Vietnam Education System Changes & Policy Tracker
Vietnam has a centrally guided education system with a 5-4-3 general education structure and strong national oversight of curriculum, exams and qualifications. The Ministry of Education and Training leads policy across preschool, general, higher, continuing and, after recent restructuring, vocational education. Key monitoring areas include school calendar decisions, grade 12 graduation examinations, curriculum implementation, higher education governance and digital transformation.
Country Education Profile
| Official Name | Socialist Republic of Viet Nam |
|---|---|
| ISO Code | VN |
| Region | Asia |
| Subregion | Southeast Asia |
| Capital / Seat | Hanoi |
| Compulsory Education | Primary education is legally compulsory, normally beginning at age 6 and covering grades 1-5. Vietnam also implements universalization policies for preschool education for 5-year-old children and lower secondary education. |
| School Structure | The national education system includes preschool education, general education, vocational education and higher education. General education is structured as primary education in grades 1-5, lower secondary education in grades 6-9 and upper secondary education in grades 10-12. |
| Academic Year | The school year usually runs from early September to late May. The national opening date is commonly around 5 September, while provincial Departments of Education and Training issue detailed local calendars within the national framework. |
| Main Exams | Key assessments include the national High School Graduation Examination at the end of grade 12, local entrance examinations or selection procedures for grade 10 and specialized schools, and university admission methods based on graduation exam results, school records and institution-specific assessments. |
| Higher Education | Higher education includes bachelor, master and doctoral levels delivered by universities, academies and other higher education institutions. The Ministry of Education and Training is the main national authority, with institutional governance also involving line ministries, public owners and accreditation bodies. |
| Vocational Education | Vocational education provides elementary, intermediate and college-level training and shorter vocational programs. Following government restructuring in 2025, vocational education management was transferred to the Ministry of Education and Training, with emphasis on workforce skills, digital transformation and links to employers. |
| Digital Education | Vietnam is expanding digital transformation in education through education-sector databases, online teaching guidance, learning management systems, digital learning resources and digital higher education initiatives. Implementation varies by locality, institution and infrastructure access. |
| Governance | Education is centrally guided by the Government and the Ministry of Education and Training, while provincial Departments of Education and Training and local authorities manage many implementation duties. The system combines national curriculum, assessment and legal frameworks with local responsibility for school calendars, staffing and service delivery. |
| International Student Note | Vietnam is relevant both as a source country for international admissions and as a destination for regional study. Qualification recognition, foreign degree verification and cross-border education matters are linked to VN-NARIC and MOET-related approval processes. |
| Last Verified | 2026-07-06 |
Latest Education Changes
MOET Regulates Technology and AI Use in Higher and Vocational Education (Vietnam, June 2026)
MOET issued a regulation on the application of technology in higher education and vocational education. The circular covers digital technology, artificial intelligence, and related technologies used in teaching, assessment, research, management, and learner services.
MOET Updates Guidance for Master’s and Doctoral Training of Higher Education Lecturers (Vietnam, June 2026)
MOET issued guidance for implementing master's and doctoral training for lecturers at higher education institutions under the national Project 89 framework.
Finance Ministry Sets Budget Rules for Training Foreign Students in Vietnam (Vietnam, June 2026)
Vietnam's Ministry of Finance issued rules on state-budget estimation, management, use, and settlement for training foreign students in Vietnam.
MOET Lists Scholarship-Eligible Fields in Basic Sciences and Strategic Technologies (Vietnam, June 2026)
MOET issued the official list of training fields eligible for monthly scholarship support under the national policy for basic sciences, key engineering, and strategic technologies.
MOET Repeals Eleven Older Education Regulations (Vietnam, June 2026)
MOET issued a circular repealing eleven older legal documents in the education sector. The repeals remove outdated rules covering several areas of school and education administration.
MOET Issues New Regulation for Private General Education Schools (Vietnam, June 2026)
MOET issued a new regulation on the organization and operation of private primary schools, lower-secondary schools, upper-secondary schools, and multi-level general education schools.
