Are students of vocational education schools from poor households in Vietnam eligible for tuition fee exemptions?

Are students of vocational education schools from poor households in Vietnam eligible for tuition fee exemptions?

According to Clause 12, Article 15 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP:

Subjects eligible for tuition fee exemption

1. Subjects according to the Ordinance on Preferential Treatment for Persons with Meritorious Services to the Revolution, if they are studying at education institutions under the national education system.

2. Children in preschool and students with disabilities.

3. Preschool children and students under 16 years old who are not supported by a family, and individuals from 16 to 22 years old studying in general education or obtaining their first university degree or are recipients of monthly social allowance according to Clauses 1 and 2, Article 5 of Decree No. 20/2021/ND-CP dated March 15, 2021, of the Government of Vietnam regarding social assistance policies for social protection beneficiaries. Learners at intermediate or college levels who are orphans or without parental support as per the Vocational Education Law.

4. Preschool children and general education students, students at continuing education institutions following general education programs whose parents, or grandparents (in case of living with grandparents), are under poor household categories by the Prime Minister's regulations.

5. Five-year-old preschool children in particularly difficult villages/hamlets, commune-level regions III in ethnic and mountainous areas, particularly difficult communes in coastal areas and islands as regulated by competent authorities.

6. Five-year-old preschool children not included in Clause 5 of this Article are eligible for tuition exemption from the school year 2024-2025 (effective from September 1, 2024).

7. Preschool children and general education students, learners at continuing education institutions following general education programs who are biological or legally adopted children of non-commissioned officers and soldiers in active service as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 6 of Decree No. 27/2016/ND-CP dated April 6, 2016, of the Government of Vietnam mandating policies for non-commissioned officers and soldiers in active service, demobilized soldiers, and their family members.

8. Secondary school students in particularly difficult villages/hamlets, commune-level regions III in ethnic and mountainous areas, particularly difficult communes in coastal areas and islands as regulated by competent authorities will be exempt from school fees from the school year 2022-2023 (effective from September 1, 2022).

9. Secondary school students not included in Clause 8 of this Article will be exempt from school fees from the school year 2025-2026 (effective from September 1, 2025).

10. Students in reserved enrollment programs (including those in vocational training with a duration of three months or more) as stipulated in Government's policies on reserved enrollment into higher education and vocational education institutions under the national education system.

11. Students at boarding ethnic schools, preparatory universities, preparatory university divisions.

12. Students at vocational education and higher education institutions who are ethnic minorities, having at least one parent or grandparent (in case of living with grandparents) in poor or near-poor households as stipulated by the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam.

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Thus, students in vocational education institutions who are from poor ethnic minority households and have at least one parent or grandparent (in case of living with grandparents) categorized as poor or near-poor households are eligible for tuition exemption.

Are students of vocational education schools from poor households in Vietnam eligible for tuition fee exemptions?​ (Image from the Internet)

Are students in vocational education institutions in Vietnam eligible for study encouragement scholarships?

According to Article 8 of Decree 84/2020/ND-CP:

Study Encouragement Scholarships

1. Subjects for consideration and awarding of study encouragement scholarships:

a) High school students in specialized schools within higher education institutions, specialized schools with good conduct and excellent academic performance whose specialized subject score in the semester under consideration is 8.5 or higher, or who have won a prize from consolation upwards in national, regional, or international excellent student contests of that year;

b) Students in gifted schools for the arts, physical education, and sports with conduct from good upwards, academic performance from average upwards in the semester under consideration and have won a prize or medal in national, regional, or international competitions of that academic year;

c) Students in vocational education and higher education institutions with academic performance and conduct from good upwards and have not been disciplined from the level of reprimand upwards in the scholarship evaluation semester.

2. Scholarship levels for subjects specified in points a and b, Clause 1 of this Article:

a) For specialized schools, schools for gifted students in the arts, physical education, and sports: The minimum monthly scholarship for one student is three times the current tuition fee of local specialized high schools;

b) For specialized high schools within higher education institutions: The scholarship level for one student is determined by the rector of the higher education institution but not lower than the current tuition fee cap that the student has to pay at the school;

c) For non-tuition schools: Minimum scholarship is three times the tuition fee cap of local high schools.

Thus, students in vocational education institutions are eligible for study encouragement scholarships, provided they meet the conditions stipulated above.

What is the level of study encouragement scholarships for students in vocational education institutions in Vietnam?

According to Clause 3, Article 8 of Decree 84/2020/ND-CP, the level of study encouragement scholarships for students in vocational education institutions is as follows:

- Scholarship for good performance: The scholarship will be equal to or higher than the current tuition fee cap for the field, major, or occupation the student is pursuing, as determined by the rector for students whose average academic and conduct scores are good or higher. For private institutions, the minimum scholarship level is determined by the rector.

For training fields that do not collect tuition fees, the scholarship applies according to the unit price set by the State under contract, assignment, or bidding for the group's training field;

- Scholarship for excellent performance: The scholarship will be higher than the good category as determined by the rector for students whose average academic performance is excellent and conduct is very good or higher;

- Scholarship for outstanding performance: The scholarship will be higher than the excellent category as determined by the rector for students whose average academic and conduct scores are outstanding;

- The average academic and conduct scores stipulated in points a, b, and c of this clause are determined according to current regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs; the average academic score for scholarship evaluation as stipulated by this Decree is calculated from the first-time exam and subject test scores.