Language Schools

[johnmtjames]

As refered to in a previous topic the cost and payment to said schools is some what haphazard . How are u to know if you pay upfront that the school wont just disappear at some stage with your $ gone?

How many of you pay rent a year in advance, pay for clothes before you get them, pay for your meal in advance etc., and yet schools seem to think they can do as they please. I am glad to see that some are now strating to do the right thing and offer shorter payments so if for instance you have opt out for some reason or other you dont lose 12mnth $ The other thing is the loose "Free Ed Visa" line I would like to know what is "free"and if it is classed as admin that would be included in the total price. Visa for 1 -10 years is another loose line. anyone been in thailand for 10 years on Ed Visa??? I have a condo in bangna so I am not a stranger to thailand in case some people may think I am talking through my nose!!! ha ha I have thrown this up for comment as i would like to see what others think.

[Colabamumbai]

There are lots of visa ed courses for six months and up from reputable schools in Bangkok and other places. Nothing in life is free...except love.

[Parvis]

"The other thing is the loose "Free Ed Visa" line I would like to know what is "free"and if it is classed as admin that would be included in the total price. Visa for 1 -10 years is another loose line. anyone been in thailand for 10 years on Ed Visa???"

The real issue here maybe what your objectives are:

1) Do you need a means of staying in Thailand longer term legally (Ed-Visa) and attending School is just an inconvenience (while you may be working illegally) - or

2) Do you want to learn the Thai Language - and the Ed-Visa (if you need it at all) is just an additional convenience/incentive while you stay in Thailand.

As has been mentioned - nothing is free:

There are some Schools who may use the Educational Visa as Marketting tool (dangling carrot) and have no real interest/ nor qualifications to teach you Thai.

There are other Schools who are very professional/experienced in Language aquisition with excellent credentials etc. - and can/will also help you to obtain an Ed Visa.

Your choice may be more a question of your personal criteria - the "Ed Visa" is often just a "carrot dangling in front of you" (free??? - not if you choose incorrectly).

Choose carefully.

Edited February 17, 2011 by Parvis

[Rumblecat]

No really understanding the OP's line of thinking. Tuition and school fees are paid in advance the world over. You don't need to choose a one year course. You could take it one month at a time in a lot of schools if you chose. But if you want a year long one, you pay the tuition fees for a year long one. If you don't want it, don't buy it.

I'm not trying to troll you, just wondering what payment structure you think would be more suitable.

And if you're getting an Ed Visa, when do you propose that gets paid for? Before? After? What if you apply for one, to be paid after, and then change your mind. Who covers the cost?

And you do pay for clothes in advance. They're not yours until you've paid. Try walking out a shop with clothes and telling them they're yours, but you'll pay later, cheers. Or you'll pay a little bit now and more after you've worn them for a couple of weeks. Go see a concert? Pay in advance. Buy a flight? Pay in advance etc etc.

Edited February 17, 2011 by Rumblecat

[MacWalen]

Established school are real. Those that are just newly open could be risky.

[johnmtjames]

And you do pay for clothes in advance. They're not yours until you've paid. Try walking out a shop with clothes and telling them they're yours, but you'll pay later, cheers. Or you'll pay a little bit now and more after you've worn them for a couple of weeks. Go see a concert? Pay in advance. Buy a flight? Pay in advance etc etc.

You pay and receive these things straight away not get them maybe 12mths later ! I dont need an Ed visa as I have a ex visa and work at Korat and have a condo in Bangna. I am seeking some positive feed back on this topic as I have friends who are thinking about doing a course to give them more time in Thailand. I have talked to a couple of shools on their behalf but get plenty of sales talk and I dont want to give them a bum steer. By the way in Australia you pay school fees as you go not 12 mnths ahead. Uni fees are paid as you go as well or you can get them defered and pay later in instalments Do you pay taxi in advance for instance? We could go backwards and forwards until the cows come home!!! It just they are concerned about paying the full amount up front, they would be willing to pay a deposit to cover cost for admin for application and if they changed their mind then the cost would covered. There are easy ways to cover these costs

Thanks for comments so far

[Rumblecat]

Yeah, you pay for the course but you can start straight away. But you're right, we could back and forth on this one forever.

Most language schools that offer the Ed Visa have been around for a while and are unlikely just to pack up over night. Unfortunately the way they work here is to ask for the money upfront. But I think it's unlikely any of the well known schools will go to the wall in the next 12 months, and even if that happens, the Ed Visa will still be valid so the purpose of getting it will still be okay. But I honestly think they'll be okay- off the top of my head I can't think of any of the reputable schools who have gone under, although maybe somebody else will know better.

[swissie]

A straight forward question: In order to obtain (and keep an ED-Visa for the duration),is physical attendance to classes an absolut MUST or is there a little "this is Thailand" leeway.

Is the issue handled differently, depending on the school?

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The point: Even if a Farang would like to learn the Thai-Language in a professional environement, it would be a challange for him if he has to drive to Bangkok at least once a week to attend class IF HE HAPPENS TO LIVE SOMEWHERE IN THE ISAAN !!?? Or would attendance of "on-line-courses" solve the problem for anyone living outside of the major "Language-Hub's"? =Always in connection with an ED-Visa.

Thanks !

[Tod Daniels]

Established school are real. Those that are just newly open could be risky.

Quite honestly, I cant think of a SINGLE private thai language school in Bangkok registered with the Ministry of Education and teaches thai to foreigners which has closed!

To buy into the fact that new schools are more risky than established schools is ludicrous. Thats like saying dont buy a new care because old ones are better!

Some of the most well promoted schools out there havent even taught the thai language for more than 3+ years! Conversely, some of the least promoted schools have been in business OVER 20 years!!

The initial cash outlay to actually get a school off the ground insofar as finding the property, renting it, paying for the retrofit to make it into a school, finding/developing teaching material(s), getting registered with the Ministry of Education, then jumping thru hoop after hoop license wise is VERY HIGH! After that type of investment, few people are gonna just close up shop and walk away. Now granted, in some other areas, (as my experience is in Bangkok), some schools did open, and then close, but not any that I know of in the Bangkok Metro area.

Also a myriad of factors come into play when a student selects a thai language school; customer service, methodology, efficacy, qualified teaching staff, efficient handling of paperwork, convenience of location(s), cost of tuition, bang-4-the-baht (what you feel you get out of a particular school), etc. No one can say without question which is the best school for you. Only you can figure that out.

YES, there are some schools now offering online classes via Skype, so people in out of the way areas can still attend class and reach their required study hours.

Now unless I am totally mistaken (which if I am, Im sure to be called out on!), the rule to get visa extensions actually reads; a student must attend a total of 16 hours class time a month. I think its the schools which break it down into 4 hour a week dealys. Again, if Im worng <sic> errr wrong, please correct me.

There are also more than a few schools which take payments over time for the duration of the year. The ones Ive seen usually want 6 months up front, as this covers their expense to get your paperwork for your initial single entry non-immigrant ED visa (good for 90 days) and the first set of extension paperwork after that runs out (good for another 90 days). As extensions are based on 90 day cycles, if you want to study more; before your extension runs out, pay for another three months, get another set of paperwork for a 90 day extension. However, with that being said, I know there are schools out there which will do monthly payments although it can be higher than coughing up the cash upfront.

My advice has always been; if you can, check and take a free class at as MANY private thai language schools as you possibly can BEFORE you part with a single satang of your hard earned baht!

Sorry for the long post

Edited February 24, 2011 by tod-daniels