MOET Amends Local Education Administration Functions (Vietnam, June 2026)
MOET amended rules defining the functions, tasks, and powers of provincial Departments of Education and Training and commune-level Culture-Social Affairs Offices in education and training.
MOET Issues Charter for Vocational High Schools (Vietnam, June 2026)
MOET issued a dedicated charter for vocational high schools. The charter defines the position, objectives, duties, rights, organization, management, learners, teachers, finance, assets, and external relationships of vocational high schools.
Monthly Change Archive
Vietnam Education System Statistics
This module summarizes Vietnam’s national education system using legal structure data, ministry-linked administrative statistics, National Statistics Office releases, high-trust international finance indicators, and official government reporting. Source years differ across legal, school, higher education, TVET, examination, and finance datasets.
Education System Snapshot
Values are shown with their own source year because Vietnam’s school, higher education, TVET, legal, and finance data are reported on different calendars.
Student Pathway Through Vietnam’s Education System
Vietnam uses a 12-grade general education route with separate vocational and higher education pathways after lower or upper secondary education.
Governance and Responsibility Map
Vietnam’s education system is nationally directed, with local departments and institutions carrying out delivery, admissions, certificates, and reporting duties.
Ministry of Education and Training
MOET is the main national authority for preschool, general education, higher education, and, from March 2025, TVET system oversight.
National Statistics Office
The National Statistics Office publishes education indicators through PX-Web tables, statistical yearbooks, and socio-economic releases.
Provincial Departments of Education and Training
Provincial departments support school operation, local reporting, and upper secondary diploma administration under national rules.
Schools and institutions
Schools implement national programs, certify primary program completion, and support transition records according to ministry rules.
Higher education institutions
Universities and academies operate under national higher education rules, including admission, training scale, staffing, and quality processes.
TVET providers
Colleges, intermediate institutions, and continuing education providers deliver vocational programs and short-term training routes.
General Education Enrollment by Stage
Primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary enrollment in the 2023–2024 school year.
The chart uses MOET-linked 2023–2024 administrative counts. Preschool, TVET, and higher education are not combined into this chart because their source definitions differ.
Chart analysis
- Primary education has the largest reported general education enrollment among the three school stages shown.
- Lower secondary enrollment is about 73% of the primary count in this source year.
- Upper secondary enrollment is about 46% of lower secondary enrollment in the same source set.
Higher Education Enrollment by Sector
Student scale in public and non-public higher education institutions, 2023–2024.
Higher education counts are not K–12 enrollment counts. They use a separate MOET higher education statistical release for the 2023–2024 academic year.
Chart analysis
- Public institutions enrolled 77.24% of higher education students in the 2023–2024 source data.
- Non-public institutions enrolled 22.76% of higher education students in the same release.
- The sector split should be read as an administrative enrollment distribution, not an outcome measure.
National Education System Indicators
This table combines stable system structure indicators with administrative counts. Each row keeps its own source year and source family.
| Area | Indicator | Value | Unit | Source year | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| System structure | General education route | 12 | Grades | Current legal structure | Education law and MOET-linked structure data | Grades 1–12 are split into primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary. |
| Compulsory education | Current compulsory levels | 9 | Grades | Law effective 2026 | Law No. 123/2025/QH15 summary | Primary and lower secondary are compulsory under the amended law. |
| Compulsory education | Typical starting age | 6 | Years old | Current structure | Education law structure | Grade 1 entry is normally at age 6. |
| Language | Official language used in general education | Vietnamese | Language | 2023–2024 source note | AQRF Referencing Report of Vietnam | Applies to general education institutions in the cited system description. |
| Total system | Students beginning the school year | Over 25M | Students | 2024–2025 school year | Government News citing MOET | National opening-year count across education levels. |
| Total system | Primary, secondary and high school pupils | Nearly 23.2M | Pupils | 2024–2025 school year | Government News citing MOET | This count excludes some non-school education categories. |
