Related Resources
YEAR PROGRAM
About Us
Education and Development Experts Co., Ltd (EduDee) works with not-for-profit organizations to provide student exchange program services under the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. These not-for-profit organizations are accredited by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) for achieving high standards and ensuring safe and valuable exchange experiences for youth. Students who meet the program requirements and join in the exchange will be awarded scholarships covering part or all of the tuition during their one academic high-school year abroad as youth ambassadors of Thailand. They will have the opportunity to improve their English, learning and social skills as well as interact with people and experience cultures different from their own. Moreover, EduDee has been entrusted to carry out similar programs by educational exchange organizations in New Zealand, Canada, and Ireland, where English is the official language.
About the Program
The program has received approval from the Thai Ministry of Education and is recognized for building character, broadening horizons, and improving learning for youth. The program is the result of EduDee’s official collaboration with not-for-profit educational organizations overseas dedicated to promoting cultural exchange that involves residing with native English speakers. EduDee’s international cultural exchange program is open to all Thai students throughout Thailand. Interested students must be full-time secondary students or the equivalent. Students selected for the exchange will receive a partial or full scholarship for the tuition fee for one academic year in an educational institute/high school or secondary school alongside local students. Students will reside with a quality-selected native speaking host family of the country. Students will have the opportunity to improve their language skills by interacting with the local people, to develop themselves, and to live with others to attain greater global perspective. Students will learn from the viewpoints of others as they live with a carefully selected host family based on the law. They will also be cared for by the exchange foundation under the supervision of the host country’s government.
- This program is supported by the Ministry of Education of Thailand.
- The host country offers the scholarship to each student only once. A student may not apply for the same type of scholarship in subsequent academic years.
- This is an opportunity to study abroad for one academic school year.
- The program will be under the care of the government and the exchange/ educational organizations of the destination country.
- Representatives from the local exchange/educational organizations will carefully select a host family, public educational institution and the town/state for each student so that his/her needs are met.
- Students will learn about culture, how to adapt, and how to live with foreigners of different backgrounds and experiences. They will have the chance to practice English with native speakers.
- Students will live with selected qualified host families interested in cultural exchange.
- Upon completing the exchange program, students will be able to return to their original schools in Thailand in accordance with the policies set by the Thai Ministry of Education.
Benefits
According to CSIET, exchange students not only have the opportunity of learning about new cultures, but also return to their home countries more emotionally and morally mature, and prepared to move forward in the 21st century.Destination country teachers find that foreign exchange students make overall studies more appealing as they bring a different perspective to the classroom that adds to the atmosphere of learning and the quality of discussion and interaction that takes place between students and teachers. During their academic year abroad, foreign exchange students gain valuable opportunities to grow, sharpen their critical thinking skills and improve on their
- Effective communication skills
- Problem solving abilities
- Open-mindedness thus allowing them to see the world around them from a wider perspective realising the diversity of lifestyles, thought processes and cultures
- Self-understanding and self discovery
- Ability to work well and get along with others
- Analytical thinking skills
*CSIET Board of Directors, July 2011
Student Qualifications
- 15-18 years old on the day of departure.
- Currently a student in Grade 9 to 11 or the equivalent.
- Average GPA of 2.5 for the last two academic years. (Students with any score/grade/comment similar to 0 (F), 1 (D), NC, W/F, or INC will be considered on a case-by-case basis.)
- Passing marks for both the exchange program’s written test and interview.
- Good physical and emotional health, ability to cope with high pressure and no health conditions that may serve as an obstacle in the program.
- No record of having ever been an exchange student in the country of destination.
- For the US scholarship quota, students who have already been granted a J-1 or F-1 visa cannot participate the program.
- Students who hold a USA passport can participate in the program. Slots for such students are limited.
How to Apply for Testing
Bangkok Testing Center
- Apply online at www.edudee.co.th
- Download the payment form to submit the 250 baht testing fee at any Bangkok Bank branch.
- Receive an email sent by EduDee to the email address you indicate in your application with the testing site, date and time.
- Take your own stationery along with your identification or student card with you to the testing site and be sure to wear your school uniform.
Regional Testing Centers
- Check for the testing centers in other provinces.
- Apply for testing with the coordination lecturer for each center or download the application form, fill it in and submit it to the coordinating lecturer at the center where you will sit for the testing.
- Receive date, time and location for the testing form the coordinating lecturer.
- View test results approximately two weeks after your test.
- Interview with EduDee on a date and time determined by EduDee after successfully passing the written test. Results will be given immediately after the interview.
*Test fees are 250 Baht and are non-refundable.
Program Fees
Students selected to take part in the exchange program will be exempt from tuition fees in part or in whole.
The program participant will be responsible for other fees including the travel expense to the host country with these additional fees payable to the host country’s exchange foundation/ educational organization abroad.
