Cost of Tuition, Vietnam, 2006

Below are some facts regarding the tuition cost in Viet Nam. The educational system includes three levels: elementary, middle, and high school, in addition to college, and the tuition of the different levels are as follows:

• Elementary School - Level I: Classes are from the first grade to the fifth grade (6 to 11 years old). The average yearly tuition is 500,000 Vietnamese Dong (VND).


• Middle School - Level II: Classes are from the sixth grade to the ninth grade (12 to 15 years old). The average yearly tuition is approximately 800,000 VND.


• High School - Level III: Classes are from the tenth grade to the twelfth grade (16 to 18 years old). The average yearly tuition for public high school and private high school is approximately 1,000,000 VND and 1,500,000 VND respectively.


• College / University Level: The schooling duration for this level ranges from three to six years. This is the most expensive schooling period for students from low income families since they have to leave the countryside or small towns for the big cities where the colleges and universities are located. The average yearly tuition for this level ranges from 1,800,000 to 4,000,000 VND. The following are examples of specific cost information for some students:

Tran Hoang Thai Duong

1. School: Medical University, City of Hue
2. Major: Technology; Class III
3. Lodging: Dormitory, Room 4/2A, 6 Ngo Quyen, Hue
4. Family financial situation: Unemployed parents
5. Yearly expenses:
   • Tuition: 1,800,000 VND
   • Dormitory: 650,000 VND
   • Food: 1,800,000 VND
   • Total: 4,250,000 VND

Phan Thi Phuong

1. School: University of Foreign Languages, City of Hue
2. Major: English; Sophomore level
3. Lodging: 5 Kiet 138, Tran Phu, Hue
4. Family financial situation: Parents have no stable job. All three siblings are attending college.
5. Yearly expenses:
   • Tuition: 1,800,000 VND
   • Lodging: 1,800,000 VND
   • Food: 1,800,000 VND
   • Total: 5,400,000 VND

Phan Van Vy

1. School: University of Binh Duong (Private)
2. Major: English, Freshman level
3. Family financial situation: Parents are farmers and have a large family.
4. Yearly expenses:
   • Tuition: 4,000,000 VND
   • Lodging: 1,800,000 VND
   • Food: 1,800,000 VND
   • Total: 7,600,000 VND

Those are a few details of each student’s annual financial requirements. The difference in tuition originates from the type of university. Even though the educational quality is the same, public universities are much less expensive than private universities. Also, dormitory lodging cost is less expensive than the rental cost of off-campus apartments.