Comparing Thai Language School

[wasabi]

On the Walen website the following is listed. http://www.thaiwalen.com/html/prices.html

Group lesson

180 lessons

29,500 Baht ( qualifies for a one year non-immigrant ED visa )

Study options 3 times a week 3 lessons

2 times a week 3 lessons

2 times a week 2 lessons

Is this only 3 months worth of lessons?

I just got the following email from Thong Lor in Bangkok

How to get an Education Visa of Thailand in your country .

1. The school letter

2. the documents of Education ministry

you must bring the 2 documents to the Thai consulate

for getting an ED-VISA.

But the Education ministry makes the documents very slowly.

It takes for 3 � 4 weeks. So, if you would like to get ED-VISA,

You had better prepare at least before 1 month .

First time you get an ED-VISA in your country , after that ,

You can extend your ED-VISA at the immigration office in

Bangkok. ( but every 3 months )

If you want an ED-VISA ,

The school needs your passport copy ( every pages 2 sets )

And your picture ( 5 inch ～　5 inch ) 6 pictures

And study fee for 3 months ( 34,560 Baht ) and commission fee for VISA ( 2,000Baht)

You must study at least 108 hrs for 3 months .

(3 hrs/day , 3days/ week for 3 months.)

If you enter to Thailand on a tourist visa , after your visa finish , you must go out from

Thailand for grtting an ED-VISA in another country . example Laos , Malaysia , etc.

Thong-Lor Thai Language School

This doesn't say how many lessons but not counting the visa that's 138,240 a year. It seems they measure their pricing hourly, where Walen does by the lesson/day? Am I missing something. Is the Walen cost of 29,500 also only for a 3 month period? In which case the annual cost would be 118,000 not including visas. So Walen does come out a little cheaper if these are only quarterly figures. If the Walen figure is an annual figure that's a really big difference. Why would buying just a quarter's worth of lessons get you a year visa?

From what I've heard Chulalongkorn is even more expensive. I think 100,000 every 3 months? So that would be 400,000 for the year?

I may be adding things up wrong. I'd also like to hear price break downs of other schools people are familiar with. Total cost for a year of study.

I was just doing a little more math. It seems both schools want you to study 3 hours a day, 3 times a week for a set period of time to get the visa. But 3 hours a day*3 times a week*52 weeks = 468 so would you need to buy 468 lessons to get the visa?

Edited October 16, 2007 by wasabi

[wasabi]

One More; TLA School

5,700 Baht for all courses (20 days cycle, 3 hours each day)

Assuming this needs to be repeated every month that makes the total cost for this only 68,400 baht

http://www.tlaschool.com/html/tuition.html

I have emailed each school for clarification. I want to know the TOTAL annual cost.

Edited October 16, 2007 by wasabi

[wasabi]

Chula Fee structure

http://www.arts.chula.ac.th/%7Easc/intensi...nsive_index.htm

25k for each 5 week course. 3, 5 week courses are available at each level beginner, intermediate advanced. If you started at the beginning that would be 9 courses for a total cost of 225,000 baht.

Edited October 16, 2007 by wasabi

[MacWalen]

The total price at the WALEN SCHOOL OF THAI is only 29,500 Baht for 180 lessons per year, or for some critics of our school as much as 29,500 for 180 lessons, so it depends on how you look at it. The visa cost and extensions are not a part of the fee. What do you think, is it expensive?

If you study 2 times a week for 2 lessons or once a week for 4 lessons you will study 45 weeks straight. It is not full 52 weeks however there are many holidays in Thailand, break for the new year and sonkran festival as well as many other occasions so overall 180 lessons will cover a full year. If somebody wishes to have more intensive program, for example 6 or 9 lessons a week then they will purchase more lessons. Students can also take short breaks between courses to revise the work done before they take the next course as long as they cover 180 lessons in one year. Our courses are quite challenging so there is a self-study element to your studies.

We believe studens at our school are getting good value for their money and they see a definite improvement in their Thai.

Hope it makes it easier to understand.

Mac Walen

[mangkorn]

One question: is 180 lessons over a full year enough to meet the ministry's requirements?

The information posted by the OP said 108 hours in 3 months.

Which is correct, according to the law? That is what matters: Thai law.

[MacWalen]

It depends on the registration of the school with MOE, I am not aware of any particular law as different schools have different teaching systems. The information I have given applies to Walen School.