For the 2026-2027 academic year, newly admitted students at many public higher education facilities must pay maximum tuition rates. However, this is also the first academic year that incoming students will benefit from the national scholarship policy under Government Decree 179/2026/ND-CP on scholarship policies for learners who major in basic sciences, key engineering fields, and strategic technologies (Decree 179).
Students receive access to preferential loans
According to Associate Professor Phan Hong Hai, Principal of Ho Chi Minh City Industrial University, implementing Decree 179, the institution has 16 undergraduate majors, 9 master's majors, and 7 doctoral majors eligible for this support policy this year. Additionally, the institution has allocated approximately VND70 billion (US$2.66 million) to support incoming students, policy-beneficiary students, and students facing financial hardships.
Meanwhile, for an institution specializing in engineering and technology, Associate Professor Bui Hoai Thang, Head of the Academic Affairs Department at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology - Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, stated that this year, all 11 faculties of the institution have at least one major (totaling 32 majors across the institution) eligible for support under Decree 179. This serves as a significant motivator for students to alleviate financial concerns and focus on completing their entire programs.
To share tuition burdens with learners in the new academic year, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City has signed cooperation agreements with technology corporations, as well as domestic and international enterprises, through terms and programs providing loan limits for students. Specifically, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City and Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank signed a cooperation program to provide a loan limit of VND50 billion for regular students across 8 member institutions. Accordingly, students can borrow between VND30 million and VND50 million per year.
Institutions roll out numerous scholarship programs
According to Nguyen Quoc Anh, Vice Principal of HUTECH, the institution is deploying numerous financial support policies in 2026 to help candidates and their families proactively and confidently enter enrollment. Alongside this, the institution is implementing various scholarship programs with support ranging from 25 percent to 100 percent of full-course tuition, intended for candidates with strong academic records, and outstanding achievements in academics, science and engineering, culture and arts, sports, and other areas.
Associate Professor Tran Huy Hoang, Permanent Vice Principal of Van Hien University, stated that the institution has allocated VND150 billion in scholarships to support incoming students. Accordingly, from the enrollment period through August 21, candidates admitted via their first and second preferences will receive support covering 50 percent to 60 percent of the tuition for the first semester, alongside an additional VND2 million for travel and accommodation expenses upon enrollment.
The scholarship policy under Decree 179 will take effect on September 1, 2026, for learners admitted from 2025 onward. Specifically, students admitted to talent training programs will receive a scholarship of VND5.5 million per month (10 months per academic year), students majoring in semiconductor microchips and basic sciences will receive VND4.2 million per month; students in key engineering and strategic technology fields will receive VND3.7 million per month. For education students, aside from tuition waivers and reductions, they will also receive living allowance support at VND3.63 million per month.