Program fees are to be paid in Thai Baht using Bangkok Bank’s exchange rate, specifically the bank-note selling rate for USD1-2 as at 8:30 A.M. on the pay date.
| Country | Duration/Departure Month | Total Cost |
| USA (J) | 10 months / August | 490,000 Baht |
| USA (J) for MOU schools | 10 months / August | 480,00 Baht |
| USA (F) | 10 months / August | 780,00 Baht |
| NZ type A | 10 months / July | 620,000 Baht |
| NZ type A (MOU) | 10 months / July | 595,000 Baht |
| NZ type B | 10 months / July | 645,000 Baht |
| Canada | 10 months / September | 720,000 Baht |
| Canada (MOU) | 10 months / September | 695,000 Baht |
*Durations indicated in the table are estimations.
*Costs/Fees may be amended, program fees do not include VAT.
Additional Fees Not Included in the Program Fees
Plane tickets In order for our organization to fully take care of each student, EduDee reserves the right to handle all matters pertaining to plane tickets. Parents are asked to note that failure to pay for the plane ticket fees in the time alloted will result in additional fees.
Other fees related to visa, examples including translation of documents needed for requesting a visa
Personal expenses, examples including optional tourist fees as set by the exchange organization in the US/New Zealand, pocket money, lunch money, testing fees, school club membership fees, and other expenses that could result from purchasing a sim card and/or cell phone, long-distance telephone call,
traveling to & from school, purchasing school supplies and books, traveling to nearby tourist attractions, buying personal hygiene products, signing up for extracurricular activities, purchase of school uniforms, etc.
What Do the Program Fees Provide?
- The registration fee for attending a local public school for one academic school year
- A preparation course and orientation to equip students with the necessary information and skills before departure
- A student manual and accompanying informational documents for parents and students
- English foundation course for students
- Preparation camp before departure
- Orientation hosted by the foreign exchange program organization
- Housing with a host family carefully selected by the exchange foundation
- Handling of travel documents including visa, plane ticket and all forms of coordination on behalf of the student
- Health and accident insurance
- 24-hour organizational assistance while taking part in the exchange program
- Finding a designated-country representative to pick students up and send them to the airport
- Constant coordination and consultancy
- Coordination while the student takes off one year from his/her home school as well as consulting once the program has been completed
- A certificate upon completion of the studies and the program
Studying Abroad
Students will be placed in secondary (high school) mainstream classrooms along with native speaking classmates. Students are usually placed in a grade level above what each student has completed in Thailand; however, it is within the designated school’s rights to place a student in a grade level that the school deems fit. Students will be expected to enroll in all core courses including science, math,English, social studies, and physical education. Student placement while in the foreign exchange program will not affect a student’s resumption of studies at his/her school in Thailand as determined by the Thai Ministry of Education (in accordance with the policy and guidelines of study level equivalency for foreign exchange students).
Announcement from the Thai Ministry of Education
The Thai Ministry of Education permits students to participate in foreign exchange programs without being considered as missing instructional time from their home school in Thailand. Students will be allowed to return to their home school and will be promoted to the next grade level. Grades received and credits accumulated abroad will count towards the student’s graduation requirements in Thailand. These credits need not, however, be counted towards the student’s overall GPA in Thailand. Schools in Thailand may prefer to administer a final exam for students before they depart for their year abroad.
For more details, please check with the Thai Bureau of Education Testing.
Pre-Registration
- Download the test application form from our website.
- Pay the test fee.
- You will be contacted by our organization about the test date and location.
- Take the written test in English.
- Take the attitude test.
- Sit for the interview.
- Receive notification of test results.
- Attend parent-student orientation to receive additional information about the exchange program.
- Register for the program
Post Registration
- Prepare documents needed for the “Student Application”
- Prepare a VDO presentation of yourself to send abroad.
- Practice your English language skills regularly and coordinate with your home school to gather necessary documents.
- Send documentation abroad.
- Wait for confirmation that a host family has been selected.
- Wait for documentation needed to apply for a visa.
- Participate in the preparation camp.
- Attend the parent-student orientation meeting before departure.
- Travel abroad.
- Return as a foreign exchange alumni and attend post orientation.
- Receive advice about how to move forward in your studies.
Comparison of Payment
According to Kasikorn Bank’s “K-Expert Bulletin” Edition 16, Studying abroad is a rather expensive investment. The cost of overseas studies includes not only high tuition fees but also living expenses. Thus the total average cost of studying aborad is 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 Baht per year. For students taking part in the foreign exchange program, school tuition fees will be exempt for one academic school year and students will reside with a volunteer host family. This will help reduce the overall cost for studying aborad by almost half the amount mentioned above. Furthermore, the Thai Ministry of Edcation guarantees the equivalence of grade level, allowing students to advance to the next grade when returning to their home school in Thailand. This entitlement can only be used once by each student.
