What is a Valedictorian in University? Are Students in Vietnam Eligible for Scholarships During Their Studies?

What is a university valedictorian?

A valedictorian is a term in education used to refer to individuals with high scores. Therefore, a university valedictorian is the person with the highest exam score in the entrance exam for the new academic year of that university.

There are two common types of university valedictorians:

Valedictorian of the high school graduation exam and Valedictorian of the major.

In practice, valedictorians of the high school graduation exam are those who achieve the highest scores in exams such as secondary school entrance exams, high school entrance exams, and university entrance exams.

However, at the university level, there are both valedictorians of the high school graduation exam (those who achieve the highest scores in the entrance exams) and valedictorians of the majors (those who complete the course with the highest academic achievements for that academic year).

Students who achieve the status of valedictorian of the high school graduation exam often receive scholarships, the specifics of which vary according to the regulations of each institution.

Information is for reference only./.

What is a Valedictorian in University? Are Students in Vietnam Eligible for Scholarships During Their Studies?​ (Image from the Internet)

Do university students in Vietnam receive scholarships during their studies?

Pursuant to Clauses 1, 2, and 3 of Article 8 Decree 84/2020/ND-CP regulating incentive scholarships for academic excellence:

- Eligible individuals for incentive scholarships for academic excellence:

[1] Students in specialized high schools within higher education institutions and specialized schools with good conduct, excellent academic performance, and specialized subject scores of 8.5 or higher during the scholarship consideration period or who achieve one of the prizes from the national, regional, or international excellent student contests of that year;

[2] Students in fine arts, physical education, and sports schools with conduct from good or above, average academic performance during the consideration period, and who have won national, regional, or international prizes or medals for that academic year;

[3] Students studying in vocational education institutions and higher education institutions with academic and conduct performance rated as good or above, and who are not subjected to disciplinary actions from a reprimand level or higher during the scholarship consideration period.

- Scholarship levels for eligible individuals [1] and [2] are as follows:

+ For specialized schools, fine arts, physical education, and sports schools: The scholarship for one student per month is at least three times the current tuition fee of specialized high schools in the locality;

+ For specialized high schools within higher education institutions: The scholarship for one student is determined by the principal of the higher education institution but not less than the current maximum tuition fee that the student has to pay;

+ For schools that do not charge tuition fees: The scholarship is at least three times the maximum tuition fee of the local specialized high school.

- Scholarship levels for eligible individuals [3] are as follows:

+ Good scholarship: The scholarship is equal to or higher than the current maximum tuition fee of the industry, major, or vocation that students have to pay, determined by the principal for students with average academic and conduct performance rated as good or above. For private schools, the minimum scholarship level is determined by the principal.

For training programs that do not charge tuition fees, scholarships will be based on the unit price set by the State order, task assignment, or bidding for the training group of that school;

+ Excellent scholarship: The scholarship is higher than the good scholarship, determined by the principal for students with average academic performance rated as excellent or above and conduct performance rated as very good or above;

+ Outstanding scholarship: The scholarship is higher than the excellent scholarship, determined by the principal for students with average academic and conduct performance rated as outstanding;

+ Average academic and conduct performance as stipulated in points a, b, and c of this clause is determined according to the current regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs; in which the average academic performance for scholarship consideration as per this Decree is calculated from the first-time test and exam scores.

Hence, according to the regulations, it can be seen that university students may still receive scholarships during their studies based on specific academic achievements.

What are procedures for considering and awarding scholarships to university students in Vietnam?

University students falling under category [3] as mentioned above, according to Clauses 5 and 6 of Article 8 Decree 84/2020/ND-CP, the procedures for considering and awarding scholarships are as follows:

- The procedure for considering and awarding scholarships to individuals as stipulated in point c clause 1 Article 8 Decree 84/2020/ND-CP, i.e., students, is as follows:

Step 1: The principal, based on the incentive scholarship fund, determines the number of scholarship spots for each academic year and major. In the case where the number of eligible students exceeds the number of available scholarships, the principal decides on the scholarship awards;

Step 2: The principal, based on the academic and conduct performance of students, considers and awards scholarships in order from outstanding downward until all identified scholarship spots are filled;

Step 3: Scholarships are awarded each semester and provided for 10 months of the academic year. For students trained under the module or credit accumulation method, scholarships are awarded based on the number of modules or credits, with 15 modules or credits equivalent to one semester.

Students eligible for policy scholarships, social allowances, and preferential policies are still considered for incentive scholarships according to this Decree.

Hence, the procedure for considering and awarding scholarships to university students will be specifically as per the mentioned regulations.