Shall students of all educational levels at Ho Chi Minh City be eligible for tuition exemption? Who is eligible for tuition exemption? Who is not required to pay tuition in Vietnam?

Shall students of all educational levels at Ho Chi Minh City be eligible for tuition exemption?

On the afternoon of February 20, 2025, at the 21st session, the Xth People's Council of Ho Chi Minh City officially approved a resolution on specific policies for tuition assistance for preschool children aged under 5 and public and non-public lower and upper secondary school students in the city from the 2025-2026 school year.

For students in non-public schools (excluding foreign-invested schools), the city will provide tuition assistance equivalent to the tuition of public schools.

The tuition assistance levels are as follows:

Groups 1 and 2 are divided as follows:

Group 1: Students attending schools in Thu Duc City and districts: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, Binh Thanh, Phu Nhuan, Go Vap, Tan Binh, Tan Phu, Binh Tan.

Group 2: Students attending schools in the districts: Binh Chanh, Hoc Mon, Cu Chi, Nha Be, and Can Gio.

This tuition assistance level is equivalent to the current monthly tuition that students have to pay. Thus, with this policy, students will be exempt from tuition.

Previously, Ho Chi Minh City also granted tuition exemption for lower secondary school students from the 2025-2026 school year. As for primary school students in public schools, they are exempt from paying tuition as per Decree 20/2021/ND-CP.

Therefore, all levels of students in Ho Chi Minh City from preschool to upper secondary and continuing education in both public and non-public schools will be exempt from tuition for the 2025-2026 school year (excluding foreign-invested schools).

Shall students of all educational levels at Ho Chi Minh City be eligible for tuition exemption? Who is eligible for tuition exemption? (Image from the Internet)

Who is eligible for tuition exemption in Vietnam?

According to the provisions of Article 15 Decree 81/2021/ND-CP, learners eligible for tuition exemption in Vietnam include:

1. Individuals mentioned under the Ordinance on Preferences for People with Meritorious Services to the Revolution 2020 when studying in education institutions affiliated to national education system.

2. Preschool students and students with disabilities.

3. Preschools students and students under 16 years of age lacking any care and individuals from 16 years of age to 22 years of age and studying in formal education, the first degree of higher education and eligible for monthly social benefits according to Clause 1 and Clause 2 Article 5 of Decree No. 20/2021/ND-CP dated March 15, 2021 of the Government on social benefit policies for social protection beneficiaries. Learners in intermediate-education level or college level who are left without both parents and shelter according to Vocational Education Law 2014.

4. Preschool students, students of formal education, learners in continuous education facilities pursuing formal education program whose parent or parents or grandparents (if living with grandparents) are poor households according to regulations of Prime Minister.

5. Preschool children with 5 years of age living in hamlets with difficulties, communes in category III areas with ethnic minorities and mountainous regions, communes with particularly difficulties in coastal areas and islands according regulations of competent authority.

6. Preschool children with 5 years of age not specified under Clause 5 of this Article shall be exempted from tuition for the school year of 2024 - 2025 (starting from September 1, 2024).

7. Preschool children, students of formal education, and learners in continuous education facilities pursuing formal education program who are foster children or biological children of active servicemen and soldiers according to Clause 2 Article 6 of Decree 27/2016/ND-CP.

8. Students in lower secondary education in particularly difficult hamlets, communes in category III areas with ethnic minorities in mountainous regions, communes with particular difficulty in coastal areas, and islands according to regulations of competent authority are eligible for exemption from tuition from the school year of 2022 – 2023 (starting from September 1, 2022).

9. Lower secondary education students not specified under Clause 8 of Article 15 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP shall be exempted from tuition for the school year of 2025 - 2026 (starting from September 1, 2025).

10. Students pursuing education via special admission (including students pursuing boarding vocational education under special admission method for 3 months or higher) according to regulations of the Government on special admission to higher education institutions and vocational education institutions affiliated to national education system.

11. Students in secondary boarding schools for ethnic minorities, pre-universities:

12. Students in vocation education institutions and higher education institutions, ethnic minorities whose parent, parents, or grandparents (if living with grandparents) in poor households or near-poor households according to regulations of Prime Minister.

13. Students pursuing Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s Thought.

14. Students, higher education students, and researchers specialized in tuberculosis, leprosy, psychology, forensic examination, psychology examination, and autopsy in public medical personnel training facilities as per order of the Government.

15. Ethnic students under Clause 1 Article 2 of Decree 57/2017/ND-CP.

16. Learners subject to tuition exemption programs or schemes according to regulations of the Government.

17. Graduates of secondary education and pursuing intermediate education.

18. Learners pursuing intermediate-level education, college-level education for majors that have difficulty in students but are required by the society according to lists regulated by the Ministry of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs.

19. Learners studying in specific majors satisfying socio-economic development demands, national defense and security according to Vocational Education Law 2014. Specific majors are regulated by the Prime Minister of Vietnam.

Who is not required to pay tuition in Vietnam?

According to Article 14 Decree 81/2021/ND-CP on the eligibility for not having to pay for tuition:

- Students of public primary schools.

- Learners studying in specific majors satisfying socio-economic development demands, national defense and security according to Law on Higher Education. Specific majors are regulated by the Prime Minister of Vietnam.