How to maximise your child's chances at SBS Chiang Mai scholarships

SBS International School Chiang Mai offers academic scholarships ranging from 15% to 75% off tuition — sometimes more in exceptional cases. For Burmese families, this can transform an expensive Cambridge education into something genuinely affordable. The catch: scholarships are competitive, and most applicants underprepare.

What the scholarship test actually covers

The exam is in English and tests three areas, weighted roughly equally:

• English reading and writing. A reading comprehension passage and a short essay (150–250 words). The essay topic is usually open — a personal experience, an opinion, or a description.
• Mathematics. Age-appropriate, but tested in English. Arithmetic for younger children; algebra, geometry and word problems for secondary applicants.
• General logic / non-verbal reasoning. Pattern recognition, sequences, basic puzzles.

The full exam runs ~2 hours, plus a short interview.

The interview

Two or three SBS staff members. They want to see confidence in spoken English, genuine curiosity and a sense that your child will fit the school's community. Common questions: tell me about your favourite subject; what would you change about your previous school; why do you want to study in Thailand.

Children who do best treat it as a conversation, not an interrogation. They smile, they ask their own questions, they admit when they don't know something.

How we prepare SSELC families

1. Mock exam at home. We send a sample paper a month in advance so the child gets used to the format.
2. Two coaching sessions (in person or by video) focused on the weak area we identify from the mock.
3. Interview rehearsal with one of our team — recorded so the family can review.
4. Logistics on the day: we accompany the family to SBS, deal with parking and reception, and check the child has eaten and is calm before the exam.

Realistic expectations

Not every child qualifies. SBS reserves the larger scholarships (50%+) for genuinely strong candidates. A 15% or 25% scholarship is still a meaningful win — many of our families combine it with our negotiated THB 50,000 admission-fee waiver for a total saving of THB 80,000+ in year one.

Interested in scholarship preparation for your child? Book a consultation at least two months before the application deadline.