If you are a Thai parent who wishes to give your child the best education, it is possible for them to enrol in a Thai university degree program that includes 1 year of study at a leading UK university. How does this work?
The student needs to have the following in order to apply:
- High school diploma (or GED or equivalent)
- Be at least 16 years and 6 months old
- Have an acceptable IELTS score (English proficiency)
- Pass the Thai college interview
If a student does not have a high school diploma, it is possible to study in a GED faculty (called GED คณะ in Thai) in order to prepare for the GED tests. GED stands for General Education Development and this test was first introduced in 1942, when the US armed forces requested some form of test to measure a person’s academic level when they applied for a job in the civilian world.
How does the program work?
First you need to find a Thai college or university that offers multi-national bachelor’s degree programs; a Google search is the best way to find such a college. Typically, it would be a 4-year program, with the final year at a leading UK university, although this could be reduced to 3 years, with 2 years in Thailand and a further 12 months in the UK. The student can acquire enough credits during the 2 years to reduce the term to a total of 3 years, with the final year in a prestigious foreign university.
Intensive English language courses
In the event a Thai student does not possess the necessary skills in English, it is possible to enrol in an intensive English language course that prepares the student for the IELTS test. The length of time a student needs to prepare for the IELTS test depends entirely on their current level of English and should they fail to reach the required level, it is possible to carry on studying and re-sit the IELTS test at a later date.
The final interview
Once a student has the GED and IELTS scores needed, they have to have an interview with a panel of college professors, which is designed to ensure that the student has the right attitude and is aware of what is involved.
Graduating from a prestigious UK university opens many doors and the graduate may be offered a top job due to the fact that they graduated from a top UK university. If you wish to give your Thai son or daughter the very best start in life, enrol them in a degree course that includes the final year studying at a UK university.