| Institutions | Educational institutions | Nearly 54,000 | Institutions | 2024–2025 school year | Government News citing MOET | National count across institution types. |
| Workforce | Lecturers, teachers, managers and education workers | Almost 1.66M | People | 2024–2025 school year | Government News citing MOET | Combined personnel count; not only classroom teachers. |
| Preschool | Preschools | 15,269 | Institutions | As of June 20, 2024 | National Statistics Office release | Preschool education count reported in the NSO socio-economic release. |
| Preschool | Preschool teachers | 365.2K | Teachers | As of June 20, 2024 | National Statistics Office release | Rounded by source to thousand people. |
| Primary education | Primary schools | 12,147 | Institutions | 2023–2024 school year | MOET-linked data in AQRF report | Includes public and non-public institutions. |
| Primary education | Primary students | 8,876,320 | Students | 2023–2024 school year | MOET-linked data in AQRF report | Administrative enrollment count. |
| Primary education | Public primary students | 8,721,555 | Students | 2023–2024 school year | MOET-linked data in AQRF report | Public institutions only. |
| Primary education | Non-public primary students | 154,765 | Students | 2023–2024 school year | MOET-linked data in AQRF report | Non-public institutions only. |
| Lower secondary education | Lower secondary schools | 10,735 | Institutions | 2023–2024 school year | MOET-linked data in AQRF report | Includes public and non-public institutions. |
| Lower secondary education | Lower secondary students | 6,513,021 | Students | 2023–2024 school year | MOET-linked data in AQRF report | Administrative enrollment count. |
| Lower secondary education | Public lower secondary students | 6,411,228 | Students | 2023–2024 school year | MOET-linked data in AQRF report | Public institutions only. |
| Lower secondary education | Non-public lower secondary students | 101,793 | Students | 2023–2024 school year | MOET-linked data in AQRF report | Non-public institutions only. |
| Upper secondary education | Upper secondary schools | 2,973 | Institutions | 2023–2024 school year | MOET-linked data in AQRF report | Includes public and non-public institutions. |
| Upper secondary education | Upper secondary students | 2,989,182 | Students | 2023–2024 school year | MOET-linked data in AQRF report | Administrative enrollment count. |
| Upper secondary education | Public upper secondary students | 2,652,201 | Students | 2023–2024 school year | MOET-linked data in AQRF report | Public institutions only. |
| Upper secondary education | Non-public upper secondary students | 336,981 | Students | 2023–2024 school year | MOET-linked data in AQRF report | Non-public institutions only. |
| Exams | High school graduation exam registrations | 1,067,391 | Candidates | 2024 exam cycle | VietnamPlus citing MOET | Registration count by the end of the 2024 registration period. |
| Exams | Independent candidates in graduation exam registration | 45,344 | Candidates | 2024 exam cycle | VietnamPlus citing MOET | Included in the full 2024 registration count. |
| Higher education | Higher education institutions | 243 | Institutions | 2023–2024 academic year | MOET higher education statistics | Includes 176 public and 67 non-public institutions. |
| Higher education | Higher education enrollment | 2,355,711 | Students | 2023–2024 academic year | MOET higher education statistics | Public and non-public sectors combined. |
| Higher education | New higher education entrants | 601,966 | Students | 2023–2024 academic year | MOET higher education statistics | New intake count in the higher education release. |
| Higher education | Master and doctoral training scale | 108,674 | Students / candidates | 2023–2024 academic year | MOET higher education statistics | Includes master’s learners and doctoral candidates. |
| Higher education | Core higher education lecturers | 84,031 | Lecturers | 2023–2024 academic year | MOET higher education statistics | Public and non-public institutions combined. |
| TVET | Expected TVET enrollment | 2,506,322 | Learners | 2024 | AQRF Referencing Report of Vietnam | Includes intermediate, college, elementary, and short-term vocational routes. |
| TVET | Intermediate and college TVET learners | 681,901 | Learners | 2024 | AQRF Referencing Report of Vietnam | Reported as part of expected 2024 TVET enrollment. |
| TVET | Elementary and short-term vocational learners | 1,824,421 | Learners | 2024 | AQRF Referencing Report of Vietnam | Reported as part of expected 2024 TVET enrollment. |
| Finance | Government education expenditure | 2.89 | % of GDP | 2022 | UIS / World Bank | World Bank WDI value sourced from UIS. |
| Finance | Government education expenditure | 15.4 | % of government expenditure | 2022 | UIS / World Bank | World Bank WDI value sourced from UIS. |
Education Levels and Typical Ages
Ages are typical national route ages. Entry ages can vary for individual students.
