International schools in Vietnam are a relatively modern phenomenon – the oldest international school in the country was established less than 30 years ago – but over the past few decades, many new international schools have emerged to fill a gap in the market and cater to the country’s rapidly growing expat population.
According to the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, the city currently has 113 non-public schools. Among those schools, more than 20 schools have foreign investment capital, a few of which are owners of governments and consulates of other countries. In addition, many private high schools offer international and bilingual programs.
International schools are gaining more and more popularity. There are a number of prestigious international schools in Vietnam, especially in Hanoi and in Ho Chi Minh city and these schools offer top-quality education to both foreign and local Vietnamese families. The cost of entering these schools is also very pricey – and sometimes worths a fortune – for many Vietnam nationals.
If you are considering enrolling your child in an international school, one important question you may be asking is: how much will it cost?
To give an idea of how much it costs for your child to attend an international school, we’ve compiled data on average tuition fees at some international schools in Ho Chi Minh City in 2021.
1. Types of fees charged by international schools
To gain a full understanding of the cost of international school education, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the most common types of fees charged by international schools.
These are three of the most common types of fees you will come across when researching international schools:
Application fees:
Application fees are charged by schools for processing your application. These fees are often non-refundable. In most cases, schools may offer a discount on the application fee or a special family rate if you are applying for the enrollment of more than one child.
As these fees are generally non-refundable, you will likely not get your money back even if your child does not get accepted in the school or you choose not to enroll your child after being offered a spot at the school. However, if your child is accepted, some schools may apply the application fee towards payment of the annual tuition fees.
Registration fees:
Registration fees are charged to cover enrolment procedures once your child has been offered and accepted a spot in a school. Some schools do not charge for this, while others can charge several million VND.
This is a one-time non-refundable fee that you will need to pay when your child is first enrolled in the school; you will not have to pay this fee again even if your child stays on at the school for several years, although it may be charged again if you withdraw your child and subsequently re-enroll at the school.
Tuition fees:
Tuition fees are charged by schools to cover the cost of teaching and supporting your child. They generally make up the bulk of the fees charged by an international school. Tuition fees vary broadly across countries and among schools, ranging from modest amounts to massive sums. Even within an individual school, tuition fees can differ depending on the grade level of your child and the curriculum that they are following.
Payment terms also vary, with schools typically collecting tuition fees on an annual, semester, quarterly or monthly basis. When assessing individual schools, it is important to inquire about what is or is not included in the tuition fees (e.g., the cost of textbooks, meals, uniforms, school bus and extra-curricular activities) and the payment terms.
Other types of fees commonly charged by international schools include:
- Activity fees
- Uniform fees
- Transportation fees
- Language support fees
- Re-enrolment fees
- School development fees
- Examination fees
- Refundable deposits
Tuition and fees in international schools in Ho Chi Minh city 2021(*)
| School name | Registration fee | Primary tuition(Grade 1-5) | Secondary tuition (Grade 6-10) | High school tuition (Grade 11-12) | Additional potential costs | Reference link |
| The ABC International School | 22 mil to 35.2 mil | 369 mil to 438.3 mil | 438.3 mil to 545.3 mil | 545.3 mil to 569.2 mil | – Deposit fee: 22 mil (refundable)- Other fees: external examination fees, school uniforms, stationery, meals, field trip fees, school buses, and personal supplies. | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| American International School Vietnam (AISVN) | 45 mil | 563.8 mil | 620 mil to 651 mil | 794.420 mil | – Other fees: Application Fee, Personal supplies, stationeries, textbooks, school bus, school uniforms, meals, experiential learning week and activities fees, external examination fees, etc. | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| APU International School | 33 mil to 50 mil | 270 mil to 290 mil | 357 mil to 426 mil | 431 mil to 464 mil | – Deposit fee: 30 mil- Other fees: field trip fees, housing, lunch meals, school buses, transcript, and uniforms | Tuition for Elementary School Tuition for High School |
| Australian International School(AIS) | 31.8 mil to 63.6 mil | 432 mil to 501 mil | 501 mil to 580 mil | 610 mil to 665 mil | – English Enrichment Programs: 15 mils to 19 mils (by Semester)- Other fees: Academic competitions, school buses, student support services, and uniforms | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| British International SchoolHo Chi Minh City (BIS) | 70.8 mil | 495.3 mil to 553.4 mil | 553.4 mil to 672.9 mil | 672.9 mil to 730.8 mil | – Deposit fee: 23.6 mil- English Enrichment Programs: 30.6 mils to 56.9 mils per term | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| British Vietnamese International School (BVIS) | 23.6 mil to 47.2 mil | 369 mil to 374.4 mil | 374.4 mil to 449.5 mil | 449.5 mil to 489.9 mil | Deposit fee: 35.4 mil | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| European International School Ho Chi Minh City (EIS) | 32 mil | 437.8 mil to 476.6 mil | 498.2 mil – 575.3 mil | 599.1 mil | Other fees: meals, school bus, uniforms. | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| Horizon International Bilingual School | 25 mil | 180.59 mil – 194.59 mil | 215.59 mil – 229.59 mil | 248 mil – 262 mil | E-learning fee, admission testing fee, assessment fee, technology, book fees, meal fees, school buses, and uniforms | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC) | 