Thailand education visa (Non-Immigrant ED): requirements

The Thailand education visa (Non-Immigrant ED) lets you study legally at a language school or university; The Hague charges 70 euros, Brussels 80 euros. After that you extend in Thailand at immigration, for 1,900 baht each time.

Last checked: 11 October 2026

In short (as of 11 October 2026)
The ED visa (education) is a single entry visa, valid for 3 months. On entry you get a stay of up to 90 days.
Visa fees since 15 July 2024: 70 euros at the embassy in The Hague, 80 euros in Brussels. You can only apply online via thaievisa.go.th, while you are in the Netherlands or Belgium.
Staying longer works with an extension of stay at immigration in Thailand: 1,900 baht each time. At a school outside regular education (non-formal school) that is up to 90 days each time and up to 1 year in total.
Working is not allowed without a Thai work permit, and if you leave Thailand without a re-entry permit (1,000 or 3,800 baht) you lose your permission to stay. For the ED Plus (bachelor or higher) the re-entry requirement does not apply.
The Hague and Brussels name no fixed minimum amount: you show that you can pay the tuition fees and your living costs.

This article is for Dutch and Belgian nationals who want to learn a language, study or train in Thailand for longer than a holiday. The general Thai rules in this guide apply to all nationalities; the parts about embassies and documents are written for Dutch and Belgian passport holders, so if you hold another passport, check the requirements of the Thai embassy or consulate that serves you.

What the Thailand education visa is

The education visa is officially called the Non-Immigrant Visa ED (student visa, education visa). In its document list of 31 August 2026 the embassy in The Hague has these categories:

ED1: study at a primary or secondary school.
ED2: vocational education, technical education or a diploma below bachelor level.
ED3: a short course in Thai or English, or Muay Thai training.
ED4: a workshop, training or seminar by a Thai government agency, a foreign mission or an international organisation.
ED5: monks, nuns and priests studying the Dharma.
ED6: an internship that is part of the study programme (curricular internship) or an exchange.
ED Plus: study at bachelor level or higher.

According to The Hague and the e-Visa portal, all categories are single entry and valid for 3 months: you enter Thailand within that period. On arrival a Non-Immigrant visa gives you up to 90 days; the immigration officer decides the exact length.

ED Plus for bachelor level and higher

According to the Thai embassies in Brussels (page of 10 January 2024) and Budapest (updated 11 February 2026), you do not need a re-entry permit during your studies, the university files the extension on your behalf, and after graduating you can extend for 1 year to look for work or to travel. If you find work, you can change visa type in Thailand.

Requirements and documents for the application

The Hague's document list (31 August 2026) asks for the following for ED1, ED2, ED3 and ED Plus:

Passport page with your personal details
Passport photo, taken within the last 6 months
Proof of your current place of residence ("document indicating current location")
Financial proof for tuition fees and living costs, for example bank statements for the last 3 months or a sponsor letter
A letter from the educational institution; for ED1 and ED3 a letter from the competent authority under the Thai Ministry of Education (ED1 also: an international school), for Muay Thai (ED3) also possible from an organisation such as the Sports Authority of Thailand
A confirmation of enrolment from the school or university, signed by an authorised person, with a copy of that person's ID card or passport

ED4 requires a letter from the government agency or organisation, ED5 a letter from the National Office of Buddhism, ED6 an internship confirmation from your own school or university and from the company in Thailand.

Money. The Hague and Brussels name no minimum amount for the ED, only proof that tuition fees and living costs are covered. Ask the embassy handling your application which balance it considers sufficient.

No criminal record certificate. The DTV requirements of 31 August 2026 (criminal record certificate, proof of permanent residence) are not in The Hague's ED list.

The Netherlands and Belgium

The Netherlands (embassy in The Hague):

Only for people who live in the Netherlands and are in the Netherlands during the whole procedure.
Usually 5 to 10 working days after a complete application.
Apply at least 1 and at most 2 months before departure; an application more than 90 days before arrival is refused.
70 euros, not refunded if the application is refused or cancelled.

Belgium (embassy in Brussels):

Only for people who are in Belgium or Luxembourg; other applications, including from Thailand, are refused automatically.
Apply at least 3 and at most 8 weeks before departure; the validity starts on the day of approval. In high season the processing time is 4 to 5 weeks.
80 euros, only with Visa or Mastercard, not refunded.
Under 18: birth certificate and consent from both parents, with copies of their passports or ID cards.

Step by step

Choose the course and the category. Ask the school whether it is a formal or a non-formal school; that determines the length of the extensions. According to Immigration Division 1, non-formal schools include schools for religious education, art and sport, vocational training, tutoring (tutorial) and life skills (announcement of the Private Education Commission of 12 February 2009).
Let the school arrange the letters: the confirmation of enrolment and, where needed, the letter from the education authority or the Sports Authority of Thailand.
Collect your own documents, including bank statements for the last 3 months.
Submit the application via thaievisa.go.th, choose the embassy of your country of residence and pay 70 euros (The Hague) or 80 euros (Brussels).
Travel within 3 months of issue and fill in the TDAC (Thailand Digital Arrival Card) beforehand.
Extend in time at the immigration office, before your permitted stay ends.

Extending your stay in Thailand

Rules of Immigration Division 1 (Bangkok) for an extension of stay based on study, as published on 11 October 2026:

Government institution (state school or university): each time the period the institution confirms, up to 1 year.
Private formal school: each time the period the school confirms, up to 1 year.
Private non-formal school: each time the period the school confirms, up to 90 days, and up to 1 year in total, counted from entry or from the date the visa was issued or changed.