| Level | Typical age | Years / grades | International alignment | Authority | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursery and preschool | 3 months–6 years | Nursery and kindergarten groups | Early childhood education | MOET and local authorities | Preschool universalization policy covers children aged 3–6 under the amended law. |
| Primary education | 6–10 | 5 years, Grades 1–5 | ISCED 1 | MOET and local education departments | Part of the current compulsory span. |
| Lower secondary education | 11–14 | 4 years, Grades 6–9 | ISCED 2 | MOET and local education departments | Part of the current compulsory span. |
| Upper secondary general education | 15–17 | 3 years, Grades 10–12 | ISCED 3 general | MOET and provincial departments | Completion can be followed by the national high school graduation examination. |
| Vocational secondary / TVET route | After lower secondary or later entry | Elementary, intermediate, college routes | Vocational and postsecondary routes vary by program | MOET from March 2025 | Intermediate learners may combine TVET with upper secondary education content where applicable. |
| Bachelor’s or equivalent | After upper secondary or equivalent route | Program length varies | Tertiary education | MOET and higher education institutions | Admission routes can use national exam results and institution-based methods. |
| Master’s education | Post-bachelor’s | Program length varies | Graduate tertiary education | MOET and higher education institutions | Included in the graduate training scale reported by MOET. |
| Doctoral education | Post-master’s or approved route | Program length varies | Doctoral tertiary education | MOET and higher education institutions | Doctoral candidates are reported separately inside the graduate training scale. |
Exams and Transition Points
Vietnam combines program completion, local education administration, a national high school graduation examination, and higher education admission routes.
| Transition | Exam or process | Typical stage | Managing authority | Purpose | Source note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary completion | Primary program completion certification | End of Grade 5 | School principal under MOET rules | Record completion of the primary program | Education law structure and AQRF report description |
| Primary to lower secondary | Transition after primary completion | Grade 5 to Grade 6 | Local education authorities and schools | Continue into compulsory lower secondary education | Current compulsory span covers primary and lower secondary |
| Lower secondary completion | Lower secondary completion process | End of Grade 9 | District-level education authority | Complete lower secondary route and support Grade 10 or TVET entry | AQRF report describes district-level diploma authority for the pre-2026 structure |
| Lower secondary to upper secondary | Grade 10 entry process | After Grade 9 | Provincial and local education authorities | Placement into upper secondary general education where applicable | Local rules can affect entry procedures |
| Upper secondary completion | National high school graduation examination | End of Grade 12 | MOET and provincial education departments | Graduation certification and support for admission use | 1,067,391 candidates registered for the 2024 exam cycle |
| Upper secondary non-pass or non-sitting route | Certificate of Completion of the General Education Program | After completing Grade 12 program requirements | School principal | Document completion where the graduation exam is not passed or not taken | AQRF report describes certificate use for prescribed cases |
| Higher education admission | Admission based on approved methods | After upper secondary or equivalent route | MOET and higher education institutions | Entry into bachelor’s or equivalent programs | Graduation exam results may be one input among approved admission methods |
| TVET progression | Program assessment and institutional certification | Vocational route | MOET and TVET institutions | Progression through elementary, intermediate, and college routes | TVET transferred under MOET oversight from March 2025 |
Higher Education and TVET Detail
Higher education and TVET use different reporting systems from general schools, so values are separated by source area.
