What is the minimum IELTS score for applicants of doctoral programs in Vietnam?

What is the minimum IELTS score for applicants of doctoral programs in Vietnam?

According to Clause 2, Article 7 of the regulation on doctoral program admission and doctoral education promulgated under Circular 18/2021/TT-BGDDT, Vietnamese citizens applying for doctoral programs must meet the foreign language proficiency requirements validated by one of the following degrees or certificates:

- A university degree or higher from a foreign educational institution, a branch of a foreign educational institution in Vietnam, or a Vietnamese educational institution with courses conducted entirely in a foreign language; (1)

- A university degree in a foreign language awarded by a Vietnamese educational institution; (2)

- Holding one of the foreign language certificates specified in Appendix II promulgated under Circular 18/2021/TT-BGDDT that is valid up to the application date or other foreign language certificates equivalent to Level 4 (as per Vietnam's 6-level foreign language proficiency framework) announced by the Ministry of Education and Training.

Appendix II promulgated under Circular 18/2021/TT-BGDDT outlines the following:

If a Vietnamese citizen applying for a doctoral program does not hold a degree mentioned in (1) and (2), they must have one of the foreign language certificates specified in Appendix II promulgated under Circular 18/2021/TT-BGDDT.

For applicants with an IELTS certificate, a minimum score of 5.5 is required.

Therefore, doctoral applicants with an IELTS certificate must have a minimum score of 5.5 and meet other stipulated conditions to qualify for doctoral studies. In the absence of an IELTS certificate, applicants can substitute with a TOEFL iBT score of at least 46 or a Cambridge B2 First/B2 Business Vantage/Linguaskill certificate with a minimum score of 160.

What is the minimum IELTS score for applicants of doctoral programs in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)

What are the regulations on duration and mode of study of a doctoral program in Vietnam?

According to Article 3 of the regulation on doctoral program admission and doctoral education promulgated under Circular 18/2021/TT-BGDDT, the duration and mode of doctoral program are as follows:

- The standard training duration for a doctoral degree is between 3 years (36 months) and 4 years (48 months), as decided by the educational institution, ensuring that most doctoral students complete their programs within this timeframe. Each candidate has a comprehensive study and research plan within the approved training duration framework attached to their admission recognition decision.

- Doctoral students are allowed to complete their training up to 1 year (12 months) earlier or up to 2 years (24 months) later than the comprehensive study and research plan, but the total training duration must not exceed 6 years (72 months) from the effective date of the admission recognition decision to the completion of all thesis submission procedures to the educational institution, prior to proceeding with independent review and establishing the thesis evaluation board.

- Doctoral training is conducted in a full-time format; students must allocate sufficient time for study and research at the educational institution according to the approved plan. Enrolling in 30 credits in an academic year is considered full-time.

What are criteria for recognizing and awarding a doctorate degree in Vietnam?

According to Clause 1, Article 19 of the regulation on doctoral program admission and doctoral education promulgated under Circular 18/2021/TT-BGDDT, a doctoral candidate will be recognized and awarded a doctorate degree upon meeting the following conditions:

- The thesis has been approved by the educational institution's thesis evaluation board;

- The candidate has submitted the final complete thesis (both print and electronic versions) with the signatures of the candidate and supervisor, and confirmation from the chairperson of the thesis evaluation board after any required revisions;

- The candidate has submitted a summary of the thesis and the complete final thesis in both electronic and print versions with the signatures of the candidate and supervisor, and confirmation from the educational institution to the National Library of Vietnam.

What are rights and responsibilities of doctoral students in Vietnam?

According to Article 12 of the regulation on doctoral program admission and doctoral education promulgated under Circular 18/2021/TT-BGDDT, doctoral students have the following rights and responsibilities:

- Exercise rights and responsibilities as prescribed in Article 60 of the Higher Education Law 2012 amended and supplemented by Clause 31 Article 1 of the Amended Higher Education Law 2018 and Article 61 of the Higher Education Law 2012.

- Develop and propose detailed annual study and research plans based on the comprehensive plan approved in the admission recognition decision, including schedules for working and reporting to the supervisor;

Implement the approved plan with the supervisor and specialized unit; report progress and study/research results every 6 months to the specialized unit; propose changes to the supervisor and specialized unit during the study/research period.

- Participate in academic activities at the specialized unit as a teaching assistant or research associate; engage in assigned research tasks and projects under the guidance of the supervisor.

- Adhere to the educational institution’s regulations on academic integrity, ensuring that published results originate from the candidate's personal research with supervisor support, acknowledging and citing the contributions of individuals, groups, or organizations where applicable.

- Exercise other rights and responsibilities in accordance with the training institution’s regulations.