For a private school you bring: the application form, a copy of your passport, a copy of the school's licence, a letter from the school stating the length and level of study, from the second extension the latest academic transcript, a confirmation from a government agency (not for international schools and higher education) and, only for a non-formal school, the curriculum, the timetable and the class attendance report.

A fixed attendance percentage or a compulsory exam is not in the official list; the office can, however, ask for extra documents. Each extension costs 1,900 baht. See also the general guide on extending your stay.

Changing your visa in Thailand

If you are in Thailand on a tourist visa or visa-exempt, you can, according to Immigration Division 1 (document list of April 2024), apply for an ED visa or have your visa type changed. Conditions: you must have more than 15 days of stay left, you may not be in overstay, you come in person, you show the address notification (TM30) and you pay 2,000 baht. You get up to 90 days. Since 15 September 2026 Dutch and Belgian nationals get 30 days visa-exempt for tourism, so if you enter visa-exempt, you have little time. See changing visa type in Thailand.

What else you need to arrange

Work: not allowed. According to the embassy in The Hague, no foreigner may work in Thailand without a work permit, whatever the visa. See the guide on the work visa and work permit.
Re-entry permit: if you leave the country in between, apply for a re-entry permit first: 1,000 baht (single) or 3,800 baht (multiple), also at the airport on the day you leave. Without a permit your permission to stay lapses; ED Plus students are exempt.
90-day report: if you are in Thailand for longer than 90 days, you report your address every 90 days, from 15 days before to 7 days after the due date. Reporting late costs 2,000 baht. See the 90-day report.

Family of a student

Family members of a student at a government or private educational institution can get an extension in Thailand of up to 1 year each time, if they hold a Non-Immigrant visa themselves and prove the relationship. This covers the husband or wife (legally married and living as a married couple), unmarried children aged 20 or under who live with the student, and parents. Parents need at least 500,000 baht in an account in their own name at a bank in Thailand, held for 3 months (first application: 30 days). For the visa from the Netherlands, The Hague has category O7, with at least 30,000 baht.

Short course or Muay Thai: three routes

Tourist visa TR3 (recreational learning, such as boxing or cooking): 60 days, at least 20,000 baht, 35 euros (The Hague) or 40 euros (Brussels). See the tourist visa.
ED3 (Thai, English or Muay Thai): 90 days plus extensions.
DTV2 (including Muay Thai and Thai cooking courses): 5 years, at least 500,000 baht, 350 euros, with a criminal record certificate.

Costs

Euro amounts next to baht amounts are an indication, converted at the ECB reference rate of 9 October 2026: 1 euro = 37.574 baht. Thai fees: Ministerial Regulation No. 27, since 26 August 2003.

ED visa, embassy in The Hague               70 euros
ED visa, embassy in Brussels                80 euros
Extension of stay                     1,900 baht each time  (about 51 euros)
  example non-formal school,
  1 year = 90 days + 3 extensions     5,700 baht            (about 152 euros)
Changing visa in Thailand             2,000 baht            (about 53 euros)
Re-entry permit, single               1,000 baht            (about 27 euros)
Re-entry permit, multiple             3,800 baht            (about 101 euros)
Late 90-day report (fine)             2,000 baht            (about 53 euros)
Tuition fees                          set by the school (ask for it in writing)

Common mistakes

Leaving the country without a re-entry permit. With a regular ED visa your permission to stay then lapses.

Applying from outside the Netherlands or Belgium. The Hague and Brussels refuse it.

Missing classes. At a non-formal school every extension, of up to 90 days each time, comes with an attendance report.

Changing your visa too late. In Thailand you must still have more than 15 days of stay left.

What has changed

15 July 2024: fees in The Hague (70 euros) and Brussels (80 euros).
31 August 2026: The Hague publishes the current ED list (ED1 to ED6, ED Plus).
15 September 2026: visa-exempt stay for tourism becomes 30 days for Dutch and Belgian nationals; see visa-exempt 30 days.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Thailand education visa cost?

The visa costs 70 euros at the embassy in The Hague and 80 euros in Brussels (fees since 15 July 2024). Each extension in Thailand costs 1,900 baht; tuition fees come on top.

How long can I stay in Thailand on an ED visa?

Up to 90 days on entry. At a non-formal school you extend by up to 90 days each time, up to 1 year in total; at a government institution or formal school up to 1 year each time, as long as the institution confirms the study.

Can I work in Thailand on an education visa?

No. Working in Thailand is only allowed with a work permit, and that requires a different visa.

Can I apply for an ED visa when I am already in Thailand?

Not at the embassy in The Hague or Brussels. At immigration in Thailand you can apply for an ED visa or change to one for 2,000 baht, if you still have more than 15 days of stay left.

Do I need a re-entry permit to leave Thailand on an ED visa?

Yes, otherwise your permission to stay lapses. A re-entry permit costs 1,000 baht for a single re-entry or 3,800 baht for multiple re-entries; ED Plus students are exempt.

How much money do I need in the bank for a Thailand education visa?

The Hague and Brussels name no fixed amount; with bank statements for the last 3 months or a sponsor letter you show that tuition fees and living costs are covered.

Sources

All sources opened on 11 October 2026.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Thai visa rules can change and are sometimes applied differently from one office to another. Check the current requirements with the Thai embassy or the immigration office before you apply or travel.

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Thailand education visa (Non-Immigrant ED): requirements, costs and extensions