment fees according to the instructions provided by the Admissions Office.
7. Enrollment Once fees are settled and documents are complete, your child is officially enrolled.
Admissions
Initial interview Parents and students meet with the English Language Specialist. Students entering Key Stage 2 (Year 3) or higher complete assessments in English, Mathematics, and Science as appropriate for their level.
Complete application form & pay fee If successful in the interview, submit the application form and pay the non-refundable 6,000 THB application and placement test fee.
Placement Test Tests are scheduled at the beginning or end of the day. Younger students (Early Years, Years 1–2) join classroom activities for assessment.
Acceptance Decision The Principal recommends, and the Director makes the final admission decision.
Enrollment Following acceptance, complete enrollment forms, pay the enrollment fee and tuition (due one week before term start), and receive a copy of the Parent Handbook.
Scholarships
Scholarships
SISB does not currently promote any active scholarship programs; however, SISB Chiang Mai has previously conducted secondary scholarship examinations offering up to 100% tuition scholarships for successful applicants in Grades 7–9 (Lower Secondary / IGCSE levels). These scholarship opportunities were campus-specific and not part of a regular annual program. They were typically promoted through open house events or regional education fairs, allowing selected students to receive partial or full tuition waivers based on academic performance and assessment outcomes.
Scholarships
The school does not have publicly available information on their scholarships.
Waitlist
Waitlist
The school does not officially publish a waitlist policy, but admissions are clearly noted to be “subject to availability”, indicating that places may not always be open.
Waitlist
VCIS operates a rolling admissions policy. If space is available and assessment criteria are met, children may join at any time during the year. However, entry into Year 9, Year 10, and Year 12 is restricted to the beginning of the school year.
