New students have to pay a series of bills from electricity, air conditioner maintenance to uniforms. What does the school say?

In addition to tuition fees, many universities collect a series of 'admission fees', surprising new students and their parents, even shocking them because the total cost to pay on the first day of school is too high.

Not only tuition fees, new students also have to bear millions of dong in additional fees when completing admission procedures - Illustration photo AI

The "strange" fees at universities have shocked many new students, and parents cannot help but ask: what is a reasonable fee and who controls these fees other than tuition?

Surprised by a series of fees other than tuition

Ho Chi Minh City University of Technical Education stipulates that the tuition fees for new students of the 2025 course, in addition to the first semester tuition fee (ranging from 16 to 32 million VND, depending on the training program), also include an admission fee of 300,000 VND/student (fees for admission guidance documents, early-term activities, student handbook, student card).

In addition to tuition fees, each new student of Phan Chau Trinh University must pay the following fees at the beginning of the course when enrolling: uniform 2,850,000 VND (one set of blouse, one set of lab-operating room practice clothes, one set of daily school clothes, one formal dress, one sports uniform); health insurance 1,105,650 VND. Notably, the fee for the first health check-up at the school is up to 700,000 VND/student.

Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture stipulates that each new student must pay admission fees, including: tuition fee for semester 1 of the 2025-2026 school year (16 credits x 516,000 VND/credit) 8,256,000 VND; health insurance 789,750 VND/15 months; health check-up 100,000 VND; tuition fee for national defense and security education : 1,550,000 VND; student card making fee, admission application processing 100,000 VND; electricity usage fee and classroom air conditioning maintenance fee (16 credits x 6,000 VND/credit) 96,000 VND.

The fees that Ho Chi Minh City Open University requires new students to pay when completing the admission procedures include the first semester tuition fee (approximately) of 15,500,000 VND. The above tuition fee does not include other fees such as: health insurance 789,750 VND/15 months, accident insurance 168,000 VND/4 years, gym uniform 170,000 VND/set, international standard TAKC exam questions 200,000 VND (except for language majors in the standard program and English language in the advanced program).

What does the university say about the controversial fees?

According to the representative of Ho Chi Minh City Open University, due to the uneven English proficiency of incoming students, the school organizes an English proficiency test to classify the level and consider appropriate exemptions. Thanks to that, students can study at the right level, saving time and tuition for unnecessary English classes.

The English entrance exam fee that parents are asking about is to pay for the proficiency test which is copyrighted by Oxford University Press. Students who do not take the exam will be refunded this fee. Students who are exempt from the entrance exam do not have to take this exam.

Regarding accident insurance fees, according to the school representative, to ensure safety and support students in preventing accidents and injuries, the school has implemented many solutions, including encouraging students to purchase accident insurance.

"In fact, each year, nearly 40 students have accidents and have received financial support from insurance, helping to reduce the financial burden. Collecting accident insurance for new students is a form of "collecting and paying on behalf" to buy the right level of insurance, to prevent risks throughout the 4 years of study. Most universities apply this form.

In case students already have their own accident insurance or do not need it, if they give feedback to the school, it will be accepted and they will not be forced to participate," said a school representative.

Mr. Lam Nhan - Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture - affirmed that these fees are not new and have been applied for many years.

"Previously, the school had asked students for their opinions on equipping all classrooms with air conditioners, but to maintain and use the air conditioners, students had to pay extra for electricity and maintenance fees. With the current tuition fees, students can only study in fan rooms; if they want to study in air-conditioned rooms, they have to pay extra fees," said Mr. Nhan.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tan-sinh-vien-ganh-loat-khoan-thu-tu-tien-dien-bao-tri-may-lanh-den-dong-phuc-truong-noi-gi-20250916204811213.htm