Supporting Students in Thailand Through Higher Education and Vocational Training in 2026

This project helps young Thai students complete their higher education or vocational training, through financial support that builds on their existing sponsorship.

What is the situation for students in Thailand?

Children of the Mekong runs a school sponsorship system in which a recurring donor (a sponsor) gives a fixed amount of €32 a month to fund the education of a child in need: their sponsored child. This amount is set by the charity and reflects the school costs typically seen at primary and secondary level, covering midday meals, school supplies, and transport to school. Each year, after upper secondary school, many sponsored children are encouraged to move on to vocational training. Those who make this choice are especially vulnerable, because of the significant financial burden and the family pressure weighing on them.

Every year, some of these young people abandon their studies along the way, despite the efforts of our local teams to keep them motivated. The reason is well known: families expect 16- to 18-year-olds to “finally” start earning a modest wage to contribute to household living costs. Children of the Mekong, however, wants to encourage them to continue their studies, to lift them out of poverty for good.

Thailand

What do these students need?

To address these challenges, Children of the Mekong has identified three needs:

A top-up to school sponsorship. When a sponsor is unable to fund the step up to student sponsorship (€43/month), additional support is needed to cover the direct and associated costs of higher education (accommodation, materials, and so on).
Help with higher-cost courses. Some university programmes involve high expenses that exceed what sponsored students can manage, even with student sponsorship. Extra help allows them to be supported over the long term.
A safety net if sponsorship ends. If a sponsor brings their commitment to an end, temporary support from Children of the Mekong is essential, so the student can finish their course without interruption.

How does Children of the Mekong support these students?

Children of the Mekong supports students in difficulty through a solidarity fund and the award of study grants of €1,000 per year, based on criteria of motivation, poverty, and financial need.

These grants allow young people to continue their studies without having to combine full-time work and study, while still valuing professional experience. Gatherings for sponsored students are organised in the major cities to motivate them, respond to their needs, and offer them a first professional network.

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What makes this project so effective?

This project guarantees that every Children of the Mekong sponsored child in Thailand can fund their studies without interruption, allowing them to focus on their education with peace of mind.
Young people receive guidance to help them choose their path and go on to work in the profession they aspire to.
The project allows for a personalised approach to each student’s support, and acts as an effective bridge from individual sponsorship.

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How many students will this help?

The beneficiaries of this project are sponsored children who are Thai, Burmese, or from ethnic minorities, all living on Thai soil. They are pursuing university studies or vocational training, whether before or after their baccalaureate. In 2026, this project will support more than 140 students.

This essential financial support is systematically assessed by our local teams to adapt to each beneficiary’s specific needs. Its duration can vary, ranging from a few months to several years, depending on the situation.

What did this project achieve in 2025?

In 2025, nearly 150 sponsored students benefited from the student support project, for a total of €59,055 sent to the field.

86 students supported through the sponsorship top-up. A quarter of the aid was given as a sponsorship top-up, where a sponsor did not have the means to increase their financial support. This helps prevent students from dropping out and allows sponsored children to see their studies through to the end.

70 students awarded the Children of the Mekong grant. This represents a little under three-quarters of the project’s funds in terms of beneficiaries. The study grants provide comprehensive, personalised support to students. In 2024, we completely reviewed our process for recruiting and following up with students, and we continued this work in 2025. Among the grant recipients, 6 are also counted among the students supported through the sponsorship top-up.

2 social workers helped with student follow-up. A small part of the project budget was allocated to two social workers, based in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, who began supporting students during 2025. These two roles are essential to properly support sponsored children who have left to study far from their home region, and whose follow-up and support was difficult to provide from a distance.

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