"Midwifery" for STEM students

Both training and enrollment in STEM fields are urgent requirements for development and essential needs of real life. Decision No. 29/2025/QD-TTg is seen as a "support system" for students, especially disadvantaged but studious students, to pursue STEM fields.

The Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology (FAST) of the University of Technology - Da Nang University awarded certificates to high school students in the city who participated in the STEM course "Programming for Mobile Robots," a hands-on technology experience, in July 2025. Photo: NTCC

STUDENT HUYNH HO HUY HOANG, CLASS 23D4, ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, FACULTY OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, DA NANG UNIVERSITY:

A support system to pursue your passion.

Technology students require many hours of hands-on practice on modern machinery and equipment. Therefore, a lack of access to laboratories, licensed software, or advanced equipment due to limited funding will negatively impact their academic performance.

Therefore, Decision No. 29 brings many advantages, reducing pressure so that students can focus wholeheartedly on their studies and research. Students can borrow the full tuition fee (after deducting scholarships and support) and an additional up to 5 million VND per month for living expenses. This is of great significance, especially for families in provinces and remote areas.

The interest rate is only 4.8% per year – significantly lower than the previous tuition loan program – and there's a grace period of up to 12 months after graduation before the first payment is due. This is a reasonable timeframe for students to secure employment and income to fulfill their financial obligations. I believe this mechanism helps students "relieve financial pressure," allowing them to focus entirely on their studies, while also creating more equal opportunities in accessing high-quality higher education .

STUDENT TRINH DAM MINH QUAN, CLASS 23IC, SEMICONDUCTOR CIRCUIT DESIGN MAJOR, VIETNAM-KOREA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION:

Students are confidently enrolling in STEM fields.

According to Decision No. 29, the scope of industries eligible for loan policies is very broad, encompassing most fields within the STEM sector, including Architecture and Construction – meaning that anyone aspiring to study engineering or technology can benefit. This motivates students to confidently choose technology, science, and engineering fields – areas that require high-quality human resources, helping to balance the structure of the workforce in society.

In particular, the policy has a progressive aspect: it does not require collateral if the total outstanding loan is under 500 million VND. This was previously the biggest barrier to student access to credit, and Decision No. 29 has removed that. I also quite appreciate the condition that only students with excellent academic results are eligible for loans. This truly motivates those passionate about highly applicable fields of study, thereby creating a quality STEM workforce for the future.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuy Phuong, whose child is studying at the University of Technical Education - Da Nang University:

Motivation to excel in studies

My child is currently a first-year student majoring in Semiconductor Circuit Design. While our family can manage the financial burden of tuition fees, investing in the necessary learning equipment for their field of study is proving to be a challenge.

After researching, the family decided to apply for a loan under Decision No. 29 starting from the first academic year, 2025-2026. To qualify for the loan, students must meet the condition of having excellent academic results, and disbursement will be considered annually. In my opinion, this strongly motivates students to strive for excellence, and parents also hope this will be a commitment to their children's education to the family, the school, and society.

I am very pleased to be the first customer to receive loan disbursement from the Cam Le Branch of the Social Policy Bank under Decision No. 29/2025/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister . I believe that students and parents should carefully consider participating in this loan program, as it is a very humane policy that not only supports students from disadvantaged backgrounds but also motivates each student to excel in their studies.

Loan eligibility conditions according to Decision No. 29

For first-year students: Applicants must have achieved a GPA of at least "good" or higher in all three years of high school, as stipulated by law; or have an average grade of 8 or higher in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology in their 12th grade year.
For students from the second year onwards: They must have achieved an average academic performance of "good" or higher in all subjects in the year immediately preceding the year of application for a loan from the Social Policy Bank.
Master's students and doctoral candidates are recognized as such by higher education institutions in accordance with the law.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/ba-do-cho-nguoi-hoc-nganh-stem-3303425.html