In Ho Chi Minh City, parents pay large non-refundable deposits to secure int’l school places for children

A resident, identified as N. Thao, said she was weighing whether to pay a VND64 million (US$2,436) reservation fee to enroll her child in first grade at Australian International School after the child was accepted following a trial class and meeting with school administrators.

“The fee is required to secure a place in a class of 22 students starting on August 10 and will not be refunded if my child does not attend,” Thao said, adding that she was concerned the payment could be forfeited if her child was later admitted to a public school.

Many international and private schools in the city charge reservation or registration fees, typically on a non-refundable basis, with amounts varying widely.

At Vietnam Australia International School and EMASI International Bilingual School, reservation fees are about VND20 million ($761) per student for the upcoming school year, applied to both new and returning students and not refundable in any case.

Other institutions, including Saigon South International School and International School Ho Chi Minh City, charge application fees of around VND25 million ($951) per student, payable upon submission and also non-refundable if the student does not enroll.

At The American School, reservation fees range from VND30 million ($1,142) for kindergarten to VND55 million ($2,093) for middle-school levels, in addition to application-related fees of about VND6 million ($228) that are also non-refundable.

School representatives said the fees help guarantee placement and allow schools to plan staffing, facilities and resources, while also discouraging parents from applying to multiple schools without firm commitment.

An education expert in the city said such fees are based on agreements between schools and parents, noting that such schools use them to manage enrollment risks, while those parents should carefully consider the terms before making payments.

Vietnamese law allows private educational institutions to set tuition and service fees independently, provided they are transparent and can justify their charges.

City authorities have not banned reservation fees but require schools to disclose and limit unreasonable charges.

Some parents and experts have called for more flexible policies, including consideration of refunds in cases where students cannot enroll due to unforeseen circumstances.