Nakornpayap International School

Nakornpayap International School is located at 240 Moo 6, San Phi Sua on Chiang Mai’s Second Ring Road, in the north of the city. The campus is easily reached by road and set in a spacious, green area with modern academic buildings.

The school serves the Early Childhood Centre (ages 3–6), Elementary School (Grades 1–5), Middle School (Grades 6–8), and High School (Grades 9–12).

NIS is a co-educational, secular, international day school. Boarding is not offered.

The school provides inclusive support through small class sizes, differentiated instruction, and flexible learning environments. In Middle School, students are grouped into different learning pathways in English and Mathematics depending on their skill level. Students needing support may be placed on a Self-Improvement Action Plan, especially if they are not meeting academic benchmarks. NIS also employs a full-time social and emotional counselor for short-term guidance, with referrals to external specialists when needed.

NIS follows a U.S. curriculum and is accredited by WASC, but it is not affiliated with any particular country.

The school is non‑denominational and has no religious affiliation.

The school day begins at 7:50 AM and ends at 2:50 PM.
ECC includes snack, lunch, nap time, and six learning periods.
Elementary students have eight learning periods per day with breaks.
Middle School follows a two-day A/B rotation with five 60-minute periods and lunch from 11:50 AM to 12:30 PM.
High School also follows the A/B schedule and includes an afternoon advisory session (2:35 PM – 2:50 PM)

NIS works with a local school bus company (KJ Bus) to provide daily transportation for students.

Nakornpayap International School (NIS) offers a U.S.-based curriculum aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the AERO Framework (American Education Reaches Out). The Early Childhood Center (K1–K3) emphasizes holistic development across social, emotional, cognitive, and physical domains. Elementary students (Grades 1–5) follow a core curriculum that includes English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Thai Culture, supplemented by Art, Music, PE, and IT. In Middle School (Grades 6–8), students are placed in leveled groups for English and Math and study core subjects along with World Languages, Visual Arts, Music, and Drama. High School (Grades 9–12) students follow a credit-based system and must complete 24 credits to graduate, with required subjects including English, Math, Science, Social Studies, World Languages, and Physical Education. Electives include Creative Writing, Robotics, Business, Psychology, Environmental Science, and more. NIS awards a U.S. High School Diploma and is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

At NIS, social and emotional development is a key focus from Early Childhood through Elementary and beyond. The Early Childhood Center emphasizes building social, emotional, physical, and language confidence through inquiry‑based learning and special courses such as Art, Music, PE, Creative Movement, and Swimming. Across grade levels, the Elementary School curriculum explicitly states that SEL takes precedence in developing lifelong learning skills and engagement in physical activity. School‑wide, a counselling team provides academic, social‑emotional support and life‑skills classes, along with psycho‑educational information and referrals.

The school website does not describe a dedicated Special Educational Needs (SEN) programme or specialist services on its website.

The school does not publicly disclose information regarding EAL provision on its website.

The school website does not detail any separate mental health workshops, mindfulness programmes, or partnerships with external therapists. NIS employs a guidance counselling team, including Ms Amy Pothong and Mr Tom Bell, who provide school‑wide academic, social, emotional, and mental health support, teach life‑skills and college‑preparation classes, and offer psycho‑educational referrals when needed. These services are confidential and available to students across all grade levels. Ms Pothong holds degrees in Psychology and Clinical Community Counseling from Johns Hopkins University, and Mr Bell in Psychology and Social Work from the University of Maryland.

The school does not provide public details on safeguarding or child protection policies on its official website.

1. Submit application and documents
Complete form and provide documents such as prior reports, birth certificate, passport, vaccination record, and photo ID.

2. Assessment test & interview
Applicants attend a scheduled assessment focusing on English (reading & writing) and mathematics, followed by an interview.

3. Admission decision
NIS evaluates academic records, behaviour, assessment, and attendance. Families are notified within 5–7 working days.

4. Offer and contract
Successful applicants receive a written offer and contract to sign.

5. Payment and enrolment
Upon acceptance, the finance office sends an invoice. Payment is due within seven working days to secure admission.

The school does not have publicly available information on their scholarships.

The school does not have a waitlist.