With high tuition fees, where can students find financial support?

Many new students say they were surprised to have to pay a large sum of money upon enrollment, mainly due to high tuition fees. Not to mention the numerous other expenses they will have to worry about in their new city life, so many are feeling anxious.

Tuition fees between public and private schools are no longer significantly different.

NTD, a freshman in the Automotive Engineering program at the University of Technology (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), said that after being admitted to the program, she was shocked to find out from the admissions guide that the tuition fee for the first semester was 42 million VND, nearly three times the standard program fee. D. shared: "When I applied for admission, I liked the school and the major, so I didn't look closely at the tuition fees. I thought that public universities would have lower fees. It turns out the school has many programs, and only the standard program has lower fees."

Successful candidates complete the enrollment procedures and pay tuition fees.

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

Similarly, BA recently enrolled directly in the accounting program at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education. When researching and registering for the program, BA didn't register for the standard program but instead applied for the Vietnamese-Japanese program because she thought "having a foreign element would make it easier to find a job after graduation." Because she didn't do her research, BA assumed the tuition fee at a public university was only about 20-30 million VND per year. "For this enrollment period, my mother had to prepare nearly 30 million VND just for tuition, registration fees, and health insurance. Not to mention accommodation and other living expenses," BA said.

Meanwhile, LT, a freshman in the English-taught Hotel and Restaurant Management program at Ton Duc Thang University, shared: "I'm about to pay 46 million VND, including 35 million VND for the first semester's tuition and over 10 million VND for English language tuition. I didn't check the university website carefully beforehand, so I was quite surprised."

Currently, most public universities are financially independent, so the tuition fee gap between public and private universities is no longer significant. However, advanced programs, programs taught entirely in English, and high-quality programs at many public universities have relatively high tuition fees.

It can be seen that the common tuition fee for standard programs at public universities is currently 15-20 million VND/semester. Many majors/programs/schools have lower fees, around 10 million VND/semester. Advanced, high-quality, relevant, and talent-based programs, taught in English, have tuition fees of 30-40 million VND/semester. Meanwhile, many private universities have tuition fees ranging from 25-40 million VND/semester, with a few schools charging even less, below 20 million VND/semester.

Not doing research when registering for preferences.

Mr. Vu Khac Ngoc, a chemistry exam preparation teacher in Hanoi and also an academic and admissions consultant for many parents and students, said that in the past few days he has received many messages and concerns from candidates about tuition fees. "Many students and even parents have messaged me saying, 'I passed the exam but I probably don't dare to study' because the tuition fees are too high. Some students even naively registered for advanced, high-quality programs. When choosing a major and a university, students often only focus on the school's reputation and the admission scores, paying very little attention to tuition fees, only to be surprised when they enroll. The cost of university education in major cities today is indeed a significant burden for families, especially those from rural areas," Mr. Khac Ngoc observed.

According to Master Dang Kien Cuong, Head of Student Affairs at Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry, many students only find out about the high tuition fees after enrollment. This shows that students did not thoroughly research the information beforehand.

According to Cao Quang Tu, Director of Admissions at Saigon International University, the fear of not daring to enroll after being accepted is a very common mindset among candidates in recent years. "During the application process, many students often focus on choosing majors based on their interests without fully researching tuition fees, scholarships, and financial aid policies. This leads to a situation where they are accepted but worried about their ability to pay," Mr. Tu observed.

Tuition fees and tuition support policies are among the biggest concerns for applicants when applying to a university.

Photo: Dao Ngoc Thach

Seek out support policies from the university.

In July 2025, the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) and Asia Commercial Bank (ACB ) signed an agreement to implement the "ACB accompanies VNU-HCM students" program. According to the agreement, students from member universities can borrow up to 30 million VND per semester, or 50 million VND per academic year, without needing to prove income or provide collateral. The total loan limit for the program is up to 50 billion VND, and it will be piloted in the 2025-2026 academic year. This program is not only for students facing financial difficulties but is also open to all students who need financial independence.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Phung, Deputy Director of the Admissions and Business Relations Center at the University of Finance - Marketing, observed that in some universities, tuition fees this year have been adjusted upwards, creating additional financial pressure for the families of new students.

"To alleviate the burden, most schools have implemented policies to waive or reduce tuition fees for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, poor and near-poor households, and those with difficult circumstances; expanded scholarship funds to encourage learning; and verified applications so that students can access preferential loans from the Social Policy Bank or some commercial banks. This is a solution that helps students proactively manage their finances and avoid abandoning their dreams due to lack of tuition fees," Ms. Phung informed.

The University of Finance and Marketing is currently accepting applications for tuition fee exemptions and reductions according to current regulations for new students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and is implementing the "Supporting Students to School" scholarship program for 2025 for new students of the 25th cohort with special circumstances, achieving 24 points or more in the entrance exam, with a maximum support level equivalent to 100% of the tuition fee for the standard program.

Dr. Nguyen Van Kha, Deputy Director of the Admissions and Communications Center of Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, said: "In 2025-2026, the university has decided to allocate a total of 55.7 billion VND for scholarships and support for valedictorians, salutatorians; students with the highest academic results; students who overcome difficulties; and students who achieve good results in scientific research activities… If they strive in their studies, this level of support can help cover some of the costs."

Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan Dung, Director of the Communication Center at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, shared that the university has a scholarship policy to support new students with particularly difficult circumstances, offering scholarships covering 50%, 75%, and 100% of tuition fees for the entire course. In addition, during their studies at the university, students will also be given opportunities to receive scholarships from partner businesses and receive support in participating in student loan programs.

Saigon International University also implements many scholarship programs to create opportunities for excellent students, students from disadvantaged backgrounds, or those with outstanding abilities to pursue their favorite fields of study.

At the Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry, students can access scholarships to encourage academic achievement, or scholarship funds from philanthropists, businesses, and teachers. "The university aims to ensure that no student has to drop out due to tuition fees," said Master Dang Kien Cuong.

Representatives from the schools affirmed that students facing difficulties with tuition fees should confidently contact the student affairs office and share their concerns with their teachers to receive the best possible support.

Preferential loan policies for students.

The student loan policy, implemented since 2007 under Decision 157/2007/QD-TTg and amended and supplemented by Decision 05/2022/QD-TTg, supports disadvantaged students in covering tuition fees, study expenses, and living costs.

Eligible borrowers are students from disadvantaged backgrounds studying at universities (or equivalent), colleges, vocational schools, and vocational training institutions established and operating in accordance with Vietnamese law. The maximum loan amount for students is 4 million VND/month/student.

Furthermore, Decision 29/2025 dated August 28, 2025, of the Prime Minister on credit for students, master's students, and doctoral candidates studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, stipulates a maximum loan amount covering all tuition fees (after deducting scholarships and support) and living expenses of 5 million VND per month.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hoc-phi-cao-sinh-vien-tim-ho-tro-o-dau-185250902204905141.htm