Studying in Vietnam

What a year costs

Tuition. There is no national fee for international students: each university sets its own. Public universities often charge foreign students more than Vietnamese students, and English-taught and international programmes cost far more than Vietnamese-taught ones. Ask the university's international office for its current fees.

Living costs. No university or government body we checked publishes an official monthly budget for students. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City cost more than other cities; university dormitories are the cheapest housing where they take foreign students.

Visa and residence fees. From 1 April 2026 (Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC):

• single-entry visa: USD 25
• multiple-entry visa: USD 50 (under 90 days), USD 95 (90 to 180 days), USD 135 (180 days to one year)
• temporary residence card: USD 145 (up to two years), USD 155 (two to five years)

The visa

Vietnam's DH visa is for foreigners who come to study or do an internship. It is issued at the request of the inviting institution: your university applies to the Immigration Department, and you collect the visa at a Vietnamese embassy or consulate.

• A DH visa lasts up to 12 months (Article 9 of the Law on foreigners' entry and residence).
• Holders of a DH visa can be issued a temporary residence card with the DH symbol, valid for up to five years (Articles 36 and 38), so you do not need to renew a visa every year. The card cannot outlast your passport or your course.

No minimum bank balance is set in the law; the institution's sponsorship is what counts. Some universities ask for proof that you can pay fees and living costs.

Working while you study

A DH visa does not give a right to work. Paid work in Vietnam needs a work permit, which an employer applies for. Internships organised by your institution are part of the DH purpose. Budget without earnings.

After you graduate

There is no post-study visa. To stay and work, an employer must obtain a work permit for you and you move to a work (LĐ) visa or residence card.

Language

Many degree programmes at public universities are taught in Vietnamese, and some universities ask for a Vietnamese language certificate or a preparatory year. English-taught programmes exist mainly at international universities and in joint programmes with foreign universities; confirm the language of your course before you apply.

When to apply

Each university sets its own intake dates; many start in the autumn. Apply early enough for the university to request your DH visa approval, which must come before the embassy can issue the visa.

What to watch out for

Enter on the right visa. Coming in as a tourist or on an e-visa and then trying to study is a problem: the DH visa and residence card depend on your institution's sponsorship.

Get the residence card. It saves yearly visa renewals and the higher cost of repeated multiple-entry visas.

Check recognition. If you will need your degree recognised at home, check the programme with your home country's education ministry first, especially for joint programmes.

Where these numbers come from

Rules change. Check the official source before you rely on any figure. The law text cited is the 2014 law; it has since been amended (2019 and 2023), so check the current text with the Immigration Department or your university. No national tuition figure or living-cost budget was published in a form we could verify.