School Blog
Writing from Cedar
School news, curriculum explainers, admissions and visa guides, and practical advice for families arriving in Chiang Mai.
- 12 min read
Applying to US Universities from an International High School in Thailand: The Full Path and Its Real Limits
Can you apply to US universities after an international high school in Thailand? What admissions offices look at, how transcripts are read, whether SAT and English tests are needed, how cost and visas differ — and the 8 limits every family should remember. Updated October 2026.
- University Admissions
- Guides
- 15 min read
What Should Home–School Communication Actually Cover?
Home–school communication is more than a teacher reporting how a child is doing. It is five things: what they are learning, what they are good at, how they are settling in, what has changed lately, and what happens next — with a channel guide, a fact→observation→action method, and the randomised trials behind it.
- Home–School Communication
- Family
- Guides
- 11 min read
How to Avoid Repeating a Grade or Falling into a Learning Gap When Transferring Abroad
When a child transfers between countries, the real risk is rarely a mismatched grade label — it is a curriculum that does not actually connect. Five handover risks, a document checklist and a simple curriculum-mapping table.
- Transfers
- Assessment
- Guides
- 15 min read
Can a Child With No English Enter an International School? How ESL Transition Works
No English does not automatically rule out an international school. Entry and learning depend on age, grade, existing subject knowledge and the language support the school can offer. This article explains the main stages of ESL/EAL transition and how families can tell when support can be reduced.
- ESL
- English Support
- Admissions
- 15 min read
The First 90 Days at an International School: Language, Classroom, Belonging and Teenagers
A child moving into an international school needs to adjust to more than English. This article follows the first 90 days in three stages, shows what parents can watch for, and explains how to read a drop in grades after a transfer.
- Transfers
- Teenagers
- Family
- 14 min read
What Do International School Entrance Assessments Test, and How Can Families Prepare?
There is no single global entrance exam for international schools. This article explains what assessments usually look at, why cramming is not the answer, and what CCS publishes about its admissions steps and pre-admission test.
- Admissions
- Entrance Assessment
- Guides
- 17 min read
What Standard Should Shape a Teenager's Judgment?
Past childhood, education isn't only about whether a teenager obeys — it's about what standard they use to judge right and wrong when different voices disagree. A look at character formation from a Christian worldview.
- Character Education
- Family
- Chiang Mai
- 9 min read
American vs British vs IB: Choosing a Curriculum in Chiang Mai
American, British and IB curricula all lead to universities abroad. The real difference isn't the name — it's how students learn, how they're assessed, and what high school actually demands of them.
- Curriculum
- School Choice
- Guides
- 19 min read
UK, Canada, Australia: How Do University Admissions Actually Differ?
If your child is in an international high school, the real thing to untangle early is three different admissions logics: the UK is major-first, Canada is grades-and-courses-first, Australia is qualification-conversion-first.
- University Admissions
- Higher Education
- Guides
- 2 min read
How Classes Work at Chiang Mai Cedar, and the 2026–2027 Calendar
How Chiang Mai Cedar International School teaches in English on an American school year, the divisions from PK to Grade 12, and the four terms of the 2026–2027 calendar.
- Classes
- Admissions
- Chiang Mai
- 2 min read
The Paperwork to Start Before You Move to Chiang Mai
Which documents an international school in Chiang Mai asks for, why notarisation and authentication have to happen at home, and a timeline that keeps your child's start date from slipping a term.
- Admissions
- Visas
- Guides
- 2 min read
English Camps in Chiang Mai 2026: Dates, Fees and Activities
Summer and winter English camp details for Chiang Mai Cedar International School in 2026: dates, age groups, weekly fees, the early-bird discount and what happens each week.
- Camps
- Chiang Mai
- English
- 4 min read
How to Choose an International School in Chiang Mai
A practical checklist for families comparing international schools in Chiang Mai — curriculum, class size, English support, visas and the questions worth asking on a campus visit.
- Admissions
- Chiang Mai
- Guides
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