Welcome to NIST International School in Bangkok, Thailand
As a family, you can choose any international school in Bangkok. But imagine an education that encourages curiosity, passion and continual growth. Imagine teachers who care about children’s wellbeing as much as their learning, and craft intentional experiences that challenge each individual while supporting their unique needs. Imagine children who are inspired and empowered to make a difference in the lives of others.
Imagine a community that creates joy.
We strive to be more than a school at NIST, to foster principled, good people who will flourish throughout their lives and in turn make a positive impact in the world. We invite you to bring that vision to life with us.
Welcome to NIST International School in Bangkok, Thailand
As a family, you can choose any international school in Bangkok. But imagine an education that encourages curiosity, passion and continual growth. Imagine teachers who care about children’s wellbeing as much as their learning, and craft intentional experiences that challenge each individual while supporting their unique needs. Imagine children who are inspired and empowered to make a difference in the lives of others.
Imagine a community that creates joy.
We strive to be more than a school at NIST, to foster principled, good people who will flourish throughout their lives and in turn make a positive impact in the world. We invite you to bring that vision to life with us.
An Introduction to NIST
The first and only not-for-profit International Baccalaureate (IB) international school in Bangkok, NIST International School was established with the support of the United Nations. We are governed by the parent-elected NIST International School Foundation and are accredited through the Council of International Schools (CIS) and New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). As a full IB World School, we offer the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP) to students from 3 to 18 years of age.
Recognized worldwide as a truly international curriculum with a progressive approach, the IB offers an inclusive, enriching experience that helps students develop critical 21st century skills. The academic structure emphasizes exploration, inquiry and trans-disciplinary learning. While it serves as the core of our programme, we build upon it through unique learning opportunities, from the NIST Experiential Education Programme to the Global Citizen Diploma. In line with our guiding philosophy, service plays an integral role in a NIST education, as students across the PYP, MYP and DP engage in service learning through which they engage with other communities and work with them to solve real-world challenges.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Our core learning programme provides students with an exceptional educational experience that is both challenging and engaging, and also reflective of the diversity of experience, cultures and passions within our community. But we also believe challenging students to push their own thinking and abilities plays a crucial role in fostering resilience and creativity. The expansive NIST Extra-curricular Activities Programme offers a choice of more than 300 options throughout the school year. With more activities available to them than at almost any other international school in Bangkok, students can develop new interests across a range of areas, from the performing and visual arts to STEM and languages to health and sports.
As a founding member of the Southeast Asia Student Activity Conference (SEASAC) and Bangkok Metropolitan Athletic Conference (BMAC), we have long taken a lead in building competitive athletics opportunities for international schools in Bangkok and across Southeast Asia. Over a dozen sports are offered to students, ranging from golf and badminton to rugby and softball. Additionally, five are structured in an academy format to provide a higher level of year-round training to aspiring athletes: the Falcons Fencing Academy, Falcons Football Academy, Falcons Gymnastics Academy, Falcons Swimming Academy and Falcons Tennis Academy.
While music and performing arts are already included in the curriculum, NIST Music Academy offers further opportunities for music enrichment. In small group or individual lessons, students can study 13 different instruments, as well as vocal training, music theory and music composition. All available lessons are delivered by highly qualified professional musicians, and students participate in community performances and recitals to build confidence. Should any aspiring musician seek to pursue a more in-depth course of study, NIST is one of the few international schools in Bangkok to offer preparation for the ABRSM and Trinity Rock & Pop examinations.
Our History with the United Nations
Though we are not an official United Nations (UN) school, we are proud of their role in establishing our community in 1992. As parents began to imagine the creation of NIST, UN leaders such as Marcia Brewster, Jan Orsini, Alistair Hicks, Shah A.M.S. Kibria and Kofi Annan lent their support to the project. A UN sub-committee chaired by the future NIST Founding Board Member Ravi Sawhney led the effort, and their work continued through the newly formed Foundation for International Education, now the NIST International School Foundation.
Through the UN’s support and the work of the NIST Foundation, NIST became the first new international school in Bangkok in decades. Many of our first families were UN employees, and with their continued support, our community grew rapidly. Our founders imagined a learning community dedicated to a truly international education, one that embraces diversity, and the strength and richness it cultivates. These ideals strongly reflect our mission, and the principles of both the IB and the UN. This philosophical alignment is at the heart of our relationship with the UN.
Our History with the United Nations
Though we are not an official United Nations (UN) school, we are proud of their role in establishing our community in 1992. As parents began to imagine the creation of NIST, UN leaders such as Marcia Brewster, Jan Orsini, Alistair Hicks, Shah A.M.S. Kibria and Kofi Annan lent their support to the project. A UN sub-committee chaired by the future NIST Founding Board Member Ravi Sawhney led the effort, and their work continued through the newly formed Foundation for International Education, now the NIST International School Foundation.
Through the UN’s support and the work of the NIST Foundation, NIST became the first new international school in Bangkok in decades. Many of our first families were UN employees, and with their continued support, our community grew rapidly. Our founders imagined a learning community dedicated to a truly international education, one that embraces diversity, and the strength and richness it cultivates. These ideals strongly reflect our mission, and the principles of both the IB and the UN. This philosophical alignment is at the heart of our relationship with the UN.
Explore More of Our School Online
You meet so many different kinds of people [at NIST]. It is kind of like traveling around the world but staying in the same place.
The best way to get a sense of any international school in Bangkok, including NIST, is to arrange a tour. However, If you are not yet in Thailand and will not have the opportunity to visit, you can still explore our school through our interactive campus map. If you have inquiries, feel free to browse through visit our frequently asked questions page (FAQs) for helpful answers and get in touch with our admissions team, who can provide additional information about moving to Bangkok and joining our community.
In addition to all of the resources available here on our website, you are welcome to download our prospectus, which contains more details about our school’s history, learning philosophy and approach, and impact. It also includes the voices of our students, parents and alumni as they describe their experiences as members of our community.
