Second HomeThailand · Residency concierge

Thailand Education & Activity Visas

Come for the experience. Choose a route that fits it.

A language course, a Muay Thai programme and formal education are not interchangeable visa purposes. Start with what you genuinely want to learn and verify the appropriate route with the institution and embassy.

Discuss this with us

Choose a genuine programme

Study purpose

Verify supporting documents

Provider evidence

ED or eligible DTV activity

Route review

Status

Purpose comes first
Neon signs and tuk-tuks on a rainy Bangkok night

Who qualifies

  • Students enrolled full time at a Thai university or international school.
  • Students at a Ministry of Education licensed Thai language school, for courses of a set number of hours.
  • Trainees at some licensed Muay Thai and vocational schools.

How it works

  1. Enrol and pay the school. They send you an acceptance letter and the documents for the embassy.
  2. Apply for the Non-ED through the e-Visa system. It is usually issued for 90 days.
  3. Extend at immigration with a school letter, normally every 90 days or yearly depending on the course.
  4. Attend. Officers may ask you to speak or read Thai at the extension.
A Thai-style villa and sculpted garden at blue hour
A Thai-style villa and sculpted garden at blue hour

DTV or education visa?

For Muay Thai, Thai cooking and short courses, the DTV is usually better if you have 500,000 THB in savings: five years and 180 days per entry instead of 90-day steps. The education visa makes sense for full-time degrees, children at school, and people without the DTV savings.

Your next step

Living in Pattaya

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This guide is shared with our sister site, Move In Thailand.

Before you decide

Questions, answered.

Will any Muay Thai course qualify for DTV?

No. Eligibility and the provider evidence must meet the responsible embassy's current requirements.

Can I choose a school purely to obtain a visa?

Choose a programme you genuinely intend to attend. Your application should accurately represent your purpose.

Can I work part time on an education visa?

No, not without a work permit.

Can my parent stay with me?

A parent of a school-age student can apply for a [guardian visa](/visas/family/).

What should I ask the school or activity provider?

Ask about recognition, the actual programme, attendance, supporting documents, total fees and cancellation terms. Confirm accepted visa evidence independently with your responsible embassy.

Is an activity-based DTV the same as an education visa?

They are different purposes and processes. Explain the genuine study or activity you intend to undertake and compare the current accepted routes and evidence.

How should a child’s school plan be reviewed?

Start with the intended school attendance and the institution’s supporting documents. Review the child’s education route and any parent or guardian arrangements separately.

Keep reading

01

DTV visa

5 years, 180 days per entry, for remote workers and Muay Thai, cooking or culture students.

02

Family visas

For parents of Thai children, dependants of visa holders and parents of students.

03

90-day report

Due every 90 days of continuous stay. File online, in person or through an agent.

The next step

Schedule consultation.

Tell us where you are now and the move you have in mind. A first conversation about your route, your home and your timeline. No obligation.

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