Cities / Chiang Mai / Varee Chiangmai International School
Varee Chiangmai International School
The international wing of a long established Chiang Mai Thai school family, on a large Mahidol Road campus south of the city. Cambridge pathway with notably accessible fees.
In brief
The international wing of a long-established Chiang Mai Thai-school family, on a large Mahidol Road campus south of the city. Cambridge pathway with notably accessible fees.
Varee began as a kindergarten in 1978. The international school launched in 2010, with Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level accreditation following. Around 600 students across the wider Varee site, with the international school a smaller cohort within it.
Cambridge curriculum from primary through to A-Level, with International Primary Curriculum in the early years. Fees of roughly 244,000 to 524,000 THB sit well below the Anglo-American schools in town, which is the main reason families choose it. Parents talk warmly about kind teachers, low ratios, and a calm campus. Stronger students sometimes want for stretch at the top end of secondary.
Good fit for Thai-international and mixed families who want a Cambridge pathway at a sensible price, on a green out-of-town campus. Less of a fit for families wanting a fully expat peer group or an IB Diploma.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Early Years (Nursery - Reception) | 2 | THB 244,000 |
| Key Stage 1 (Years 1-2) | 5 | THB 304,000 |
| Key Stage 2 (Years 3-6) | 7 | THB 328,000 |
| Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9) | 11 | THB 360,000 |
| Key Stage 4 IGCSE (Years 10-11) | 14 | THB 444,000 |
| Key Stage 5 A-Level (Years 12-13) | 16 | THB 524,000 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application and Placement Test Fee | THB 6,000 | |
| Enrolment Fee (one-time) | THB 80,000 |
Reviews
Varee Chiangmai International School is the international wing of a long-established Thai-Chinese private school on Mahidol Road in Nong Hoi, sitting next door to Montfort and pulling from the same southern arc of the city. The site is large, modern, and well kitted out, with a 50m pool, science labs and a bilingual character that keeps Thai and Mandarin in the mix alongside the Cambridge programme. Cambridge IGCSE and A Level results have been strong relative to local peers, and accreditation runs through CIS and Cambridge International. The picture from the past couple of years is steadier than its neighbours: families speak of a clean, well managed campus with kind teachers, while staff describe a senior team that has been deliberately rebuilt and a middle layer that is still uneven. Fees sit at the affordable end of Chiang Mai's international bracket, which is part of the draw.
Positives
- Campus and facilities. Large, modern site on Mahidol Road with a 50m pool, science labs, library, auditorium and air-conditioned classrooms. Parents describe the grounds as clean and well kept, and the maximum class size is 25.
- Cambridge results. IGCSE outcomes have run well above the global Cambridge average in recent cohorts. A Level cohorts at Years 12 and 13 progress to a mix of Thai and overseas universities.
- Bilingual character. Thai and Mandarin are taught from Primary, with German added in Secondary. The international section sits alongside a large Thai school on the same group campus, and the student body is mostly Thai and East Asian.
- Fees relative to peers. Annual tuition runs roughly THB 120,000 at pre-kindergarten up to THB 321,000 in sixth form, with an admission fee of THB 50,000. Among Chiang Mai's accredited international options this lands at the affordable end.
- Recently rebuilt senior leadership. Staff describe a senior leadership team that has been refreshed and is now seen as professional and supportive of teachers. The change of tone at the top is consistently flagged as a positive shift.
Considerations
- Middle leadership and accountability. Where staff feedback turns critical, it lands on the middle layer: weaker middle leaders are described as not held to account, and academic leadership below the senior team is called thin.
- Bureaucracy. Internal processes are described as slow and tangled in places, with paperwork and administrative friction coming up as a recurring frustration for staff.
- Location and commute. Nong Hoi puts Varee near the highway and Mahidol Road, which is convenient for families on the south side but means heavy school-run traffic at peak times. Families further out describe a half-hour drive each way as routine.
Leadership
Chusak Laojang
Ajarn Varee Patravanich is the Founder and Director of Varee Chiangmai International School. With a lifelong career in education, she is dedicated to developing each student as an individual and providing 'an education beyond tomorrow.' She believes in kindling a lifelong love of learning and equipping students with the tools for a successful life. She also serves as a member of the Steering Committee of the Faculty of Education at Chiang Mai University.
Accreditations
- EDT 01
- TH_OBEC 02
- TH_ONESQA 03
Academic results
- Result BEST EVER IGCSE results in 2025
- Result 100% university placement (80% overseas).