Regulation on foreign language proficiency requirements for master's degree training by the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam

What are regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam on foreign language proficiency requirements for master's degree training?

Based on Article 12 of the Regulations on Admission and Master's Degree Training issued together with Circular 23/2021/TT-BGDDT, the regulation on graduation recognition and the issuance of master's degrees is as follows:

Recognition and Issuance of Master’s Degrees

1. Conditions for students to be recognized for graduation:

a) Having completed all modules of the training program and successfully defended their thesis or project;

b) Having a foreign language proficiency that meets the requirements of the training program’s output standards before the time of graduation consideration; evidenced by one of the foreign language degrees or certificates equivalent to Level 4 as per the Six-Level Foreign Language Proficiency Framework for Vietnam as stipulated in the Appendix of this Regulation or other equivalent certificates published by the Ministry of Education and Training, or a bachelor’s degree or higher in a foreign language, or a bachelor’s degree or higher in another field with the program delivered entirely in a foreign language;

c) Completing all responsibilities as per the training institution’s regulations; not being prosecuted for criminal liability and not under any disciplinary action or suspension from studies.

2. The training institution shall organize the graduation consideration and decision within 02 months from the date the student successfully defends his/her thesis or project; a maximum of an additional 03 months in cases where the thesis or project needs assessment.

3. The training institution shall issue the master’s degree to the student within 01 month from the date of the graduation recognition decision.

4. The content stated on the degree and its appendix shall comply with the Ministry of Education and Training regulations, in which the appendix shall specify whether the program orientation was research-oriented or application-oriented.

5. For those students who do not meet the graduation conditions within the stipulated study period as specified in Clause 2, Article 3 of this Regulation, the principal or director of the training institution (hereinafter referred to as the principal) shall issue a certificate of the modules the student has accumulated in the training program.

6. The training institution's regulations shall detail the methods for calculating the average score for the entire course, the procedures for graduation consideration and recognition; the conditions for study suspension, and the issuance of certificates for the accumulated study results for students who have not completed the graduation conditions.

Thus, the foreign language proficiency output standards for master's degree training are as follows:

- Having a foreign language proficiency that meets the requirements of the training program’s output standards before the time of graduation consideration; evidenced by one of the degrees or certificates equivalent to Level 4 as per the Six-Level Foreign Language Proficiency Framework for Vietnam.

- Or other equivalent certificates published by the Ministry of Education and Training;

- Or a bachelor’s degree or higher in a foreign language;- Or a bachelor’s degree or higher in another field with the program delivered entirely in a foreign language.

Regulation on foreign language proficiency requirements for master's degree training by the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam​ (Image from the Internet)

What are cases in which master's degree students in Vietnam are allowed to temporarily suspend studies and reserve results?

Based on Clause 1, Article 13 of the Regulations on Admission and Training of Master's Degrees issued together with Circular 23/2021/TT-BGDDT, the regulations on temporary suspension of studies, termination of studies are as follows:

Temporary Suspension of Studies, Termination of Studies

1. Students are allowed to temporarily suspend studies and reserve results in the following cases:

a) Being enlisted into the armed forces;

b) Being assigned by a competent authority to represent the country at international competitions, tournaments, or undertake other national or sectoral tasks;

c) Being ill, pregnant, or involved in an accident requiring long-term treatment, but must have a certificate from a certified medical facility as per the Ministry of Health’s regulations;

d) For other personal reasons, but must have completed at least one semester at the training institution and not being under consideration for expulsion or disciplinary action.

Therefore, master's degree students are allowed to temporarily suspend studies and reserve results in the following cases:

- Being enlisted into the armed forces;

- Being assigned by a competent authority to represent the country at international competitions, tournaments, or undertake other national or sectoral tasks;

- Being ill, pregnant, or involved in an accident requiring long-term treatment, but must have a certificate from a certified medical facility as per the Ministry of Health’s regulations;

- For other personal reasons, but must have completed at least one semester at the training institution and not being under consideration for expulsion or disciplinary action.

What are the penalties for master's degree students in Vietnam when they are caught paying someone to take an exam for them?

Based on Article 16 of the Regulations on Admission and Training of Master's Degrees issued together with Circular 23/2021/TT-BGDDT, the regulations on handling violations of students are as follows:

Handling Violations of Students

1. Students who commit fraud during exams, tests, and evaluations of their learning results will be disciplined for each module violated.

2. Students caught taking an exam for someone else or paying someone else to take an exam for them will be suspended from studies for 01 year for the first offense and expelled for the second offense.

3. Students who violate any of the following regulations will be expelled; if a master’s degree has been issued, it will be revoked and annulled per the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training:

a) Committing fraud in admissions, studies, thesis or project defense, or in filing documents for degree or certificate issuance;

b) Using another person’s results or copying, improperly citing in theses or projects, as concluded by the assessment council, that if the used, copied, or improperly cited parts are removed, the thesis or project shall not meet the requirements;

c) Hiring or paying someone else to do their thesis or project.

4. The training institution regulations shall detail the handling of violations for students.

Thus, master's degree students caught paying someone to take an exam for them will be handled as follows: suspended from studies for 01 year for the first offense and expelled for the second offense.