Comparison · IB Diploma routes
St Andrew's vs. Regents
Day school and boarding
Cognita forest-school IB vs Nord Anglia boarding — compare commute and published fees.
School comparison
Highgate vs St Andrew's
Highgate reports younger years opened in August 2026 and later A-Levels; St Andrew’s published an operating IB Diploma route.
The schools
Provision
| What to compare | Highgate (Banglamung) | St Andrew's GV (Rayong) |
|---|---|---|
| Address | Near Siam Country Club, Banglamung (~30 min from central Pattaya · Pattaya-side) | 1 Moo 7, Banchang-Makham Koo Road, Ban Chang, Rayong (~30 min south from Pattaya · near U-Tapao) |
| Ages and stages | School reports Pre-Prep/Junior open since 19 August 2026 (ages 2–11); Years 7–9 planned August 2027. Boarding date unresolved. | 2–18 full through-school (Nursery → Year 13 IBDP) |
| Secondary on campus | Years 7–9 planned August 2027; younger-years opening is school-reported | Yes — IGCSE → IB Diploma on same campus (IBDP-only at Sixth Form) |
| Primary curriculum | School-reported operating Pre-Prep and Junior: British National Curriculum, ages 2–11 | British NC + IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) |
| Language model | English-medium British · verify additional languages on tour | English-medium · Dutch lessons (Reception→secondary) · Thai · Mandarin |
| Boarding | Not operating at July 2026 check; official pages gave conflicting 2027 and 2028/29 dates. Confirm current status. | Day school only — no boarding |
Highgate reports that Pre-Prep and Junior School opened 19 August 2026 for ages 2–11; Years 7–9 are planned for August 2027. Boarding dates still conflict. Official first-week account · Senior School plan · checked 23 September 2026. Operation is school-reported, not independently audited.
Tuition and other charges
A school-wide fee range is not a quote for one child. Check the academic year, exact year group, compulsory charges and what tuition includes before comparing totals.
Highgate vs St Andrew's · standard published tuition before full-year-payment discounts (all-in rows include named mandatory charges) · fee years: Highgate 2026/27; St Andrew's 2026/27 · checked 27 July 2026
| What to compare | Highgate (Banglamung) | St Andrew's GV (Rayong) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual tuition (published) | ฿375,000–795,000/yr · Highgate 2026/27 | ฿213,000–867,500/yr published fee band (2026/27 PDF · standrewsgreenvalley.com) |
| Nursery / EY tuition | ฿375,000 half-day without lunch · ฿595,000 full day | ฿213,000/yr (Nursery age 2 · 2026/27 published fee) |
| Year 1 tuition | ฿755,000/yr standard | ฿632,000/yr (Years 1–2 band) |
| Year 7 tuition | Not yet published · Years 7–9 planned from 2027 subject to OPEC approval | ฿776,500/yr (2026/27 published fee) |
| Sixth Form tuition | Not yet published · later phase | ฿867,500/yr (Y13 IBDP published · no A-Level alternative) |
| Transport | Not published · bus excluded from tuition | ฿57,000–฿89,500/year two-way; one-way service is 75% of the applicable rate |
| Language and learning support charges | No language- or learning-support tariff appears on the current 2026/27 fee page. | Separate charges — EAL: ฿100,000/year; LEAP: ฿175,000/year; assessed learning support is separate, with LSA options of ฿186,067 shared or ฿372,134 full-time. |
Beyond tuition
Other practical details
| What to compare | Highgate (Banglamung) | St Andrew's GV (Rayong) |
|---|---|---|
| Founded / status | School-reported opening 19 August 2026 · first overseas campus of Highgate School London (est. 1565) | 1997 · operating · Cognita Schools |
| Early Years philosophy | British Pre-Prep (published pathway · verify pedagogy on tour) | British EYFS + Forest School + eco-literacy embedded |
| Accreditation | School reports opening 19 August 2026; no independent operating audit found in checked sources · sister of Highgate School London | EDT Silver · Cognita Schools · IBO (IB PYP + Diploma) |
| Class size / scale | Phased founding cohorts — enrolment not published at July 2026 check | ~450 students · 30 rai campus — verify cohort sizes on tour |
| One-time admission | ฿5,500 application · ฿200,000 enrolment · ฿100,000 refundable deposit | ฿5,000 application · ฿55,000 entrance (Nursery–Reception) · ฿100,000 entrance (Y1–13) · or ฿120,000 capital levy alternative |
Official sources and dates
Highgate International School Thailand school website · fee material · dated profile sources
St. Andrews International School, Green Valley school website · fee material · dated profile sources
Before you decide
Where the routes differ
1. Do you want IB Primary Years + Diploma — or British IGCSE → A-Level?
St Andrew’s publishes IB PYP alongside the British National Curriculum in primary, followed by IGCSE and the IB Diploma. Highgate publishes a British National Curriculum, IGCSE and planned A-Level route; Senior School provision is announced from 2027 and should be confirmed before relying on it. Ask each school which qualifications will run for the child’s cohort and how it supports applications to the intended universities.
