Students at a high school in HCM City. Photo for illustration.
On February 20, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council passed a resolution on a special policy to support tuition fees for preschool children under five, high school students in both public and private institutions, and learners in continuing education programmes at the high school level. The policy will take effect from the 2025–2026 academic year.
The financial support ranges from VND100,000 to VND200,000 per student per month, depending on the educational level.
With this support, children under five in public preschools and public high school students will be fully exempt from tuition fees. Private high school students (excluding those in foreign-invested schools) will receive support equivalent to the tuition fees of public schools.
The estimated budget for implementing this tuition support policy is VND 653 billion, of which VND 423 billion is allocated for public preschools and high schools, while VND 230 billion is designated for private institutions.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, this policy aims to ensure that all preschool and general education students in the city have the opportunity to attend school.
Under Government Decree 81, starting from the 2025–2026 academic year, students in public primary schools, five-year-old preschool children, and secondary school students will also be exempt from tuition fees.
The country’s largest city will become the ninth locality to eliminate tuition fees for all children and school students besides Danang, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Haiphong, Quang Ninh, Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Vinh Phuc, and Yen Bai.
Currently, tuition fees at Vietnamese public schools vary from VND8,000 to VND340,000, depending on the educational level and geographic location, with lower rates generally found in rural areas.
