Study in Vietnam: Admission, Cost, Visa and Scholarships (2027)

Vietnam's law on the entry, exit and residence of foreigners gives study its own visa symbol, DH, issued to people entering for internship or study. The consolidated text of March 2026, which includes amendments in force since 1 July 2026, sets the rules summarised here. A DH visa is valid for no more than one year. Every visa needs an inviting or sponsoring agency, organisation or individual in Vietnam, and a foreigner entering to study must have a written acceptance from a Vietnamese school or educational institution. The immigration authority considers a visa request within five working days of receiving it and replies to the sponsor.

Students who stay longer can hold a temporary residence card with the same DH symbol. The sponsoring party files the application with the immigration authority where it is based, the card is considered within five working days of a complete file, and a DH card is valid for up to five years, ending at least 30 days before the passport expires. Extensions of stay are also decided within five working days.

Fees are set by Ministry of Finance Circular 28/2026, in force since 1 April 2026. A single-entry visa costs USD 25, a multiple-entry visa USD 50 for up to 90 days, USD 95 for up to 180 days and USD 135 for up to one year. A temporary residence card costs USD 145 for up to two years and USD 155 for two to five years, and each extension of stay costs USD 10. Fees are not refunded when an application fails. The law does not say whether a DH visa is issued for single or multiple entry, so the fee depends on the visa granted.

On work, the law allows people studying under an international treaty or agreement to work with written permission from their school, and a 2025 decree exempts foreign students with an internship agreement or job offer letter from needing a work permit. Neither text sets a weekly hour limit, and no rule was found for self-funded students outside an agreement.

Universities admit foreign students who hold a qualification at least equivalent to the Vietnamese one. Students on Vietnamese Government scholarships under international agreements receive full tuition support, a monthly living allowance of VND 4,175,000 at bachelor's level or VND 4,955,000 for master's and doctoral study, a housing allowance of VND 2,000,000 a month and a one-time setup payment of VND 5,800,000, under Circular 77/2026. English-taught private universities such as VinUniversity set their own tuition and English requirements.