2. Is a Dutch language programme a dealbreaker?
St Andrew's publishes three to six hours per week of Dutch language and culture lessons from Reception through secondary, with CNaVT and IBDP Dutch routes. The school calls it the Eastern Seaboard's only Dutch Stream; it is not a full Dutch-medium parallel curriculum. Highgate does not publish comparable Dutch instruction. If sustained mother-tongue Dutch matters, St Andrew's is the structural fit. If your family is English-medium only, move to operating history and fee calculus.
3. What is confirmed about Highgate’s phase, and what operating evidence does St Andrew’s provide?
Highgate reports Pre-Prep and Junior School operating for ages 2–11 since 19 August 2026 (official first-week account checked 23 September 2026). This is first-term, school-reported operation; no Thailand exam results, graduate destinations or independent operating audit is available. St Andrew’s has operated since 1997, with EDT Silver rating, Cognita network membership and school-published careers guidance. Ask Highgate which classes and facilities now operate. For a child needing an operating secondary or IB Diploma route, St Andrew’s publishes one while Highgate’s Years 7–9 are planned from August 2027.
4. Which first-year cost structure is easier for your family?
St Andrew's publishes ฿213K Nursery 3 half-day, about ฿632K Year 1, ฿776.5K Year 7 and ฿867.5K Year 13, plus entry charges. Highgate publishes ฿375K half-day Nursery, ฿595K full-day Nursery and ฿715K–฿795K from Reception through Year 6, plus ฿5,500 application, ฿200K enrolment and a ฿100K refundable deposit. St Andrew's operates every grade today; Highgate Senior prices remain pending.
5. Rayong commute + Forest School ethos — or Banglamung + London Highgate brand?
St Andrew’s is in Ban Chang, Rayong, with a school-published 30-rai campus, Forest School and outdoor learning; its published enrolment is about 450. Highgate is near Siam Country Club, Bang Lamung, with a published plan for a FIFA pitch, Olympic pool and Golf Academy. Those facility illustrations were architectural renders; facility availability has not been independently checked. Test both commutes at school-run times and ask to see the facilities available to the child.
Other comparisons
For a different age span, curriculum, boarding option or location, browse St Andrew's vs Regents · Highgate vs Regents · ISE vs St Andrew's · Rugby vs Highgate. Check the linked source’s date and fee conditions before shortlisting.
Compare what exists on the start date
At St Andrew’s, visit the proposed class and ask how PYP, IGCSE and IB work for this child. Highgate reports an August 2026 younger-years opening; request confirmation of the child’s current class and teaching provision. Ask for a confirmed class, cohort, teaching team, usable facilities, transport, extracurricular provision and written contingencies. Keep later secondary and boarding phases separate until their dates and terms are confirmed.
Ask both schools for a child-specific placement letter. For Highgate, it should state the opening year group and how the pupil progresses as later phases open. For St Andrew’s, it should state the proposed class, how British curriculum and PYP work together at that stage, and the later IGCSE and IB route. If Dutch provision matters, confirm the child’s actual timetable and entry level rather than relying on the programme label.
Use one complete-cost worksheet
Start with standard tuition for the same child and academic year. Add application, enrolment or registration, refundable deposits, meals, transport, books, uniform, activities, trips, examinations and assessed support. Highgate publishes a substantial ฿200,000 non-refundable enrolment charge plus a ฿100,000 refundable deposit; record the cash due date and withdrawal terms. For St Andrew’s, request the exact 2026/27 year-group line and every compulsory extra. Unknown public prices remain quote-required, not zero.
Then run both commutes during school traffic and visit the proposed class. Compare classroom language, teacher feedback, independent work, outdoor learning and how a newcomer receives support. The defensible decision is a complete present-day offer: confirmed place, usable facilities, daily route, full invoice and credible next-stage plan. That keeps Highgate’s founding opportunity and St Andrew’s operating history on an honest basis.
Common questions
When does Highgate Thailand open?
Highgate now reports that Pre-Prep and Junior School opened on 19 August 2026 for ages 2–11 (official first-week account checked 23 September 2026). Confirm the available class directly. Its Admissions page placed Senior School in 2027/28 and boarding in 2028/29, while its homepage gave conflicting boarding dates. St Andrew’s has operated since 1997.
Which offers IB Diploma?
St Andrew's only — IB PYP through IB Diploma at Sixth Form. Highgate's published pathway is British IGCSE → A-Level (Senior School from 2027) — confirm any IB plans with admissions.
Are Highgate fees published?
Yes. Highgate publishes 2026/27 tuition of ฿375,000–฿795,000 for its Pre-Prep and Junior grades. St Andrew's publishes ฿213,000–฿867,500 across its operating through-school.
Which has a Dutch stream?
St Andrew's Green Valley publishes Dutch language and culture lessons from Reception through secondary, with CNaVT and IBDP Dutch routes. The school calls it the Eastern Seaboard's only Dutch Stream; it is not a full Dutch-medium curriculum. Highgate does not publish comparable Dutch instruction.
Which commute fits Pattaya families?
Both require a daily commute — Highgate near Siam Country Club, Banglamung (~30 min · Pattaya-side) and St Andrew's in Banchang, Rayong (~30 min south). Test both at school-run times before enrolling.