The Vietnamese-German Medical Program suddenly stopped, leaving students of Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine in confusion.

TPO - On October 21, many parents and students of Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine expressed confusion and anxiety after the school suddenly announced the suspension of the Vietnam - Germany medical training joint training program that has been implemented for many years.

The Vietnam-Germany Medical Program is a joint training program in medicine, adhering to European standards, between Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Germany), launched in 2013. Students enrolled in this program are expected to receive a medical degree awarded by Germany, qualifying them for further studies or employment in Europe.

An opening ceremony for the Vietnamese-German Medical Program at Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine. (Photo: Archival image)

At Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, the Vietnamese-German Medical Program has tuition fees reaching hundreds of millions of VND per year. According to the announcement regarding tuition and training fees for the 2025-2026 undergraduate program, the tuition fee is 115 million VND per semester, equivalent to 230 million VND per year. In 2024, the tuition fee was 229.9 million VND per year (excluding accommodation, transportation, and other incidental expenses).

The program lasts 6 years and 3 months, including 5 years in Vietnam and 1 year and 3 months of practical training at hospitals in Germany. To date, hundreds of students have completed or are currently enrolled in this program.

However, on October 18, many students received a notice that the program was temporarily suspended because “the German partner could not continue to cooperate.” This notice made many parents worried that their children’s educational and financial rights would be affected.

One student (who wished to remain anonymous) said: "We've been studying the standard German program, with tuition fees many times higher than our domestic program, and now we hear it's suddenly being stopped. We don't know what the future holds."

Following reactions from students and parents, representatives from Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine stated that they are working with their German partners and relevant authorities to find a suitable solution that ensures the best interests of the students. The university representatives affirmed that an official announcement will be made once the final results are available.

According to the school's representative, the matter has been reported to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee. Simultaneously, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine will hold a dialogue with students to discuss the reasons for terminating the training cooperation, the learning plan for students currently enrolled, the financial plan and handling of tuition fees already paid, the training plan, recognition of academic results, and support during the transition period.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/chuong-program-y-viet-duc-dung-dot-ngot-sinh-vien-truong-dh-y-khoa-pham-ngoc-thach-hoang-mang-post1789107.tpo