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Comparison · Premium British
Rugby vs. Regents
The headline premium decision
A-Level brand vs. IBDP optionality. Boarding from 10 vs. Y3. Side-by-side fees + decision framework.
// ADMISSIONS GUIDE · 2026/27
Admissions timeline.
Apply before the move.
Apply at least six months ahead if Rugby or a fixed year group is the target. Regents, St Andrew's, TPIS, MIS and Highgate publish rolling admissions, but availability, assessment and a short offer-payment window still control the start.
Source checked 26 July 2026 · 8 school policies
// In this hub → Rugby Thailand ↗ · Regents Pattaya ↗ · St Andrew's GV ↗ · TPIS ↗ · MIS ↗ · Highgate ↗ · Start Here primer ↗ · All school fees table ↗
// 01 · Answer first
There is no single
Pattaya deadline.
// In this hub → Rugby Thailand ↗ · Regents Pattaya ↗ · St Andrew's GV ↗ · TPIS ↗ · All school fees table ↗ · School fees hub ↗ · Real school cost guide ↗ · Start Here primer ↗
Eight current school sources show three different admissions realities. Rugby publishes a six-month minimum and says most year groups have waiting lists. Five schools explicitly accept applications throughout the year. ISE publishes a fast file-review route without promising year-round availability, while SISB Rayong states what happens after a child passes assessment but no seat is open.
“Rolling admissions” means the school will consider an application outside one annual window. It does not mean a seat exists, support can be provided, the chosen exam course can be joined safely, or an informal enquiry reserves anything. The comparison below keeps those separate.
| School | When to apply or join | Assessment / review | What secures the place | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rugby Thailand | At least 6 months ahead. August is the main intake; January or April may be possible. No entry to Years 11 or 13. | Age-specific observation, cognitive or academic assessment and interview. | Acceptance fee, deposit and signed terms within 14 days of offer. | Official admissions page ↗ |
| Regents Pattaya | Applications all year; start at any point, subject to a place and support capacity. | Age-appropriate assessment after the complete form and documents. | Written acceptance. The school says an offer can follow within 72 hours of assessment. | Official admissions page ↗ |
| St Andrew's Green Valley | Applications throughout the year, first-come and subject to year-group availability. | Trial day; may include English, maths and a Head of School meeting. | Signed acceptance and enrolment fee within 7 days. | Official admissions page ↗ |
| TPIS | Applications throughout the year. Year 10 onward mid-year entry is case by case. | Trial day in Early Years, informal meeting in Years 1–2, Oxford test from Year 3. | Complete admissions documents and pay all stated fees; no public offer-expiry period. | Official admissions page ↗ |
| MIS | Applications accepted year-round. | Years 1–9: Cambridge test, then interview and trial class. | The invoice must be settled before the pupil starts; no public offer-expiry period. | Official admissions page ↗ |
| Highgate Thailand | Applications all year; most opening-year groups may join during the year, subject to capacity. | Age-specific family interview or English and maths tests, online or in person. | Offer expected within 48 hours of assessment; accept terms and pay enrolment within 14 days. | Official admissions page ↗ |
| ISE | No annual application window is published. A start can follow quickly once a complete application is accepted. | File review, screening and grade-dependent testing; Principal recommendation within 24 hours. | Accept the offer and choose secondary courses; first day can be one working day later. | Official admissions page ↗ |
| SISB Rayong | 2026/27 new applications are published for Nursery 1–Grade 10, not Grades 11–12. | Application and assessment fees are due at submission. | A pupil who passes but has no seat is placed on the waiting list; enrolment is due after an offer. | Official admissions page ↗ |
// 02 · Planning sequence
A workable
12-month plan.
This is an editorial planning sequence assembled from the eight published policies, not a set of school deadlines. Move faster when a relocation is already fixed; move earlier when one school, one year group or one exam pathway is non-negotiable.
| Lead time | Action | Why it belongs here |
|---|---|---|
| 9–12 months | Confirm the intended grade, curriculum and two realistic commute options. Ask each school whether the exact year group is open. | A tour slot is not a seat. Rugby reports waiting lists and asks for at least six months. |
| 6–9 months | Submit the complete file: identity documents, reports, support plans and any translated records the school requests. | Published review clocks usually start after the file and application fee are complete. |
| 3–6 months | Complete assessments, trial days and interviews. Ask for the exact grade placement and support plan in writing. | The assessment may affect placement, language support, learning support and additional cost. |
| Within 7–14 days of offer | Read the offer, refund rules and full invoice; pay only when the place, start date and conditions are clear. | St Andrew's publishes 7 days. Rugby and Highgate publish 14 days. |
| 1 month before start | Confirm bus collection, uniform, meals, device rules, visa documents and the named first day. | These operational steps sit outside the academic offer and may carry separate charges or lead times. |
Do not wait for a house lease before asking about a seat. Ask the school for a route quotation using the likely neighbourhood, then test the commute at school-run time before signing the lease. Admissions timing and housing timing are one decision on the Eastern Seaboard.
// 03 · Assessment
The test changes
with age.
Early Years admission is usually observational. Rugby meets children individually or in small groups; TPIS uses a classroom trial day. In primary, published processes add literacy, numeracy, reasoning, English and maths work. By secondary, reports, formal exam results, subject choices and course continuity matter more.
The word “non-selective” does not mean “no assessment”. Regents says it is non-selective but assesses every child to understand learning needs and whether the required support can be delivered. ISE likewise screens English and additional needs before confirming whether its provision is appropriate.
