On August 27, 2021, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree 81/2021/ND-CP on tuition fees of education institutions affiliated to national education program and collection, management thereof; policies on tuition fee exemption, reduction, and financing for learning fees; service fees in education and training sectors, which will officially take effect from October 15, 2021:
Article table of contents
All cases eligible for tuition exemption and reduction in Vietnam (Artwork)
Eligibility for tuition exemption
According to Article 15 of Vietnam's Decree 81/2021, there are 19 subjects eligible for tuition exemption, including:
(1) Individuals mentioned under Ordinance on benefits for people with meritorious services to the revolution when studying in education institutions affiliated to national education system.
(2) Preschool students and students with disabilities.
(3) Preschools students and students under 16 years of age lacking any care and individuals from 16 years of age to 22 years of age and studying in formal education, the first degree of higher education and eligible for monthly social benefits according to Clause 1 and Clause 2 Article 5 of Decree No. 20/2021/ND-CP dated March 15, 2021 of the Government on social benefit policies for social protection beneficiaries. Learners in intermediate-education level or college level who are left without both parents and shelter according to Law on Vocational Education.
(4) Preschool students, students of formal education, learners in continuous education facilities pursuing formal education program whose parent or parents or grandparents (if living with grandparents) are poor households according to regulations of Prime Minister.
(5) Preschool children with 5 years of age living in hamlets with difficulties, communes in category III areas with ethnic minorities and mountainous regions, communes with particularly difficulties in coastal areas and islands according regulations of competent authority.
(6) Preschool children with 5 years of age not specified under Clause 5 of this Article shall be exempted from tuition for the school year of 2024 - 2025 (starting from September 1, 2024).
(7) Preschool children, students of formal education, and learners in continuous education facilities pursuing formal education program who are foster children or biological children of active servicemen and soldiers according to Clause 2 Article 6 of Decree No. 27/2016/ND-CP
(8) Students in lower secondary education in particularly difficult hamlets, communes in category III areas with ethnic minorities in mountainous regions, communes with particular difficulty in coastal areas, and islands according to regulations of competent authority are eligible for exemption from tuition from the school year of 2022 – 2023 (starting from September 1, 2022).
(9) Lower secondary education students not specified under Clause 8 of this Article shall be exempted from tuition for the school year of 2025 - 2026 (starting from September 1, 2025).
(10) Students pursuing education via special admission (including students pursuing boarding vocational education under special admission method for 3 months or higher) according to regulations of the Government on special admission to higher education institutions and vocational education institutions affiliated to national education system.
(11) Students in secondary boarding schools for ethnic minorities, pre-universities:
(12) Students in vocation education institutions and higher education institutions, ethnic minorities whose parent, parents, or grandparents (if living with grandparents) in poor households or near-poor households according to regulations of Prime Minister.
(13) Students pursuing Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s Thought.
(14) Students, higher education students, and researchers specialized in tuberculosis, leprosy, psychology, forensic examination, psychology examination, and autopsy in public medical personnel training facilities as per order of the Government.
(15) Ethnic students under Clause 1 Article 2 of Decree No. 57/2017/ND-CP.
(16) Learners subject to tuition exemption programs or schemes according to regulations of the Government.
(17) Graduates of secondary education and pursuing intermediate education.
(18) Learners pursuing intermediate-level education, college level education for majors that have difficulty in students but are required by the society according to lists regulated by Ministry of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam.
(19) Learners studying in specific majors satisfying socio-economic development demands, national defense and security according to Law on Vocational Education. Specific majors regulated by Prime Minister of Vietnam.
Eligibility for tuition reduction and tuition financing
* Eligibility for a tuition reduction of 70% includes:
- Students pursuing traditional arts and specific majors in public, private vocational education institutions and higher education institutions providing cultural - artistic training;
- Students pursuing traditional art forms or taxing, toxic, or hazardous occupations in case of vocational education as per lists of taxing, toxic, or hazardous occupations regulated by Ministry of Labor – War Invalids and Social Affairs;
- Kindergarten children and students who are ethnic minorities (other than very minor ethnic minorities) in hamlets with particular difficulties, communes in category III areas, ethnic regions and mountainous regions, communes with difficulties in coastal regions and islands according to regulations of competent authority.
* Eligibility for a tuition reduction of 50% includes:
- Kindergarten children and students who are children of officials, public officials, or workers whose parent suffers from occupational accidents or diseases and receive regular benefits;
- Preschool students, students of formal education, learners in continuous education facilities pursuing formal education program whose parent or parents or grandparents (if living with grandparents) are near-poor households according to regulations of Prime Minister.
* Eligibility for tuition financing: Primary education students in private education institutions in areas with insufficient number of public education institutions shall receive financing for tuition.
Especially, according to new regulations, from October 15, 2021, in case of natural disasters, epidemic, and other force majeure event publicized by competent authority; depending on level of impact and damage, People’s Committees of provinces shall request People's Councils of provinces to consider and decide not to charge tuition in a specific period for kindergarten children, students in public formal education institutions, and learners in continuous education facilities pursuing formal education program in areas suffering from natural disasters, epidemic, or other force majeure event.(Currently, it is only regulated that no tuition fees will be collected for a certain period of time for preschool children and high school students in disaster-stricken areas.)
Bao Ngoc
