The joys and sorrows of new students during the enrollment season.
Rising tuition fees and high living costs are a heavy burden on many families as their children prepare to enter university. This is also a concern for many families and new students as the new academic year approaches.
Increased tuition fees... increased worries.
Instead of choosing a major or a university he liked, Nguyen Binh, a former student of Vinh University High School for Gifted Students, was more concerned about the tuition fees of the majors and universities he applied to when applying for university admission. Therefore, even though he had the opportunity to be accepted into his preferred major at the National Economics University in Hanoi, he ultimately decided to choose a university in the South.
My wish is to study in a high-quality program, but the tuition fee for this major is almost double, around 40 million VND per year. This tuition fee is beyond my family's means.
Nguyen Binh, a former student of Vinh University High School for Gifted Students.
Unable to find a suitable major, on the last day of application registration, this candidate decided to switch to universities in Ho Chi Minh City, with public universities remaining their primary criterion. Currently, this candidate has enough points to be accepted into their first choice, the University of Economics and Law, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, and they are almost certain to choose this university because the tuition fee for the regular program is only about 15 million VND per semester.
By this time, most universities nationwide have announced their tuition fees for the 2024-2025 academic year. True to the planned annual increase of 8-10%, the new tuition fees at most universities have increased by one to several million dong compared to the previous academic year.
At the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology, tuition fees for students range from 27 to 55.5 million VND per academic year. Specifically, for regular programs, the fees range from 27 to 34 million VND per academic year (an increase of 2.5 to 6.2 million VND per year compared to 2023), depending on the major. Meanwhile, tuition fees for high-quality programs range from 39 to 55 million VND per academic year, and for international joint programs, from 49 to 55.5 million VND per academic year.
At the University of Science - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, this academic year, the majors with the highest tuition fees include: Computer Science and Information, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Technology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Biology, and Biotechnology, all at 37 million VND per academic year. In previous years, the tuition fee was only 35 million VND per academic year. Besides economics-related fields, tuition fees for medical and pharmaceutical training have also increased, with some public universities charging between 4 and 10 million VND per month.
In reality, the current trend is for universities to offer multiple programs simultaneously, including mass programs, high-quality programs, and advanced programs. Of these, the latter two programs are often taught at a higher level (taught in English, using foreign textbooks, etc.), so students who want to pursue a high-quality program are forced to choose majors with higher tuition fees. This significantly increases the pressure on families sending their children to university.
My wife and I are both civil servants, earning just over 20 million VND per month. This year, our eldest child is starting university, and after careful budgeting, it's nearly 10 million VND per month, including tuition, food, accommodation, and living expenses – almost half of our family income. We have to scrimp and save to cover the remaining monthly expenses.
Parent Nguyen Van Quynh - Hung Dung ward (Vinh city)
Providing learning opportunities
To help new students have more opportunities to attend school, at the beginning of this week, the Social Policy Bank of Do Luong district launched a credit program for students in accordance with Decision No. 157/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister to all communes and towns in the entire district.
In a region with a strong tradition of learning like Do Luong district, thousands of students attend universities each year. Many of them come from poor or near-poor households, or families facing financial difficulties. In all these cases, if needed, the Social Policy Bank facilitates loans of 4 million VND per month.
Mr. Le Quang Hieu - Director of the Social Policy Bank branch in Do Luong district.
According to statistics from the Provincial Social Policy Bank, over 8,900 students have received loans under Decision No. 157, with a total outstanding debt of over 490 billion VND. Of these, 560 students have taken out new loans since the beginning of 2024, with the highest numbers in districts such as Thanh Chuong, Yen Thanh, Do Luong, Tan Ky, Dien Chau, and Quynh Luu.
Mr. Phan Thanh Huyen, Head of the Planning and Operations Department of the Provincial Social Policy Bank, stated: "The procedures for student loans are currently quite simple, and borrowers can borrow a maximum of 20 million VND per semester per student. In addition, this program allows students to borrow based on the number of years of study, with a repayment period equal to the study period plus a one-year grace period for students to find employment. This means that if a student studies for four years, the loan period is four years, and the repayment deadline is nine years from the date of borrowing, so students will not face too much pressure to repay the debt."
Over the years, the preferential credit program for students has proven effective in practice, helping disadvantaged families reduce financial pressure and providing opportunities for new students to study, establish themselves, and build their careers.
Mr. Phan Thanh Huyen - Head of Planning and Operations Department - Social Policy Bank of the province