Clarification on Tuition Support for Disadvantaged Students in Vietnam

Post by : Shakul

Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training has provided important clarifications about tuition support aimed at students in disadvantaged regions. This update follows an inquiry from Nguyen Huu Loi of Quang Tri province, regarding the eligibility of high school students from severely disadvantaged coastal communes studying in better-resourced areas.

The ministry referenced Clause 4, Article 17 of Government Decree No. 238/2025/ND-CP, enacted on September 3, 2025, which lays out the criteria for tuition support, tuition exemptions, and learning cost assistance in the education sector. This initiative primarily targets students from impoverished communities, enabling their continued education without facing financial hurdles.

As per the ministry, learning cost support is available for preschoolers, primary and secondary students, and trainees engaged in continuing education, provided they reside permanently in particularly disadvantaged areas, including Zone III ethnic minority regions, or coastal and island communes designated by authorities.

Moreover, the regulations permit these students to attend educational facilities located outside their home areas if suitable institutions are absent. In such instances, they remain eligible for the financial support outlined in the decree. The aim is to promote equal educational access for youth from remote and underprivileged regions.

Nevertheless, the ministry pointed out that Nguyen Huu Loi’s inquiry did not specify whether a high school is present in the disadvantaged commune of residence. Officials clarified that eligibility relates to the availability of educational institutions in the student’s local area; lack of a high school there would allow for eligibility even while studying in another district.

This governmental policy has been designed to mitigate educational inequality and motivate students from challenging backgrounds to pursue their studies. Many coastal, mountainous, and ethnic minority communities in Vietnam continue to grapple with inadequate educational facilities, transportation issues, and economic constraints that hinder school attendance.

Experts in education have emphasized that financial programs like tuition assistance and learning subsidies are crucial for enhancing literacy rates and improving educational access in rural areas. The ministry has also stressed that local authorities must meticulously assess each case to ensure that support is directed to genuinely eligible students.

In recent years, Vietnam has broadened its social welfare and educational support initiatives as part of a larger commitment to fostering human resource development and alleviating poverty in marginalized communities. Officials are optimistic that such efforts will result in enhanced educational prospects and contribute to the overall social and economic advancement of the nation.