50 mil | 524.2 mil to 574.3 mil | 649.9 mil to 679.6 mil | 775.3 mil | – Annual Development Fee (ADF): 67.5 mils, or – Certificate of Entitlement (COE): 337.5 mil- External examination fees | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| International School Ho Chi Minh City – American Academy (ISHCMC – AA) | 25 mil | – | 449 mil | 502 mil to 538 mil | External examination fee | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| International School Saigon Pearl (ISSP) | 25 mil | 458.6 mil to 458.7 mil | – | – | – | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| Lawrence S.Ting The school (LSTS) | – | – | – | – | Other fees: Boarding, School Bus, Notebooks, Uniform, Meals fee | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| Renaissance International School | 39.7 mil to 49.7 mil | 466.55 mil to 528.75 mil | 591.73 mil to 621.62 mil | 621.62 mil to 689.93 mil | – Deposit: 22 mil- Other fees: English Learning Support, Bus fee | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| Saigon Star International School | 30 mil | 345 – 358 mil | – | – | Other fees: supplement fee, lunch fee, bus fee, learning support | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| Western Australian International school | 15 mil | 202.5 mil to 244.6 mil | 249.75 mil to 280.2 mil | 270 mil to 456 mil | Other fees: meal fee, uniform fee, school bus, boarding fee, textbook, medical fee, practical learning fee, NAPLAN test (For year 3, 5, 7, 9) | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| Saigon South International School | 45 mil | 512.3 mil to 545 mil | 548.02 mil to 617 mil | 643.9 mil to 685 mil | – Deposit: 45 mil- Other fees: AP & IB Exams, field trip expenses, lunch, school buses, school uniforms, other school activities, PTA, and personal supplies | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| Singapore International School (SIS) | 21.5 mil | 418.450 mil to 420.387 mil | 441.646 mil | 491.915 mil to 524.270 mil | Other fees: books, field trips,insurance, stationery, anduniforms | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| School of North America (SNA) | 40 mil to 65 mil | 423.7 mil | 533.5 mil | 576.7 mil | Other fees: school transportation fee, boarding fee | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| The American School (TAS) | – | 465.1 mil to 472 mil | 526.1 mil to 583.6 mil | 631.9 mil | – Deposit: 21 mil (refundable)- Other fees: English Enrichment Programs, books, field trips, insurance, meals, school buses, stationary, and uniforms | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| The Canadian International School (CIS) | 22 mil to 33 mil | 402.9 mil to 443.4 mil | 450.5 mil to 543.3 mil | 499.5 mil to 639.8 mil | – English Enrichment Programs: 92 mils (annual)- Other fees: additional field trips, boarding house, installments, meals, school buses, stationary, and uniforms | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| The Canadian International School (Bilingual Program) | 22 mil to 33 mil | 203.1 mil to 234.2 mil | 241.3 mil to 276.4 mil | 272.6 mil to 293.2 mil | Other fees: additional field trips, boarding house, meals, school buses, stationery, and extra uniforms | Tuition 2020 – 2021 |
| Vietnamese Australian International School (VAS) | 12 mil | 185.68 mil – 228.712 mil | 228.040 mil – 311.108 mil | 332.628 mil – 496.820 mil | Other fees: textbook, uniform, bus, meal | Tuition 2021 – 2022 |
2. Why is international school education so expensive?
Education in an international school in Vietnam is expensive for many reasons: many campuses have state-of-the-art facilities, modern classrooms, the latest technology, international teaching staff and opportunities for global study.
There are many factors that contribute to this, and the answer can vary greatly depending on where you are and the schools you’re looking at. Here are a few possible reasons:
- For-profit schools – Around the world, there are many international schools that operate on a not-for-profit basis, yet many others are run as for-profit commercial enterprises. Although being for-profit doesn’t necessarily mean higher fees, it can certainly be a factor contributing to more costly education.
- International teachers and staff – International schools often employ teachers and staff from outside the country where the school is located. Recruitment, moving, and housing costs for these international hires can all contribute to higher school fees.
- Top-notch facilities – Many international schools have impressive campuses equipped with modern arts and sports facilities and state-of-the-art learning technologies. These features can contribute to a first-rate school environment, but the cost of these amenities is inevitably passed on to parents.
- School security – School security services and infrastructure can drive up the cost of education.
- International curricula – international schools offer education that’s in line with foreign education curricula, which of course cost much more money. Such curricula are often much better suited – the requirements of the global labour market. Some particularly interesting options are the International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced Placement, or A-Levels programs, which prepare children for the international diploma. Its goal is comprehensive education focused not only on expanding knowledge and skills (both academic and “soft”—communication or social), but also on the development of one’s personality and shaping the attitudes of tolerance, understanding, and responsibility.
Finding the right international school for your child
Understanding the cost of international school education in 2021 and the different types of school fees will help you make an informed decision when choosing the best school for your family. If parents are attracted by their interesting curricula adapted to the requirements of an increasingly globalized society, sending your child to an international school is still a great option.
| At Everest Education, we have been working with many international students from prestigious international schools around the city, including BIS, ISHCMC, AIS, ISHCMC-AA, LSTS,… and have years of experience preparing students for entrance into an international school. If you need any advice from us, please do not hesitate to reach out to us via info@e2.com.vn. >> Learn more about Everest Education HERE |
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