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)