A child holding a foreign passport does not pass through the Vietnamese graduation examination and the common university admission round with Vietnamese candidates. Vietnamese universities admit foreigners through a separate route based on a recognised secondary diploma, Vietnamese proficiency or an English-taught programme, under the Ministry of Education and Training’s admission regulations and each university’s own admission scheme.
Must a foreign-passport child sit the Vietnamese university entrance process?
Not through the ordinary channel. A foreign applicant registers under the university’s route for foreigners: assessment of the secondary diploma or equivalent, academic results and language conditions, instead of Vietnamese high-school graduation scores. The foreign diploma must be recognised as equivalent through the diploma-recognition procedure of the competent Vietnamese authority. A child holding dual nationality or Vietnamese nationality may instead choose the Vietnamese candidate channel if holding a Vietnamese diploma — the two channels differ fundamentally and the choice must be made early.
How separate admission for international applicants works
Each university publishes quotas and conditions for foreigners in its annual admission scheme: Vietnamese-taught programmes require a Vietnamese proficiency certificate or a preparatory language year, while English-taught international programmes assess language certificates and transcripts. The file typically holds the passport, the legalised, translated and recognised diploma and transcript, a health certificate and residence papers. International-route deadlines usually sit off the common admission calendar, so families must track the notices of the exact university and programme.
How foreign-student tuition differs
Tuition for foreigners is set autonomously by the university in its admission scheme and is usually higher than the corresponding programme for Vietnamese students, especially for international and joint programmes. Fees must be published before enrolment together with other compulsory charges; the foreign student must also maintain lawful residence for study purposes throughout the course. Families should require written confirmation of the full-course total cost and the refund policy for mid-course withdrawal, a frequent dispute point for international students.
Practical steps: fix the child’s nationality and admission channel from grade 11, complete diploma recognition early, and match the target programme’s language condition — these three items decide whether the file makes the admission round.
Frequently Asked Questions
Must a foreign-passport child sit Vietnam’s university exams?
Not through the common channel. Foreigners are considered under each university’s own international route based on a recognised secondary diploma and language conditions, instead of Vietnamese graduation-exam scores. Only a child holding Vietnamese nationality and a Vietnamese diploma uses the Vietnamese candidate channel.
Is there separate admission for international applicants?
Yes. Each university publishes quotas and conditions for foreigners in its admission scheme: Vietnamese-taught programmes require Vietnamese proficiency or a preparatory year, English-taught programmes assess language certificates and transcripts; foreign diplomas must pass equivalence recognition.
What are tuition fees for foreign students?
Foreign-student tuition is set by the university in its admission scheme and is usually higher than the corresponding programme for Vietnamese students, especially international programmes. Require written confirmation of the full-course cost and refund policy before enrolment.
