Policies on tuition reduction, exemption, studying cost financing, and tuition financing in Vietnam

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1. Policies on tuition reduction, exemption, studying cost financing, and tuition financing in Vietnam

According to Article 20 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP, policies on tuition reduction, exemption, studying cost financing, and tuition financing in Vietnam are as follows:

- Tuition reduction and exemption shall be implemented throughout studying period at schools, except for cases where changes to eligibility for tuition reduction or exemption occur.

- State budget is responsible for reimbursing the reduced and exempted tuition for learners in public education institutions, to be specific:

+ The government shall reimburse the reduced and exempted tuition for public preschools, formal education institutions, and continuous education institutions to implement tuition reduction, exemption for learners eligible for tuition reduction, exemption specified under this Decree according to tuition prescribed by People's Councils of provinces for public education institutions that have not guaranteed recurrent expenditure entirely in each area with each education level;

+ The government shall reimburse reduced and exempted tuition for public vocational education institutions and higher education institutions to implement tuition reduction and exemption for learners eligible for tuition reduction, exemption according to top tuition limit prescribed under Point a Clause 1, Point a Clause 2 Article 10; Point a Clause1, Point a Clause 2 Article 11 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP.

+ The remainder of the tuition to be incurred by the learners shall equal the difference between the top tuition limit prescribed under Point a Clause 1, Point a Clause 2 Article 10; Point a Clause 1, Point a Clause 2 Article 11 and the amount financed by the Government,

Except for majors specified under Point a and Point b Clause 1 Article 16 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP where the learners must incur the difference between the tuition of education institutions and the amount financed by the government.

+ The government provide tuition in part or in whole for individuals eligible for tuition reduction, exemption and studying in private preschools, formal education institutions, vocational education institutions, and higher education institutions;

+ Provide financing for tuition for family of preschool students in private education institutions in areas with insufficient number of public education institutions according to tuition prescribed by People's Councils of provinces for public education institutions that have not guaranteed recurrent expenditure entirely in each area with each education level; according to tuition prescribed by competent authority in public vocational education institutions and higher education institutions that have not guaranteed recurrent expenditure entirely for majors under Article 10 and Article 11 hereof.

Note: In case an individual is eligible for tuition reduction, exemption, and studying cost financing according to this Decree and other effective legislative documents with a higher benefits, he/she shall receive the higher benefits under other legislative documents.

2. Time for grant of exemption, reduction of tuition fees, support for paying tuition fees

- Expenditure on tuition reduction, exemption, and tuition financing shall be granted depending on actual learning period but:

+ No more than 9 months/school year for preschool children, students pursuing formal education, and students in continuous education institutions

+ No more than 10 months/school year for students learning in vocational education institutions and higher education institutions,

+ Be made twice per year at the beginning of each semester.

- The government shall finance studying costs directly for the following individuals with the amount of VND 150,000/student/month for purchasing books, notebooks, and other learning equipment: 

+ Kindergarten children, students in formal education institutions, and students in continuous education facilities pursuing formal education programs are left without both parents.

+ Kindergarten children, students in formal education institutions, and students in continuous education facilities pursuing formal education programs suffer from disabilities.

+ Preschool students, students of formal education, learners in continuous education facilities pursuing formal education program whose parents are poor households according to regulations of Prime Minister.

+ Kindergarten children, students in formal education institutions, and learners in continuous education facilities pursuing formal education institutions in particularly difficult hamlets, communes in category III areas in ethnic regions and mountainous regions, particularly difficult hamlets in coastal regions and islands according to regulations of competent authority.

- Time of receiving benefits depends on actual learning period:

+ Does not exceed 9 months/school year

+ Benefits shall be made twice per year at the beginning of each semester.

Note: In case parents (or guardians), students pursuing formal education, students in continuous education institutions, students in vocational education institutions and higher education institutions who have not received reimbursement for tuition and studying cost financing within the deadline, they shall receive the missing benefits in the subsequent payment period in addition to the benefits respective to the payment period.

3. Cases ineligible for tuition fee exemption or reduction in Vietnam

- Tuition reduction and exemption do not apply to cases where beneficiaries are receiving salaries and subsistence allowance when studying and cases of pursuing postgraduate education and researchers (except for individuals under Clause 14 and Clause 16 Article 15 of Decree 81/2021/ND-CP).

- Learners who have received tuition reduction, exemption at another vocational education institution or higher education institution and are now pursuing the same education level at another vocational education institutions or higher education institutions shall not be eligible for such benefit again.

+ If learners are eligible for tuition reduction, exemption in multiple education institutions or multiple majors/departments in the same education institutions, learners shall only receive the benefit once.

- Do not apply tuition reduction and exemption to leaners who are pursuing short-term continuous education and training in continuous education institutions except for cases where learners pursue education levels under formal education program in form of continuous education.

- Do not apply tuition reduction, exemption, and studying cost financing for the period in which learners are temporarily suspended, dismissed, repeating classes, or taking additional classes.

+ In case learners must temporary suspend their studying, repeat classes (no more than once) due to sickness or force majeure but not disciplinary actions, heads of education institutions shall consider and allow studying as per the law and receiving of benefits under Decree 81/2021/ND-CP.

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