The problem: an investor wants to open an international school teaching a foreign curriculum in Vietnam — how much capital, where to apply, can Vietnamese students enroll? Quick answer: international schools are foreign-invested education institutions governed mainly by Decree 86/2018/ND-CP (amended by Decree 124/2024). Conditions rest on four pillars: capital — facilities — curriculum — staffing; procedures run in two steps: establishment approval and education operation licensing.
What is an “international school” under Vietnamese law?
Under Decree 86/2018/ND-CP (consolidated text 09/VBHN-BGDDT 2024 after amendment by Decree 124/2024), international schools are foreign-invested education institutions teaching foreign curricula (fully or integrated). Unlike domestic investors’ bilingual schools, they are established by foreign investors ensuring operating conditions and are directly governed by this decree.
Four pillars of conditions
- Capital: lawful investment capital sufficient for projected operations — no universal floor figure for international general schools as for universities (5 ha/VND 300 billion under Decree 361/2026), but the financial plan must convince appraisers.
- Facilities: location, area, classrooms, functional rooms, and teaching equipment fit for the curriculum; safety, hygiene, and environmental compliance.
- Curriculum: foreign curricula must have been quality-accredited in their home country or recognized by its competent education authority (principle in Article 7, Decree 86/2018).
- Staffing: foreign teachers need appropriate degrees, experience, and work permits under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP (replacing 152/2020); Vietnamese teachers for mandatory subjects as prescribed.
Vietnamese students: admitted within limits
International schools may admit Vietnamese students, but their proportion is capped by regulation (save special cases) — investors must build enrollment and financial plans on this cap from day one, as it defines the school’s real market size.
The two-step procedure
Step 1 — Establishment approval: file the establishment proposal with the competent authority (provincial People’s Committee/Prime Minister depending on level and scale), with a dossier covering objectives, curriculum, facilities, finance, and staffing. Step 2 — Education operation license: after the establishment decision and completion of facilities and staffing, apply for the operation license — only then may the school enroll and teach.
Practical note: don’t sign long venue leases or mass-hire teachers before establishment policy is granted — many investors run ahead and get stuck when premises fail appraisal standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much charter capital for an international school?
No universal floor for international general schools; capital must be lawful and sufficient for operations, appraised via the financial plan. For universities, Decree 361/2026 requires minimum VND 300 billion in actual investment.
2. Can international schools admit Vietnamese students?
Yes, but the Vietnamese-student ratio is capped by regulation. Enrollment and financial plans must be built on this cap.
3. How long does establishment approval take?
Depending on file quality and authority level; typically several months including dossier appraisal and physical facility inspection. A quality file from the start is the only shortcut.
4. What do foreign curricula require?
They must be quality-accredited in the home country or recognized by its competent education authority (Article 7, Decree 86/2018).
5. What do foreign teachers need?
Relevant degrees and experience plus work permits under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP (replacing 152/2020).
This article has been quality-reviewed by the FLAW AI Legal Council.
