an introduction
hi everyone :)) since application season is over and i’ve some free time on hand, here’s my little guide to applying to the BALAC programme at Chulalongkorn University. part one of hopefully two!
i did go through the entire application process myself for BALAC’s 2026 academic year (early admission round) and got in! so don’t you worry, i know my stuff! though i did decline the offer afterwards for a different programme.
also, this is based purely on my personal experience and is not affiliated with Chulalongkorn University or their Faculty of Arts in any way. admissions criteria and information change every year as well, so make sure to consistently check the official university website!
contents
- what is BALAC?
- double degree programme
- application requirements
- application rounds, fees, etc.
what is BALAC?
the Bachelor of Arts in Language and Culture, more commonly known as BALAC, is Chulalongkorn University’s flagship liberal arts programme. it’s actually the first cultural studies programme in Thailand, going strong since 2008! i’ve heard that though most of the students are Thai, it has a more diverse student body than other programmes, so if you’re looking to make international friends, BALAC might be a good choice!
the curriculum at a glance:
- a mix of core General Education Courses and specialised Program Courses
- as part of the Program Courses you get to choose one of three concentrations to specialise in: Global Cultures, Media Cultures, or Foreign Languages!
- the duration of the studies is 4 years, with two semesters per year (which is the standard spring and fall semester like most Thai universities)
- also an option to do a double degree programme!
double degree programme
i’m going to go into a bit more depth on the double degree point, because this was a big part of why i applied.
specifically, i had an interest in the BALAC-SILS programme, which gets you two diplomas: one from Chulalongkorn University and another from Waseda University in Japan! you spend four semesters with Chula, and the other four with Waseda. i think it’s a very alluring path to take, especially if you have a connection to Japan.
they also have a track called BALAC-HASS, which is between Chula and the University of Queensland, in Australia, for those who are interested in going down under!
do keep in mind that there are specific criteria you have to fulfill to do the double degrees! to be eligible for it you have to be working towards either the Global Cultures or Media Cultures concentration, for example.
application requirements
also, please note that the scores must not be older than 2 years at the time of application deadline.
i’ll do another post detailing what i handed in for the application requirement and my specific scores!
application rounds, fees, etc.
so you might be wondering, when do applications open? and how many students are accepted? here are the dates announced for the 2026 academic year, as well as the number of available places:
- Round 1 (Early Admission): 27 Nov – 26 Dec 2025, 90 qualified applicants
- Round 2 (Admission): 2 – 31 Mar 2026, 30 qualified applicants
and for non-thai applicants, you’re looking for the international admission round!
- International Admission Round: 22nd December 2025 – 6th February 2026, 12 qualified applicants
for dual nationality holders like myself, we’re eligible for all three rounds of admission! however, the fee does change quite a bit, which brings us to the topic of tuition fees.
tuition fee
- 182,000 baht/year for thai students
- 292,000 baht/year for international students
as you can see, international students have to pay a lot more in tuition fee! so if you hold Thai nationality, i suggest applying for the early admission first.
and that’s it for part 1!
thanks for reading! in the next part i’ll talk about application procedure. if you have any questions feel free to send an email!
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