International University, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: NT).
Fast, demanding requirements
Reflecting to Dan Tri , many students of International University, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (IU - VNUHCM) said they were worried about the sudden change in the school's tuition policy, especially in the context of economic difficulties.
According to feedback, under the old policy, students had about 1.5 months to manage their tuition fees (usually completed before midterm exams). In difficult cases, students could pay 50% in advance and complete the rest after the exam.
However, the new policy (announcement 561 dated September 23) applied to semester I, school year 2025-2026 for course K24 and earlier has completely changed.
“The deadline is too tight, tuition fees must be completed before October 5, meaning students have less than 10 days to prepare a large amount of money from the time of receiving the notice,” a student shared.
The decision also stated strict conditions for extension: “In case students are in real financial difficulty and have not yet completed their tuition payment obligations within the prescribed time limit, the Financial Planning Department will resolve the extension on the condition that the student has paid at least 50% of the tuition before September 29. After that time, all reasons will not be resolved.”
The school requires full tuition payment on time as prescribed to be on the class list for semester I, 2025-2026.
“When I received the information, I was extremely worried because if I was late in paying tuition just once, my name could be removed from the class list,” student M. expressed.
Part of the tuition fee announcement in document 561 dated September 23 of International University, Ho Chi Minh City National University (Photo: Screenshot).
The problem of urgent payment is difficult because tuition fees per semester range from 20-35 million VND for regular programs and 60-80 million VND for foreign joint programs.
"With the old policy, parents and students still had time to manage and arrange finances. With the new policy changing suddenly and without early notice, the financial pressure on parents and students became extremely great, causing many families to fall into a passive position," student N. was upset.
Students also questioned the unfairness of having to pay tuition 10 days earlier than postgraduate students. Most of the students are still financially dependent on their families, while the graduates already have a stable income.
School postpones deadline and relaxes extension conditions
After receiving feedback, International University, Ho Chi Minh City National University said it had accepted and promptly adjusted policies to support students.
The school has issued a new notice No. 567/TB-DHQT (September 25) replacing the previous notice 561, with many adjusted contents to create maximum conditions for learners.
Specifically, regarding the deadline for paying tuition fees, students are given an additional 10 days, meaning they must complete their tuition fees before October 15 (instead of October 5 as previously announced).
Regarding the policy for learners, students in difficult circumstances can apply for an extension before October 5 (instead of September 29 as previously announced).
The school also does not require a 50% advance payment of tuition fees to be considered for extension as in the initial announcement.
Explaining further about this content, the school said that the regulation requiring students to pay 50% of tuition in advance to be considered for an extension in the initial notice was due to an error on the part of the document drafting department.
“This content was included in the old notices, but the school's Academic Council decided to remove it. Due to an error in the drafting process, the responsible unit did not have time to remove it, leading to students misunderstanding that they had to pay 50% before September 29 and the remaining amount by October 5. As soon as it was discovered, the unit recognized the administrative error and adjusted it in the new notice,” the school explained.
Students of International University have their tuition payment deadline extended by 10 days (Illustration: Huyen Nguyen).
Regarding students’ questions about comparing tuition payment deadlines between undergraduate and graduate programs, the school said that due to the different characteristics of training management, deadlines are set separately. However, the school’s Board of Directors has also directed departments to review to ensure reasonableness, consistency and maximum convenience for learners.
The school also said that it has been working with credit institutions and policy banks to support tuition loans for students in difficult circumstances, creating conditions for students and their families to be more proactive financially.
"Thus, it can be affirmed that the school has accepted opinions and promptly adjusted policies to reduce financial pressure on students and parents in the current context," said a representative of the International University.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/sinh-vien-keu-cuu-vi-chinh-sach-hoc-phi-moi-truong-dai-hoc-dieu-chinh-20251001012150198.htm
Comment (0)