Options For Student ("education") Visas In Chiang Mai

[sylviex]

I posted this in the visa section but received little response, so will try the locals.

I am wondering what the options are for study (and a student visa) in Chiang Mai - for language learning or any other areas.

I am aware the both Payap U and CMU run some Thai language & culture courses which sound interesting, and both help you apply for your visa.

What are the other options ?

Can one study Thai with a language school, or even privately, and get a visa ? Has anyone done this ?

Your suggestions and experiences welcomed.

Edited February 22, 2008 by sylviex

[Crow Boy]

I posted this in the visa section but received little response, so will try the locals.

I am wondering what the options are for study (and a student visa) in Chiang Mai - for language learning or any other areas.

I am aware the both Payap U and CMU run some Thai language & culture courses which sound interesting, and both help you apply for your visa.

What are the other options ?

Can one study Thai with a language school, or even privately, and get a visa ? Has anyone done this ?

Your suggestions and experiences welcomed.

Payap University has several course options you may wish to check. As a full time student studying at the post graduate school you are eligible for an Education visa. If you are interested in learning Thai full time check if they are still running the FLAT course.

Private study unless at as a full time student at a registered school which is recognised by the Dept Of Education and Immigration will not not get you a Ed visa.

CB

[Loaded]

Private study unless at as a full time student at a registered school which is recognised by the Dept Of Education and Immigration will not not get you a Ed visa.

CB

Walen, one of the forums sponsors and a language school, seems to manage to do this. You study Thai and they help you obtain a 1-year non-imm ED. However, they're based in Bangkok.

In CM

Payap and CMU offer foreign programmes so should be able to help with non-imm ED.

[sylviex]

By "private study" I meant study at home/with a private tutor. Seems unlikely it would get you a visa, but asking out of curiosity. One never knows .

Indeed, Walen is simply a language school and their students get visas. So I was wondering if anyone was attending a Thai language school here in CM on an Ed visa.

Also hoping for recommendations & comments about the various courses at Payap U and CMU.

Edited February 23, 2008 by sylviex

[Crow Boy]

Also hoping for recommendations & comments about the various courses at Payap U and CMU.

I did the intensive study courses at Payap (not with the visa) and then enrolled in the full time course (FLAT) with the Ed visa. The courses were very good and if given the choice I would have done the full FLAT course (wasn't available when I started). We were the first intake for the three year diploma course. Most of the students were also doing a MBA or MBus at the same time and the language skills component was a requirement to graduate.

Best bet is to contact the Grad School and find out. If you are in CM then visit them and also other schools such as CMU. I don't think CMU run a full time course though so you won't get the visa component.

Reference the Walen school which is located in Bangkok and not having anything similar in Chiang Mai (that I am aware of) - Loaded would be a better bet on knowing the situation here for private schools. My understanding was that the Imm Dept put a hold on the visas for all schools not just Walen, pending an investigation into the scheme. I don't know if it is back or the requirements. Not my area of expertise, perhaps you could enquire at the visa sub forum.

CB

[sylviex]

Thanks, CrowBoy.

I'll wait for Loaded to comment before venturing back into the Visa section .

I will definitely look into the Payap programs.

[realthaideal]

So what do we know about this Ed Visa thing at this stage ? I'm asking on behalf of a 'friend.' Really! I have a NonB and am all good. Just I'm the nerd on TV all the time, so figured I'd ask on som,eone else's behalf again. What's yer plan Sylvie ? Got any news for the rest of us ? And how about Loaded ? He hasn't chimed in here yet.... maybe time for a well placed PM.

[sylviex]

So what do we know about this Ed Visa thing at this stage ? I'm asking on behalf of a 'friend.' Really! I have a NonB and am all good. Just I'm the nerd on TV all the time, so figured I'd ask on som,eone else's behalf again. What's yer plan Sylvie ? Got any news for the rest of us ? And how about Loaded ? He hasn't chimed in here yet.... maybe time for a well placed PM.

Still investigating, realthaideal.

Payap and CMU will help with visa applications, and 1-year visas appear to be the norm.

Nothing confirmed yet regarding private language schools. It seems it's unlikely there'd be a problem for 3 month periods. Nobody has stepped up with personal experience of the 1-year visa with a private school in CM (or BKK, other than with Walen, so far as I know). There's quite a lot of discussion in the Visa section, if you're up to it .

I'll pm Loaded.

Thanks for your interest !

[Loaded]

Sorry, I hadn't looked at this thread for a while.

I heard Cornerstone Language School in Chiang Mai offer/offered a non-imm ED if you studied Thai with them. I think they're located along that road from Kad Suan Kaew/corner of the moat towards Santitam. If they do sponsor, you'll still need to leave the country. CB says this method may be suspended at the moment, I don't know, but worth trying Cornerstone anyway.

[sylviex]

Sorry, I hadn't looked at this thread for a while.

I heard Cornerstone Language School in Chiang Mai offer/offered a non-imm ED if you studied Thai with them. I think they're located along that road from Kad Suan Kaew/corner of the moat towards Santitam. If they do sponsor, you'll still need to leave the country. CB says this method may be suspended at the moment, I don't know, but worth trying Cornerstone anyway.

Thanks, Loaded.

Do you mean leave the country 3-monthly ?

I will contact them.

[Loaded]

You'll need to leave every 90 days I think. You'll also need to visit a Thai consulate/embassy in a foreign country to obtain initially. Let us know how it goes at Cornerstone.

