If you are one of the millions of people who are smitten with Thailand, you will be thinking about ways to remain in The Kingdom and applying for an Education Visa offers many benefits. Not only can you stay in Thailand for up to 14 months, learning to speak Thai will enhance your experience in this unique country.

Finding a government approved Thai language school

Search online for approved Thai language schools that offer a student visa in Thailand for up to 14 months and check out their website, where you will find details of the ED visa and the course details. Do check the online reviews when looking at accredited Thai language schools, as this will tell you how other students feel about the service. If you have any questions, you can leave a message on the website or check out the FAQs.

Applying for a non-immigrant visa

Once your study application is accepted, you can leave Thailand and apply for a non-immigrant visa at a Thai Embassy at a neighbouring country; Singapore and Malaysia are popular destinations and once you receive the visa, you can return to Thailand. Of course, if you are already in Thailand on a non-immigrant visa, you do not need to leave the country, you simply visit your local immigration office and apply to have your existing non-immigrant visa extended.

Valid for up to 14 months

It is not possible to renew your visa to study the same course, there are 3 courses available, which are as follows:

• Beginner Thai language course – This lasts for 3.5 months.
• Intermediate Thai language course – This lasts for 4.5 months.
• Advanced Thai language course – This lasts for 6 months.

Should you wish to study all 3 courses consecutively, you can stay in Thailand for 14 months. You could start with the beginner’s course and then move on to the intermediate course and as that finishes, you can study the advanced course. Of course, it is possible to pay for all 3 courses in advance, or book courses one by one, the choice is yours. Here is some information about a football-in-schools project in India.

The benefits of speaking Thai

It is not possible to gain an insight into Thai people if you cannot communicate in their language; while some people’s main focus is the visa, the majority realise the many benefits and take full advantage of the schools’ resources. Once you are fluent in the Thai language (you should be at the end of the advanced course), you will wonder how you ever managed without it. You can make friends with Thai people and that leads to a deeper understanding of the unique Thai culture and whenever you are out and about, you no longer need a translator. If, for example, you have a Thai fiancée, you are not relying on her when you need something.

Do check on the entry requirements for arrival in Thailand before booking your flight and by enrolling in a Thai language course, you can obtain a student visa.