| Sector | Indicator | Value | Unit | Source year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Higher education | Public higher education institutions | 176 | Institutions | 2023–2024 | Part of 243 total higher education institutions. |
| Higher education | Non-public higher education institutions | 67 | Institutions | 2023–2024 | Part of 243 total higher education institutions. |
| Higher education | Public higher education students | 1,819,416 | Students | 2023–2024 | 77.24% of the higher education student scale in the source data. |
| Higher education | Non-public higher education students | 536,295 | Students | 2023–2024 | 22.76% of the higher education student scale in the source data. |
| Higher education | Full-time higher education students | 2,113,042 | Students | 2023–2024 | Reported training form in the higher education statistics table. |
| Higher education | Work-study higher education students | 132,578 | Students | 2023–2024 | Reported training form in the higher education statistics table. |
| Higher education | Distance higher education students | 110,091 | Students | 2023–2024 | Reported training form in the higher education statistics table. |
| TVET | TVET colleges | 409 | Institutions | 2023–2024 source table | Reported with 260,000 learners in the cited TVET table. |
| TVET | Intermediate institutions | 459 | Institutions | 2023–2024 source table | Reported with 350,000 learners in the cited TVET table. |
| TVET | Continuing education institutions | 11,087 | Institutions | 2023–2024 source table | Includes continuing education centers, vocational and continuing education centers, and community learning centers. |
Source-Year Crosswalk
The same country profile uses several source clocks. This crosswalk prevents treating them as one single reporting year.
| Data area | Source family | Collection type | Source year | Use in module |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal structure | Education law and amended law summaries | Legal text | Effective 2026 for compulsory span | Compulsory levels and current route notes |
| School opening totals | Government News citing MOET | Ministry-reported administrative summary | 2024–2025 school year | Total students, pupils, institutions, and personnel snapshot |
| General school enrollment | MOET-linked 2023–2024 tables in AQRF report | Administrative school statistics | 2023–2024 school year | Primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary schools and students |
| Preschool institutions and teachers | National Statistics Office release | Administrative statistical release | As of June 20, 2024 | Preschool school and teacher snapshot rows |
| High school graduation exam | VietnamPlus citing MOET | Exam registration system count | 2024 exam cycle | Exam registrations and independent candidate rows |
| Higher education | MOET higher education statistics | Administrative higher education statistics | 2023–2024 academic year | Institutions, enrollment, intake, graduate scale, lecturers |
| TVET | AQRF Referencing Report of Vietnam | Administrative TVET reporting | 2024 and 2021–2024 period | TVET providers and learners |
| Education finance | UIS / World Bank WDI | Internationally harmonized finance indicator | 2022 | Government education expenditure as share of GDP and government expenditure |
Data Interpretation Notes
These notes define how to read the indicators without merging unlike source systems.
Current law and older enrollment tables differ
The compulsory education row reflects the amended legal position in force from 2026. The school enrollment tables use 2023–2024 administrative data collected before that legal change.
General school counts are not total system counts
Primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary tables describe general education stages. Preschool, TVET, higher education, and continuing education use separate reporting groups.
Finance indicators use UIS definitions
The World Bank finance rows are UIS-sourced indicators. They should not be compared directly with school enrollment totals as a performance measure.
Sector labels depend on source definitions
Public and non-public labels in school and higher education data are administrative categories from the cited sources. They are not rankings.
Sources and Methodology
Ministry of Education and Training
Used for national authority context and higher education statistical releases.
National Statistics Office of Vietnam
Used for preschool, general education tables, yearbook references, and statistical releases where available.
Government News of Viet Nam
Used for 2024–2025 school-year opening totals reported with MOET figures.
AQRF Referencing Report of Vietnam
Used for the student pathway, general education school-stage tables, TVET provider counts, TVET learner figures, and governance transfer notes.
VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
Used for the 2024 national high school graduation examination registration count attributed to MOET.
World Bank / UNESCO UIS
Used for internationally harmonized public education expenditure indicators.
Education law reference
Used for current compulsory education wording and preschool universalization under the 2025 amendment effective from 2026.
Method: administrative school figures are kept in their original school-year or academic-year groups. Rounded national opening totals remain rounded. Finance values are UIS / World Bank values and are shown with their indicator units. Percentages in the chart analysis are calculated only from values in the same source group. Values from different school years, legal years, fiscal years, and academic years are not summed into a single derived national total.
Vietnam education indicators should not be merged across different source years, units, sectors, legal definitions, and reporting systems without a stated method. Administrative enrollment, exam registration, TVET participation, higher education scale, and finance indicators describe different measurement systems.