Edited February 27, 2008 by Loaded

[Crow Boy]

You'll need to leave every 90 days I think. You'll also need to visit a Thai consulate/embassy in a foreign country to obtain initially. Let us know how it goes at Cornerstone.

I had to get my visa out of country - did it in Cambodia where the Thai embassy told me to go to Laos because they only do the "south of the country and Chiang Mai is in the north" go figure, persuaded them to do it anyway. They issued me with a 90day visa which I gave to Payap and they submitted the paperwork to change it to a one year visa. Every 90 days I had to go to CM immigration - did not have to leave the country ie cross the border at Mai Sai. Wasn't a major problem. One thing the embassy demanded was my acceptance letter written in Thai (fair enough) but Payap issues them in English. I had to get one faxed to me - not acceptable - has to be the original document. All up was a hassle from them. Probably better to ask the University for two letters - one in English (standard) and one in Thai (just in case) and do it in Vientienne or somewhere other than Phnom Phen. Note this was my experience nearly back then when I did my course. Things change and when you are checking out the courses check out the visa section for current information. Things change very rapidly and often without warning.

CB

[sylviex]

Things change very rapidly and often without warning.

Yes, indeed. I'd feel very insecure on a deal that required me to leave every 3 months.

For details of the Cornerstone courses, see cornerstone.co.th .

For the one year visa with no 3-monthly exits, you must enter on a non-Imm visa (they help with this, for a fee, of course.)

Tuition fees around 100,000/year.

I'd be very interested in hearing from anyone who has studied there.

Thanks for the help, fellas.

[Loaded]

Things change very rapidly and often without warning.

Yes, indeed. I'd feel very insecure on a deal that required me to leave every 3 months.

For details of the Cornerstone courses, see cornerstone.co.th .

For the one year visa with no 3-monthly exits, you must enter on a non-Imm visa (they help with this, for a fee, of course.)

Tuition fees around 100,000/year.

I'd be very interested in hearing from anyone who has studied there.

Thanks for the help, fellas.

100K THB !!!!!! Blimeeeeeyyy

I'll PM you with a suggestion.

[Crow Boy]

100K THB !!!!!! Blimeeeeeyyy

I'll PM you with a suggestion.

That is in the same arena as both Payap and CMU

CB

[rafaelo]

I posted this in the visa section but received little response, so will try the locals.

I am wondering what the options are for study (and a student visa) in Chiang Mai - for language learning or any other areas.

I am aware the both Payap U and CMU run some Thai language & culture courses which sound interesting, and both help you apply for your visa.

What are the other options ?

Can one study Thai with a language school, or even privately, and get a visa ? Has anyone done this ?

Your suggestions and experiences welcomed.

I have a student visa for studying for my private pilots license (PPL) with the Chiang Mai Flying Club

[sylviex]

I have a student visa for studying for my private pilots license (PPL) with the Chiang Mai Flying Club

Cool ! Is the visa for a year ? Did you apply independently or did the club help you ?

I am afraid of heights. They don't want me enrolling there.

[SoloFlyer]

not for the visa...

but how many hours a week are we talking, and how flexible are the hours?.

what are the main benefits of having whatever piece of paper at the end compared to speaking reasonably well anyway?

[rafaelo]

I have a student visa for studying for my private pilots license (PPL) with the Chiang Mai Flying Club

Cool ! Is the visa for a year ? Did you apply independently or did the club help you ?

I am afraid of heights. They don't want me enrolling there.

the club gave me letter to give to the consulate.

got a 90day student extendable for up to a yr,- 2000bt

[SoloFlyer]

can anybody indicate how many hours per day / per week; are part time options available??

[0zz1]

Im doing some studies at Payap for IMBA (International Master Business Administration) the courses are good as the professors fly over from Abac (Assumption) Bangkok to teach us during the weekends. Currently I only take one course at Sundays. They told me that 2 courses is the minimum for obtaining ED visa for each semester. (im not there for the visa, no need).

But the tuition fees are pretty high you are looking something around 100-130k per year. and you can obtain the visa and extend your master studies up to 5 years (normally done in 2).

[sylviex]

Check here :

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/lofiversion/...hp/t170308.html

and

8host.org/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=2

Not many class hours per week are needed - perhaps as low as 3 or 4 (???), but I can't recall exactly. I believe you would be considered a full-time student so long as you are completing the minimum class hours.

Ask or search the question in the Visa sub-forum (the Walen school who participate there will know the answer) or phone/visit the Immigration Dept. to be sure.

[tomnicholson]

I posted this in the visa section but received little response, so will try the locals.

I am wondering what the options are for study (and a student visa) in Chiang Mai - for language learning or any other areas.

I am aware the both Payap U and CMU run some Thai language & culture courses which sound interesting, and both help you apply for your visa.

What are the other options ?

Can one study Thai with a language school, or even privately, and get a visa ? Has anyone done this ?

Your suggestions and experiences welcomed.

I am currently studying at a private language school in the Hang Dong area and they are in the process of arranging a study visa for me which will remain valid as long as I am attending the school as arranged,making some meaningful progress and am paid up with my fees as required.There is a lot more to it than that of course.The school is called Cornerstone Language school and there much I would try to explain to anyone seriously considering signing up.I won't do that here and now because I'm too busy and painfully slow at typing.Mostly though there is a lot to explain and some of it I would not put forth onto a public forum.However,having said that,overall,I think it is a good school-it depends what you're after of course.If you give me a way to contact you I could fill you in a bit more.Good luck regardless.