Thai and UK Education compared

AGE
 THAI EDUCATION SYSTEM
AGE
 UK EDUCATION SYSTEM
6
 Primary Education
Prathom 1 - 6
5
7
Primary Education
Prep School for International
(Boarding School) Students Entry
11
Lower Secondary Education
Mathayom 1 - 3
11
12 / 13
Secondary Education
Independent Senior School Entry
15
 Upper Secondary Education
Mathayom 4 - 6
Lower Vocational Cert / Diploma
15 / 16
 GCSE Exams
Sixth Form
18
 Bachelor's Degree
(4 - 6 years)
Dip. / Assoc. Degrees
Higher Vocational Education (2 yrs)
Higher Dip. / Bachelor's Degree (2 yrs)
17 / 18
18
"A" Levels / Int. Baccalaureate
Tertiary (Higher) Education**
Bachelor's Degree (3 years, except
Dentistry, Medicine & Veterinary;
4 years in Scotland)
22
 Master's Degree (2 years)
21 +
22 +
 Master's Degree (1 year)
Doctoral Degree / PhD (3 years+)
24
 Doctorate  

** Entry as an undergraduate to study for a bachelor's degree at a UK university is usually dependent upon having studied in the British system. It may, therefore, be necessary for Thai students to do a 1 year Foundation Course first. Alternatively, students who have studied 1 year at a good Thai university can usually transfer to the 1st year of a UK university.

Recognition of Thai Qualifications in the UK
Thai Qualification In the UK, you can apply for …
Mathayom 6 School Leaving Certificate (with a recognised foundation / access / bridging qualification)
… a Bachelor's Degree course
Institute of Technology Certificate
OR Diploma of Vocational Education 		… a Bachelor's Degree course
Diploma of Vocational Education + 1 year in Thai university … a 1st year Bachelor's Degree
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma … a Bachelor's Degree course
"A" levels … a Bachelor's Degree course
Bachelor's Degree (minimum GPA @ 2.5) … a Graduate Diploma course
   OR a Master's Degree course

Master's Degree

 … a PhD
   (Sometimes necessary to do a UK
    master's degree first in very competitive
    fields)