Will a master's student in Vietnam be expelled if they ask someone else to take an exam for them?

Will a master's student in Vietnam be expelled if they ask someone else to take an exam for them?

Based on Article 16 of the Regulation on Admission and Training of Master's Degree Programs issued with Circular 23/2021/TT-BGDDT, violations by students are handled as follows:

Handling Violations by Students

1. Students who commit fraud in exams, assessments, or evaluations of academic results will be disciplined for each module violated.

2. Students taking exams for others or asking others to take exams for them will be disciplined with suspension from studies for 1 year for the first violation and expulsion for the second violation.

3. Students who violate any of the following will be expelled; their master's degree, if already awarded, will be revoked and annulled as per the Ministry of Education and Training's regulations:

a) Engaging in fraud in admissions, study, thesis defense, project work, or in preparing documents to be awarded degrees or certificates;

b) Using someone else's results or improperly copying or citing in theses or projects. If a verification council concludes that, after cutting out such parts, the thesis or project does not meet the requirements;

c) Hiring or asking others to complete theses or projects on their behalf.

4. Training institutions' regulations detail how to handle violations by students.

Thus, a master's student who asks someone to take an exam on their behalf will not be disciplined with expulsion on the first violation. Instead, they will be suspended from studies for 1 year for the first violation, and expelled for the second violation.

Will a master's student in Vietnam be expelled if they ask someone else to take an exam for them?​ (Image from the Internet)

Can a master's student in Vietnam transfer training institutions?

Based on Article 14 of the Regulation on Admission and Training of Master's Degree Programs issued with Circular 23/2021/TT-BGDDT, transferring between training institutions, changing study locations, and transferring study programs are regulated as follows:

Transferring Training Institutions, Changing Study Locations, and Transferring Study Programs

1. Students are eligible to transfer institutions, change study locations, and transfer study programs if they meet the following conditions:

a) Meet the admission requirements of the program to which they wish to transfer and the receiving institution has sufficient quality assurance conditions and has not exceeded the training capacity for the respective program or field according to current regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training;

b) Obtain approval from the head of the institution they wish to leave and the institution they wish to join for transferring institutions;

c) Obtain approval from the head of the respective specialized units managing the program or field, head of the campus (place of departure and place of arrival), and the head of the training institution for cases of transferring study locations and transferring programs within the same training institution;

d) Have enough time left to complete the training program as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 3 of this Regulation and are not under disciplinary action of a warning or higher.

2. The recognition of academic results and the transfer of accumulated credits for students transferring institutions or programs must ensure compliance with Article 4 of this Regulation.

3. Training institution regulations provide detailed conditions, processes, and procedures for transferring institutions, changing study locations, and transferring programs.

Thus, master's students may transfer between training institutions if they meet the following conditions:

- Fulfill the admission criteria of the program to which they wish to transfer and the receiving institution has adequate quality assurance conditions, not exceeding the capacity for the program or field according to the current regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training;

- Approval from the head of the institution they are leaving and the receiving institution for transferring institutions;

- Approval from the heads of the respective specialized units, campus, and training institution's head for transferring study locations and programs within the same institution;

- Sufficient remaining time to complete the training program as specified in Clause 2, Article 3 of the Regulation on Admission and Training of Master’s Degree Programs issued with Circular 23/2021/TT-BGDDT and not under disciplinary action from a warning level or higher.

What are requirements for a master's thesis in Vietnam?

According to Article 8 of the Regulation on Admission and Training of Master's Degree Programs issued with Circular 23/2021/TT-BGDDT, a master's thesis must satisfy the following requirements:

- Contribute to theoretical, academic development or technological innovation, demonstrating the student's research capability;

- Conform to cultural, ethical standards, and Vietnamese customs and traditions;

- Comply with the training institution's regulations on academic integrity and current laws on intellectual property.