The problem: to open an English/IT center, is renting premises and hiring teachers enough? Quick answer: no. Language and IT centers are conditional businesses — they need training-operation licensing under Decree 46/2017/ND-CP. Unlicensed teaching risks fines and suspension; worse, collected tuition may have to be refunded.
Core conditions (Decree 46/2017)
- Curriculum: a proper training program with clear objectives, content, duration, and assessment methods. Test-prep for international certificates (IELTS, TOEIC) must align with the awarding body’s standards.
- Staffing: teachers meeting professional and pedagogical standards; the center director meeting qualification and management-experience standards. Foreign teachers need work permits under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP.
- Facilities: classrooms, equipment, and learning materials fit for teaching; safety, fire protection, and hygiene compliance.
- Finance: funding to sustain operations at the registered scale.
Licensing procedure
File for training-operation licensing with the provincial Department of Education and Training where the center sits. The file includes the establishment dossier, curriculum, staff list (with degrees), and facility records. The Department appraises the file and inspects physically before licensing — “beautiful file, failing premises” still gets rejected.
Advance tuition: allowed, with duties
Centers may collect tuition in advance per course, but must publish fee schedules and refund policies for withdrawals/deferrals, and meet tax duties (invoicing, filing). Tuition disputes are the most common complaints against language centers — enrollment contracts must spell out refund terms; don’t leave them vague for “whoever shouts loudest wins.”
Violations that draw penalties
Teaching beyond the license scope (licensed for English but adding IT or life-skills classes); false “guaranteed outcome” advertising; using foreign teachers without work permits; and collecting tuition without invoicing. Each carries its own administrative penalty frame — combined, they can suspend operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does opening an English center require?
A proper curriculum, qualified teachers (foreign teachers need work permits), adequate facilities, and a training-operation license from the Department of Education and Training (Decree 46/2017).
2. Do foreign teachers need work permits?
Yes — under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP (replacing 152/2020), except exempt cases as prescribed.
3. Are advance tuition collections restricted?
Allowed per course but with published fee schedules, refund policies, and full tax compliance.
4. What about classes beyond the license scope?
Operating beyond license scope risks administrative penalties and suspension of the excess activity. Expansion requires license amendment procedures.
5. Teaching without a license?
Unlicensed operation: administrative fines, forced suspension, and risks of refunding collected tuition.
This article has been quality-reviewed by the FLAW AI Legal Council.
