What is admission? Who participates in primary school admissions in Vietnam?

What is Admission?

First, based on Article 6 of the Education Law 2019, the levels and training qualifications of the national education system are defined.

The national education system is an open, interconnected system that comprises formal and continuous education.

Within this system, the levels and training qualifications include:

- preschool education encompassing nursery and kindergarten education;

- General education including primary education, lower secondary education, and upper secondary education;

- Vocational education covering elementary level, intermediate level, college level, and other vocational training programs;

- Higher education providing undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees.

Additionally, admission refers to the entrance selection process for various educational levels, specifically including nursery admissions, admissions (grade 1), lower secondary admissions (grade 6), and upper secondary admissions (grade 10).

Preschool education is not mandatory according to Article 14 of the Education Law 2019, which stipulates the provisions for universal education and compulsory education as follows:

- Primary education is compulsory education.

The State implements universal preschool education for children aged 5 and universal lower secondary education.

- The State is responsible for compulsory education nationwide, including planning and ensuring the conditions to achieve universal education.

- Every citizen of the specified age is obliged to study to achieve universal education and complete compulsory education.

- Families and guardians are responsible for creating conditions so that family members of specified ages can study to achieve universal education and complete compulsory education.

Thus, preschool education is not compulsory education.

Also, according to Article 23 of the Education Law 2019 regarding the position, role, and objectives of preschool education, specifically:

- Preschool education is the first level in the national education system, laying the foundation for the comprehensive development of the Vietnamese individual, nurturing, caring for, and educating children from 03 months to 06 years.

- Preschool education aims to develop children comprehensively in physical health, emotions, intellect, and aesthetics, forming the initial elements of personality and preparing children for grade one.

Therefore, it is evident that for the advancement of society, localities, districts, and district-level towns almost always promote 100% school attendance for children of the appropriate age.

Who participates in primary school admissions in Vietnam?

First, primary education is the first mandatory education level that every child in the country must complete.

According to Article 33 of the Primary School Regulations issued with Circular 28/2020/TT-BGDDT, the subjects for primary grade admission are as follows:

The age of students entering grade one is 06 years, calculated by the year. Disabled children, children with physical or intellectual developmental delays, children in areas with exceptionally difficult socio-economic conditions, ethnic minority children, orphans with no shelter, returning expatriate children, and children of foreigners studying or working in Vietnam may enter grade one at older ages but not exceeding 03 years beyond the regulation.

Cases where children enter grade one exceeding 03 years beyond the regulation will be decided by the head of the district-level Department of Education and Training.

What does an application for primary school admissions in Vietnam include?

Currently, the Primary School Regulations, issued with Circular 28/2020/TT-BGDDT, do not specify the exact admission documents for children entering grade 01, and the documents required depend on the primary education institutions at each locality. However, the basic documents needed for grade 01 admission generally include:

- A registration form for grade 1 admission for direct admission or a printed form from the online admission system;

- A valid copy of the child's birth certificate;

- A confirmation of residence (in place of a photocopy of the household registration book, temporary residence certificate, or previous residence confirmation) or a receipt for completing registration procedures or temporary residence book, and residence confirmation at the locality.

Notwithstanding, many localities have yet to implement the residence confirmation approach, so the submission of residence-related documents will be determined by the school and locality.

The content is for reference purposes only.