Overview
Thai public schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC, สพฐ.) admit students into Mathayom 1 (M.1, the first year of lower secondary) and Mathayom 4 (M.4, the first year of upper secondary) each spring. Each school has a plan for how many students it will admit and, when applications exceed the seats in its regular classrooms, holds a selection exam. This page covers the regular-classroom intake of OBEC schools, based on the 2026 (Thai year 2569) cycle. Schools outside OBEC are not covered.
Who can apply
M.1: applicants to the first year of lower secondary.
M.4: applicants to the first year of upper secondary. Schools take in their own M.3 graduates first, and the remaining seats are opened to outside applicants.
OBEC asks students and parents to follow the notice of each school they apply to.
Exam pattern
Only schools with more applicants than seats in their regular classrooms hold a selection exam. The sources do not list subjects or format, so follow the notice of the school you apply to.
Important dates
For academic year 2569 (2026 intake), regular classrooms:
| Step | M.1 | M.4 |
|---|---|---|
| Selection exam (oversubscribed schools) | 28 March 2026 | 29 March 2026 |
| Results announced | 1 April 2026 | 2 April 2026 |
| Enrolment (report to school) | 4 April 2026 | 5 April 2026 |
Seats and competition
OBEC reported these 2026 figures:
M.1: a plan to admit about 427,000 students, with about 399,500 applicants by 31 March 2026.
M.4: a plan to admit about 403,000 students, of whom about 191,000 were existing M.3 students kept by their schools, with about 222,000 outside applicants.
Fees
Some schools with special study plans can charge extra for activities or specialist teachers; OBEC requires these costs to be set out clearly, approved by the school committee and reported to the education service area. OBEC also states that buying or selling seats is forbidden.
How to apply
OBEC tells students and parents to follow each school's announcement closely and prepare the documents and steps the school sets.
After the exam
If you are not selected by a popular school, a parent can ask for a seat to be allocated at the school admission coordination centre at the nearest education service area office. OBEC states that every child will be allocated a place.
FAQs
Who holds the M.1 and M.4 selection exams?
The OBEC reports describe selection exams held by individual schools that have more applicants than seats, on 28 March 2026 for M.1 and 29 March 2026 for M.4. Check the school's own notice for details.
What happens if I do not get into my chosen school?
You can request allocation through the admission coordination centre at your local education service area office.