Student visa guide
Thailand student visa 2026: cost, requirements and how to apply
The Non-Immigrant ED visa plus yearly extension of stay costs $117 in fees nobody can skip, up to $288 if every situational extra applies.
By Global Admissions Editorial · Checked against 5 official sources
How much does a Thailand student visa cost in 2026?
Applying for a student visa in Thailand on the Non-Immigrant ED visa plus yearly extension of stay costs $117 in fees you cannot skip: Non-Immigrant ED visa, single entry ($60) and Extension of temporary stay, one year ($57). Situational extras (re-entry permit, multiple and second-year extension) add up to $171 more. Tuition, living costs and proof-of-funds sit outside this total. All amounts are US dollars, last checked September 2026.
Non-Immigrant ED visa plus yearly extension of stay cost breakdown
Every line the Thailand application puts on your card, in US dollars, as of September 2026.
Amounts are US dollars. Thailand bills in its own currency, so the exact charge moves with the exchange rate. The native figures are in the notes column where the fee schedule publishes them.
Things to watch
- The 90-day address report is free; the only cost attached to it is the THB 2,000 fine for missing it.
- Choosing ED Plus at a university changes the total more than any fee: it removes the re-entry permit line and hands the extension paperwork to the institution.
- Baht figures convert at USD 1 = THB 33.29, the ExchangeRate-API rate on 18 September 2026.
How much bank balance do you need for a Thailand student visa?
For the Non-Immigrant ED visa plus yearly extension of stay, Thailand asks you to show THB 20,000 (about $601). The accepted form is Bank statements for the last three months, or a sponsor's letter, and it covers The consular finance check for a non-immigrant visa, per person; THB 40,000 per family. This is money you show, not money you pay, so it never appears in the fee table above. The figure comes from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand: Issuance of visa, checked September 2026.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand: Issuance of visa · checked September 2026
Thailand student visa requirements and documents checklist
6 documents every applicant provides.
| Document | Who needs it | What it involves |
|---|---|---|
| An enrollment letter from the university, signed, with the signer's ID | everyone | A bachelor's or higher applicant uploads a letter from the university and a letter confirming enrollment details signed by an authorized person, with a copy of that person's ID card or passport. Programs below bachelor's level need the same from the institute. source |
| An e-Visa application filed from outside Thailand | everyone | The portal only accepts applications from people who are not in Thailand, and asks for a document showing your current location, such as a valid visa, a flight receipt or accommodation proof. Approved applicants print the confirmation email for the airline and immigration. source |
| Three months of bank statements or a sponsor letter | everyone | Financial evidence has to cover tuition and living expenses. Where a family member sponsors you, embassies ask for a sponsorship letter and proof of the relationship such as a birth or marriage certificate. source |
| A passport with six months left, or 18 months for a one-year visa | everyone | Non-immigrant applicants need at least six months of passport validity, and a one-year multiple-entry visa needs 18 months, along with a photograph taken within the last six months. source |
| For ED Plus: enrollment at bachelor's level or above | everyone | The ED Plus variant is for students at Thai universities at bachelor's degree level or higher who are not on an exchange program. Its file adds a letter confirming student status and purpose of visit, an official note certifying the purpose of travel, and evidence of adequate finance. source |
| An extension at the Immigration Bureau before 90 days run out | everyone | A non-immigrant visa holder is admitted for a stay of no more than 90 days at first. Staying longer means an application to the Immigration Bureau, which can grant a further year counted from the date of entry, at the officer's discretion. source |
How to apply for a Thailand student visa
- Get admitted and collect the two university letters
The consulate in Los Angeles tells applicants without a valid visa or re-entry permit to request the visa at least 15 working days before the intended date of travel.
source - Apply on thaievisa.go.th and pay THB 2,000 for single entry
The Non-Immigrant fee is THB 2,000 for a single entry and THB 5,000 for multiple entries. A single-entry ED or ED Plus visa is valid for 90 days from issue, and the initial period of stay is up to 90 days.
source - Enter Thailand and, on ED Plus, let the university handle the extension
For ED Plus holders the university or institution submits the visa extension application on the student's behalf, and they can leave and re-enter Thailand during the course without a re-entry permit.
source - Pay THB 1,900 for each extension of temporary stay
The Immigration Bureau's fee schedule under Ministerial Order 27 of 2003 charges THB 1,900 per extension application. A plain ED holder who wants to travel out during the stay also needs a re-entry permit, THB 1,000 single or THB 3,800 multiple.
source - Report your address every 90 days
A foreigner staying over 90 days notifies the Immigration Bureau of their residence every 90 days, online, by registered mail or in person. The notification is not a visa extension, and reporting late or not at all draws a THB 2,000 fine.
source - After graduating, use the ED Plus year to find work
ED Plus holders may extend their stay for one year after graduation to seek employment, travel or take part in other activities, and can change to a new visa type inside Thailand once employed.
source
Thailand student visa processing time
The Los Angeles consulate asks for the visa request at least 15 working days before the intended travel date. Extensions of stay and changes of visa type are decided at the Immigration Bureau's discretion, with no published turnaround.
Royal Thai Consulate-General in Los Angeles: Non-Immigrant type ED to study · checked September 2026
Thailand student visa work rights, dependants and what comes after
After graduation
ED Plus holders are allowed to extend their stay in Thailand for one year after graduating to seek employment, travel or join other activities, and are eligible to apply for a new visa type in Thailand if employed. A plain ED visa carries no such year.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is the Thailand student visa fee?
How much bank balance is required for a Thailand student visa?
How long does a Thailand student visa take?
What's not included in the Non-Immigrant ED visa plus yearly extension of stay fee?
When are these fees due?
Official sources
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand: Issuance of visa · read September 2026
- Thailand e-Visa (Ministry of Foreign Affairs): Studying visas · read September 2026
- Royal Thai Embassy in Brussels: Non-Immigrant Visa ED Plus · read September 2026
- Immigration Bureau, Samut Prakan Immigration: Immigration fees · read September 2026
- Immigration Bureau: Notification of staying in the Kingdom over 90 days · read September 2026
Last verified September 2026.