Send every relevant specialist report before assessment, not after an offer. St Andrew's explicitly asks for educational or specialist reports where applicable; ISE requests formal evaluations and health information. Hiding a need can produce the wrong placement, an unexpected support charge or a later refusal after the family has already planned the move.
// 04 · Waiting and offers
A waitlist is not
a reserved seat.
Rugby says most year groups have waiting lists. SISB Rayong says a child who passes assessment when no place is immediately available will be placed on its waiting list. Highgate's fee terms say a child cannot remain in its waitpool longer than 12 months. Those are three different statements; none promises when a place will open.
Once a place is offered, the clock can be short. St Andrew's gives seven days for the enrolment fee before priority passes to other applicants. Rugby requires the acceptance fee, deposit and signed terms within 14 days. Highgate also gives 14 days. Ask what is refundable if the family's move or visa fails, because “pay to secure” and “refundable if plans change” are separate questions.
Fast decisions are possible only after the evidence is complete. Regents says a place may be offered within 72 hours of assessment. Highgate says within 48 hours. ISE says its Principal reviews the completed file within 24 hours and a pupil may start one working day after the accepted offer. Those are school-published process stages, not promises from first enquiry.
// 05 · Mid-year entry
Rolling does not mean
every grade, every week.
Regents says pupils can start at any time in the academic year. St Andrew's, MIS and Highgate publish year-round applications. TPIS welcomes mid-year applications but says Year 10 onward is reviewed case by case. Rugby is narrower: January or April entry may be possible when places arise, but Years 11 and 13 are closed because they sit midway through two-year examination courses.
Billing may also be coarse rather than daily. Highgate says a pupil joining in the first half of a term pays the full term; joining after half-term costs 50%, and fees are not prorated. Ask every school for the exact first invoice before treating a mid-year start as a proportional saving.
For any pupil entering an examination programme, request a written subject-by-subject mapping: exam board, syllabus code, coursework already completed, controlled assessment, language options and the latest safe joining date. A nominal seat in the year group is not enough if the course sequence cannot be continued.
// 06 · Application file
Prepare the file
before the enquiry.
The repeated document set across the current policies is straightforward: the child's passport or Thai ID, parents' identity documents, birth certificate, recent school reports or transcripts, photographs and health information. Depending on school and family, add visas, house registration or rental evidence, vaccination records, confidential school references and specialist reports.
Keep original-language and English-translated copies where required. St Andrew's asks for previous reports translated into English. TPIS asks for a residence certificate and parent work permit or visa where applicable. MIS asks for two semesters of reports and a vaccination record. ISE asks for a confidential evaluation and any formal assessments.
A complete file is not merely administrative. It is the evidence used to place the pupil, plan support and start the decision clock. Send one clean, named PDF per document and keep a copy of the exact version submitted.
// 07 · Who this suits
Who should use —
and skip — this page.
This guide suits families coordinating a move, a school change and a house search who need to know which steps can run in parallel. It also helps a family distinguish an open application form from a confirmed seat.
Skip this page as a guarantee of admission if the child needs a specific Year 10–13 subject combination, substantial language or learning support, boarding on a fixed date, or visa documents before travel. In those cases, only a written school offer naming the year group, programme, support, start date, full fee basis and acceptance deadline is enough.
// SOURCES · First-party admissions terms
Documents read for every claim on this page
- Rugby Thailandadmissions overview · term dates
- Regents Pattayaadmissions process and FAQ
- St Andrew's Green Valleyapplication process
- TPIShow to apply · secondary entry note
- MISadmissions process
- Highgate Thailandadmissions process · offer, waitpool and mid-term fee terms
- ISEadmissions procedures
- SISB Rayong2026/27 Rayong admissions and fee terms
Autocomplete, search results and parent discussions were used only to identify the questions. No deadline, assessment rule or waiting-list statement comes from a directory, forum or search snippet.
// FAQ
Quick answers
about applying.
How early should I apply to an international school near Pattaya?
If Rugby or one exact year group is the target, start at least six months before the intended date: Rugby publishes that minimum and says most year groups have waiting lists. Other schools may process rolling applications faster, but a complete file, assessment, seat availability and payment still sit between an enquiry and a secured place.
Can a child start a Pattaya international school mid-year?
Often, but not in every year group. Regents, St Andrew's, TPIS, MIS and Highgate publish rolling or year-round applications. Rugby sometimes admits at the January or April term starts but excludes Years 11 and 13. TPIS reviews Year 10 and later mid-year entries case by case. Get the start date and course continuity in writing.
What happens in an international school admissions assessment?
The format changes with age. Published local processes include observation or a trial day for younger children, English and maths work, cognitive or Oxford tests, school-report review, interviews and support-needs screening. An assessment is not always a competitive entrance examination; schools also use it to decide placement and whether they can provide required language or learning support.
What actually secures a school place after an offer?
The offer letter and the school's payment terms control. St Andrew's gives seven days to pay its enrolment fee; Rugby and Highgate publish 14-day acceptance windows. Other schools require written acceptance or full settlement before the start without publishing the same deadline. Do not treat an enquiry, assessment booking or waiting-list position as a reserved place.
// This topic hub → Rugby Thailand ↗ · Regents Pattaya ↗ · St Andrew's GV ↗ · TPIS ↗ · MIS ↗ · Highgate ↗ · Start Here primer ↗ · All school fees table ↗ · School fees hub ↗ · Real school cost guide ↗ · British schools hub ↗ · IB Diploma hub ↗
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