Study Abroad in Thailand

Semester Programs

During your time in Thailand, you will live with a host family and attend a local high school.

School

Thai schools can be quite large, sometimes with up to 2500 students and up to 50 students in a class. You will attend a local Thai school, where you will be placed in grades 10, 11, or 12 depending on the school. Required classes include Thai language, social studies, and physical education, but you’ll work with your school counselor to select classes that will be best for you. As an exchange student, you will have many elective subjects to choose from such as English, history, Thai music, Thai dancing, Thai cooking, arts and crafts, artificial flower making, sword fighting, Muay Thai (Thai boxing), religion, meditation, and many others depending on the school. In English class, you will likely be considered a guest speaker and asked to assist the teacher. The school week is Monday through Friday and classes are typically around 50 minutes long held from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm with a daily morning assembly and some free periods throughout the week. Dress codes can be strict, with rules on hairstyles and jewelry. Thai students are also required to wear uniforms at school, so students may either have a uniform that is provided by their host family, or students will have to purchase them on their own, and the family will help to find the proper uniform for you.

Note: YFU Thailand cannot guarantee that you will receive a report card that fulfills the requirements of your school back home, but can work with your host school to provide a certificate or letter stating school attendance as an exchange student.

Orientations

All students applying for a semester program must be available for a mandatory 3-day National Pre-Departure Orientation which usually takes place in mid-July. This orientation is a required part of the program aimed at preparing students for their experience overseas.

Students will begin their program in Thailand with a four-day orientation in Bangkok. There will also be a 3-4 day mid-year orientation in October. Students will reflect upon their exchange year with a re-entry orientation for 4-5 days shortly bef0re the end of their program. All orientation costs are included in program tuition.

Extracurriculars

YFU students are encouraged to get involved in their communities by joining academic, sports, or recreational clubs that meet during and after school.

Optional Excursions

Semester program students will also usually have the option of participating in a number of educational trips and excursions during their stay, at an additional cost.

Week Exchange Program: In previous years, students have had the opportunity to do a short exchange while participating in their program. During this week students will be able to experience a new community within Thailand and live with a different host family. This exciting week exchange allows students to discover cultural differences between families and see more of the beautiful country!

Language

Thai. Previous language study is not required. Students will receive an introduction to Thai language during their post-arrival orientation. Further language training is arranged by individual host schools.

Summer Programs

During your summer homestay in Thailand, you will be able to immerse yourself in Thai culture.

Orientations

Summer students will participate in an online, mandatory virtual pre-departure orientation in late May/ early June. This orientation is a required part of the program to prepare students for their overseas experience.

Discover Thailand

This 6-week summer program allows you to immerse yourself in the Thai culture. You will live with a host family and have the opportunity to visit school with local Thai students. Students might also have the opportunity to experience a different community other than the community your host family lives in for about one week. This will give students a chance to experience another culture within Thailand.

Optional Excursions

Students will also usually have the option of participating in several educational trips and excursions during their stay, at an additional cost.

Week Exchange Program: In previous years, students have had the opportunity to do a short exchange while participating in their program. During this week students will be able to experience a new community within Thailand and live with a different host family. This exciting week exchange allows students to discover cultural differences between families and see more of the beautiful country.

Language

Thai. Previous language study is not required. Students may receive an introduction to Thai language during their post-arrival orientation.

Gap Year

Students on the gap year volunteer program must be at least 18 years old to attend and should demonstrate a high level of responsibility and motivation. As a volunteer in Thailand, you will either live with a local host family or in lodging that will be arranged by the work site that you will be volunteering with. These accommodations can include a dormitory, guesthouse, or service apartments. In the first 3 months of your program, you’ll work in a high school while taking a Thai language course.

Volunteering: Possible options include teaching English, working with disabled children, serving in a hospital, and other types of community service for local residents at an NGO or working on a farm or in a hotel. You will be able to select within your application which types of community service you are most interested in, and then YFU Thailand will select a few potential worksites for you based on your skills and qualifications. After 3 months at your worksite, you can change to another to get a different experience if you’d like.

Program Add-On: Students who would like to participate in the volunteer program may also choose to add on an additional volunteer project to their program. This project may be 2-4 weeks in length in October, where students may get to experience a different community within Thailand, and do volunteer work at a different site for this time period.