Expenses for Long-term Training and Educational Programs (Over 6 Months) Abroad

1. Training fees, retraining fees, costs for implementing research tasks, and other related fees for mandatory training and retraining courses (if any) that must be paid to overseas training and retraining institutions: Payment will be made according to the contract signed between the Ministry of Science and Technology and the overseas training and retraining institution or according to the rates informed by the overseas training and retraining institution in the admission notice (paid in US dollars or in the local currency of the host country).

2. Passport and visa fees: Payment will be made according to the State regulations on passport fees and actual visa fee invoices from the countries where the trainee is sent for training and retraining.

3. Living expenses:

- Living expenses are calculated to ensure the minimum living needs of the trainee abroad, including food, accommodation, daily travel expenses, study materials, and supplies.

- The living expense rates are specified in the Appendix attached to this Circular. Living expenses are granted based on the actual study period abroad (from the enrollment date to the end date of the course but not exceeding the time stated in the decision to send the trainee by the Minister of Science and Technology).

- Payment of living expenses to the trainee is made monthly or quarterly to ensure it does not affect the trainee's studies and research.

4. Mandatory health insurance:

- The rate of mandatory health insurance: Payment will be made according to the rate specified by the host country (based on the rate informed in the admission notice of the training institution) and will be granted in US dollars or the local currency of the host country; the maximum amount shall not exceed 1,000 USD/person/year.

- For countries that require mandatory health insurance purchase higher than the maximum rate stipulated at Point a, Clause 4 of this Article, the Ministry of Science and Technology will consider and decide specifically based on the agreement opinion of the Ministry of Finance.

- In case the appointed trainee wishes to purchase health insurance at a rate higher than that stipulated in Circular 88/2017/TT-BTC, they must personally cover the difference.

5. Airfare for round trip (economy class):

- The trainee will be provided one round-trip ticket from Vietnam to the place of study and one round-trip ticket from the place of study to Vietnam (except where funded by the host party) for the entire training and retraining period.

- Payment will be made according to current regulations on policies and state budget expenditure standards.

6. Travel expenses (to cover airport fees and transportation from the airport to residence) are provided once with a lump sum of 100 USD/person for the entire training and retraining period.

See more details at: Circular 88/2017/TT-BTC effective from October 7, 2017.

- Nguyen Trinh -

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