What are conditions for tuition fee exemption and reduction for the school year 2024-2025 in Vietnam?

What are conditions for tuition fee exemption and reduction for the school year 2024-2025 in Vietnam?

The tuition exemption and reduction policy is one of the significant incentives that the State provides for students facing difficulties or belonging to priority groups. However, the regulations on tuition exemption and reduction may change over time and depend on the educational level, type of school, and locality.

Regarding tuition exemption under Article 15 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP and tuition reduction under Article 16 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP, there will be specific conditions depending on the subjects eligible for exemption or reduction.

Therefore, the general conditions for tuition exemption and reduction require:

Condition [1] Belonging to one of the cases eligible for tuition exemption or reduction under Article 15 and Article 16 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP.

Condition [2] Preparing the necessary documents and following the procedures and order in Article 19 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP (Contents replaced by Clause 1 Article 5 of Decree 104/2022/ND-CP and amended by Clause 2 Article 5 of Decree 104/2022/ND-CP) as follows:

* Documents:

[1] Application for tuition exemption or reduction and support for tuition fees:

- For subjects eligible for exemption or reduction in preschool, general education, and continuing education: Application forms according to Appendix II Download; for private primary students eligible for support in tuition fees: Application forms according to Appendix VI Download;

- For subjects eligible for study support in preschool, general education, continuing education: Application forms according to Appendix III Download;

- For subjects eligible for tuition exemption or reduction in public vocational and higher education institutions: Forms according to Appendix V Download; for subjects eligible for tuition exemption or reduction in private vocational and higher education institutions: Forms according to Appendix VII Download.

[2] Certified copies or copies accompanied by the originals for comparison or copies from the original documents proving eligibility for tuition exemption, reduction, and study expenses for the following subjects:

- Certification from the management agency regarding beneficiaries with entitlements according to Clause 1 Article 15 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP;

- Disability certification issued by the communal People's Committee or a social assistance decision by the district People's Committee Chairman for subjects specified in Clause 2 Article 15 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP;

- Social assistance decision by the district People's Committee Chairman for subjects specified in Clause 3 Article 15 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP;

- Poverty certification issued by the communal People's Committee for subjects specified in Clause 4 Article 15 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP;

- Certification indicating beneficiaries eligible for tuition exemption according to Decree 27/2016/ND-CP providing policies for non-commissioned officers, soldiers serving in the army, discharged soldiers, and relatives of active non-commissioned officers and soldiers for subjects specified in Clause 7 Article 15 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP;

- Birth certificates and poverty or near-poverty certification issued by the communal People's Committee for subjects specified in Clause 12 Article 15 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP;

- Birth certificates and Citizen Identification Cards or Identity Cards, Residency Information Verification, or Notification of Personal Identification Number and Citizen Information in the National Database on Population in cases where the agency or organization cannot obtain residency information from the National Database on Population for subjects specified in Clause 5, Clause 8, Clause 15 Article 15 and Point c Clause 1 and Clause 3 Article 16 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP. Starting from the academic year 2024 - 2025 (from September 1, 2024), subjects specified in Clause 5, Clause 6 Article 15 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP and from the academic year 2025 - 2026 (from September 1, 2025), subjects specified in Clause 8, Clause 9 Article 15 of [Decree 81/2021/ND-CP] only need to submit birth certificates;

- Lower secondary school graduation certificates or temporary graduation certificates for subjects specified in Clause 17 Article 15 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP;

- Monthly allowance books of parents due to occupational accidents or occupational illnesses issued by the social insurance organization for subjects specified in Point a Clause 2 Article 16 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP;

- Near-poverty certification issued by the communal People's Committee for subjects specified in Point b Clause 2 Article 16 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP.

To be specific:

- Subjects are preschool children and general students, learners at continuing education institutions following the general education program eligible for both tuition exemption, reduction, and study expenses support.

Condition: Only need to submit 01 set of documents aforementioned with the application form (Appendix IV) Download Decree 81/2021/ND-CP.

- Subjects are learners eligible for tuition exemption, reduction, and study expenses support.

Condition: Only need to submit 01 set of documents the first time for the entire study period. *Note: Particularly for learners from poor or near-poor households, at the beginning of each semester, they need to submit additional poverty or near-poverty certification to serve as a basis for considering tuition exemption, reduction, and study expenses support for the next semester.

- Subjects are students with Citizen Identification Cards and a personal identification number, and residency information can be obtained through the connection and sharing of data on residents with educational institutions, Departments of Education and Training, Departments of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs, Financial Departments.

Condition: Then parents (or guardians) of children or students do not have to submit birth certificates and residency proof documents.

* Procedures:

Within 45 working days from the start of the academic year, parents (or guardians) of preschool children, general students, learners at continuing education institutions; students in vocational education and higher education institutions eligible for tuition exemption or reduction, tuition support, and study expenses support submit the application forms in Appendix II II; Appendix III III; Appendix IV IV; Appendix V V; Appendix VI VI, Appendix VII VII (Decree 81/2021/ND-CP) and certified copies or copies accompanied by the originals for comparison or copies from the original documents under Clause 1 Article 19 Decree 81/2021/ND-CP to prove eligibility for tuition exemption, reduction, and study expenses support and submit directly to the educational institution or via postal service or electronic transactions.

What are conditions for tuition fee exemption and reduction for the school year 2024-2025 in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)

What are responsibilities for reviewing and verifying documents for tuition exemption and reduction in 2024 in Vietnam?

According to Article 19 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP:

- For preschools, primary schools, and lower secondary schools, continuing education institutions under the Department of Education and Training:

Within 10 working days from receiving the application for tuition exemption, reduction, and study expenses support, the principal is responsible for reviewing the documents and compiling a list of students eligible for tuition exemption, reduction, and study expenses support, and private primary tuition support to the Department of Education and Training for verification;

- For upper secondary schools, continuing education institutions, and other educational institutions under the Department of Education and Training:

Within 10 working days from receiving the application for tuition exemption, reduction, and study expenses support, the principal is responsible for reviewing the documents and compiling a list of students eligible for tuition exemption, reduction, and study expenses support to the Department of Education and Training for verification;

- For public vocational and higher education institutions:

Within 10 working days from receiving the application for tuition exemption, reduction, the head of the vocational and higher education institution is responsible for reviewing the documents and deciding on tuition exemption, reduction for students and learners; simultaneously compiling a list of students, learners eligible for tuition exemption, reduction as per Appendix IX Download to send to the direct managing agency for verification; the manage agency to verify, compile financial estimates as per Appendix X Download to send the Ministry of Finance to aggregate, submit to competent authorities for arrangement of implementation funds in the annual budget estimate;

- For private preschools, private general education institutions, private continuing education institutions, vocational education, and private higher education institutions:

Within 10 working days from receiving the application for tuition exemption, reduction, and study expenses support, the heads of private preschools, private general education, private continuing education, vocational education, and private higher education institutions are responsible for issuing certification for students according to Appendix VIII Download Decree 81/2021/ND-CP.

- For private vocational and higher education institutions:

Within 10 working days from receiving the application for tuition exemption, reduction, the head of the vocational and higher educational institution is responsible for verifying the documents of tuition exemption, reduction for students; simultaneously compiling a list of students eligible for tuition exemption, reduction as per Appendix IX Download to send to the Department of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs where the student's permanent residence is registered for implementation.

Which entities in Vietnam are exempt from tuition fees?

According to Article 14 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP, there are 2 entities exempt from tuition fees:

- Students of public primary schools.

- Learners in specific fields required to meet socio-economic development, national defense, and security under the Higher Education Law, specific majors defined by the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam.