Curriculum

Courses in grades 9–12 are modeled after an American curriculum, adapted and enriched to serve our international student population. This core college-preparatory curriculum allows students to identify and develop their individual interests throughout their high school years. We begin in grades 9 and 10 by building a strong foundation in the fundamental subjects: English, mathematics, science, and social studies, with additional courses providing balance and creating a diverse learning experience for each student. These include physical education, the arts, values, additional modern languages, and a range of enticing electives.

In grades 11 and 12, students continue to build their knowledge base by choosing from a broad selection of advanced courses—currently over 50 IB classes and 20 AP classes—as well as an array of general courses and electives.

All students in grades 8–11 are given a detailed Program of Studies to help make informed choices about their academic pathway and the courses they wish to take. Students are encouraged to share this information with their parents and to spend time consulting with teachers and counselors whenever possible about specific classes.

IB Handbook Of Studies 2020–2021/Advanced Placement (AP)

AP Bulletin for Students and Parents

Reflections, Volume 1, June 2018 - a compilation of CAS experience and project reflections from the Class of 2018.

A Typical Day

High school students begin most days with their homeroom teacher and classmates. This provides opportunities for participation and supported growth for all students, as well as ensures ongoing connections. Students then move on to their daily classes—five periods including an extended morning break—then a break for lunch before the final block of the day. RIS is excited to be integrating a flexible learning block in the high school schedule to give students a chance to get extra help from teachers, take on additional learning opportunities, meet with club or activity advisors, and complete other work with classmates and teachers. Many students remain on campus after classes end at 2:40 to participate in athletics, study at the library, or take part in other school activities.

Ruamrudee International School Bangkok Thailand, High School

High School Student Handbook 2019-2020

Graduation Requirements

To qualify for a diploma, students must earn a total of 36 credits (32 credits for the Class of 2019, 2020, 2021), complete their final year of high school at RIS, and fulfill the following minimum requirements.

College Counseling

Each year, more than 200 colleges and universities from around the world visit our campus to recruit RIS students. College representatives recognize the individuality and academic excellence of our students and often provide wonderful feedback, such as “We love RIS students!” and “The RIS students we accept are hard-working, intelligent, and a pleasure to get to know.”

As students’ individual personalities, skills, and ambitions help set them apart from their peers and are central to their college applications, the counselors encourage each child to learn as much about himself or herself before researching colleges. We want our students to find the college that “fits best” and therefore the opportunity to reach their goals and potential. Students and families are encouraged to use all of the assets made available by their individual counselor and the resources of the counseling office in general.

Click here to view our current Counseling HS Profile
CIALFO student sign in

Hs Uni Rep

University Representatives

Welcome to the RIS Counseling Office! Thank you for your interest in our incredible students. If you would like to schedule a visit to our campus to meet our students and introduce them to your college/university, please email collegevisits@rism.ac.th to set up an appointment.

Click here for further details about the best times to visit and where to find us on campus.

Hs Summer School 03

Summer School

Our high school offers a three-week summer program that gives RIS students opportunities to achieve the greatest academic success in their final years at RIS. Courses are offered across the HS curriculum. This allows students the luxury of selecting classes that best support their educational goals for the summer and the school year to come. Students may also choose a required elective course, such as PE or Values, during the summer to free up a credit hour during the upcoming school year for an even more rigorous class schedule.

Other courses are designed to further strengthen a student’s established skills and guide them to the next level of understanding. Likewise, specific courses have been chosen to further the enrichment and acceleration of their prior learning.

James Om

Dr. James O'Malley, High School Principal 

Doctor of Education, Florida State University
Master of Science, University of Central Florida
Bachelor of Science in Physical Education, Florida State University

I couldn’t be more excited to be the High School Principal at Ruamrudee International School. The passion and pride that come with being an RIS student, parent, faculty, or staff member can be felt the minute you walk onto our incredible campus. There is a feeling of warmth and welcomeness that you feel instantly. 

It’s a family affair for the O’Malley’s; my wife, Cristina, teaches here, and our children Tyler, Megan, and Caleb are students at RIS. We love the academic program that RIS gives our children, the quality of life that Bangkok and Thailand provide for our family, and the professional opportunities that RIS offers for my wife and me.

When someone asks me what I like about RIS a variety of things come to mind. Without a doubt, though, my answer always starts with our students. At RIS, we live by the Principles of the Phoenix (PoPs)—our heads, hands, and hearts. As a school, academics obviously plays a significant role in everything we do, and our students are some of the most academically responsible students I’ve known. They take pride in their schoolwork and never cease to amaze us. While there are several components that fit into our head principle, the obvious would be our students’ academic talents. 

While there are many ways our high school students reflect the hands’ principle of our PoPs, one that jumps to the forefront is the seemingly never-ending opportunity for our students to compete in athletics, activities, and our extended day program. When I consider the heart principle, I think of all the service-oriented activities that most of the high school clubs provide for our students. Whether it’s the Soi Dog Club, the Red Cross Club, RISing Coffee, or the countless other ways our students choose to give back to the community, you can always find RIS students making a difference. They are hard-working, high performing, genuinely fantastic human beings, and we enjoy working alongside them every day!

After the students, what I admire about RIS is the incredibly talented teaching staff that serve our students each day. They are passionate about what they do, constantly looking for the best ways to engage our students in learning, and they are dedicated to providing the best learning environment for our students. Our high school program challenges students in a variety of ways, including offering more than 230 courses, including the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP), AP courses—including the new AP Capstone program, as well as general courses. There is truly an ideal track for just about every student. I could not be more proud to be part of the high school at Ruamrudee International School!

If you are looking through our website and wondering if RIS is the right fit for you and your family, come see our campus in action. Trust me, stopping by will certainly help you make the decision to join RIS.

Sara 01

Sara Ghorayeb, High School Assistant Principal

MS in Educational Leadership, American College of Education
MA in Multidisciplinary Studies, SUNY Buffalo University

Hi! I have been the High School Assistant Principal at RIS for the past six years. My husband, Said, is a member of our college counseling department. If you ask me what I love about RIS, the first thing that comes to mind is our hard-working, kind, thoughtful, intelligent, and caring students. I love living in Thailand, and my favorite place, without question, is Chiang Mai. I love spending time there shopping, eating, and just enjoying the great vibe of that area. My hobbies include experimenting with fermented foods, such as kefir, kombucha, and sourdough. One thing most people generally don’t know about me is that I completed my student teaching at Woodstock School in Landour, India—next to the town of Mussoorie in the foothills of the Himalayas.

HS Program of Studies

This Program of Studies is an important resource for planning your high school course of study as well as preparing for university entrance. It includes all the information you need to plan your four-year high school career at RIS. All students should complete the four-year planner on page 15 of this guide. The following people and websites can also assist in your planning:


1. For information on Advanced Placement courses, visit apcentral.collegeboard.com and contact the AP Coordinator, Ms. Hedda Joy Tady-Tan (heddat@rism.ac.th).
2. For information on the International Baccalaureate Program, visit www.ibo.org and contact the IB Coordinator, Mr. Timothy Pettine (timothyp@rism.ac.th).
3. For general college and career planning, contact your assigned High School Counselor.
4. For advice on Thai universities, contact the Thai College Counselor, Mr. Tawan Waengsothorn (tawanw@rism.ac.th).

Ruamrudee International school Bangkok, Thailand

All students in grades 8–11 are given a detailed Program of Studies to help make informed choices about their academic pathway and the courses they wish to take. Students are encouraged to share this information with their parents and to spend time consulting with teachers and counselors whenever possible about specific classes.