School Fees by Stage in Hanoi 2025–2026: The Full Picture for Parents School fees by stage in Hanoi for the 2025–2026 school year include many details parents need to read carefully. This isn’t only because state school fees are set according to location, but also because the gap between state, private, bilingual and international schools is very large. For a family choosing a school, the question isn’t just “How much do we pay each year?” Parents need to know the total budget, including tuition, enrolment fees, school meals, the school bus, learning materials, English language support and the likelihood of fee increases at each stage. This article gives parents a realistic picture of kindergarten, primary, lower secondary and upper secondary school fees in Hanoi, so families can plan their finances for their child’s education more effectively. The full picture of school fees by stage in Hanoi, 2025–2026 To understand school fees by stage in Hanoi, parents should separate the information into two groups. The first group is the fee levels, fee compensation or tuition support set by the State. The second group is the actual fees charged by private, bilingual and international schools. Two documents parents should check first Decree 238/2025/NĐ-CP is an important document covering how tuition fees are collected and managed, and policies on fee exemptions, reductions and support with learning costs. According to publicly available information, this decree took effect on 3 September 2025 and replaces Decree 81/2021/NĐ-CP and Decree 97/2023/NĐ-CP. For parents in Hanoi, the second document to follow is the Resolution of the Hanoi People’s Council dated 13 November 2025 on tuition fee levels, compensation for fee exemptions and tuition support from the 2025–2026 school year. This resolution distinguishes fee levels by type of area: wards and communes. The ward rate is higher than the commune rate. State school fees in Hanoi, 2025–2026 Stage Ward rate Commune rate Nursery and kindergarten (excluding 5-year-olds) VND 217,000/month VND 95,000/month Kindergarten (5-year-olds), primary, lower secondary VND 155,000/month VND 75,000/month Upper secondary, continuing education at upper secondary level VND 217,000/month VND 95,000/month Important note: The table above shows the fee levels, compensation levels or reference levels for support set out in the resolution. When completing paperwork, parents should check the latest notices from the school and the local education authority. At private, bilingual and international schools, published fees are usually much higher than the state framework. Families also need to budget for costs beyond tuition. School fees at each stage in Hanoi across 3 school segments In Hanoi, parents usually come across three main groups of schools. State schools apply fee levels set by the State and local authorities. Mid- to high-end private and bilingual schools usually combine the Vietnamese curriculum with enhanced English, embedded international elements or extended extracurricular activities. International schools usually have a more clearly international curriculum, higher fees and a pathway towards international progression or study abroad. The fee ranges below are for reference only. Actual figures may vary by school year, year group, programme, scholarships and each school’s discount policies. Kindergarten fees in Hanoi Kindergarten is the first stage where parents can clearly see the difference between school segments. For children of the same age, 3–5, fees can vary enormously depending on the programme and the amount of English. State schools For nursery and kindergarten, excluding 5-year-olds, the state fee levels are: Ward: VND 217,000/month Commune: VND 95,000/month For 5-year-olds in kindergarten, the levels in the table are: Ward: VND 155,000/month Commune: VND 75,000/month Parents still need to budget for school meals, learning supplies, uniforms and any after-school activities. Private and bilingual schools Reference range: VND 60–180 million a year. In this group, parents should look closely at how much English is actually taught. Some schools use the name “bilingual”, but English may make up only part of the school day. When asking about fees, ask three more questions: How much English does my child learn each day? Are lessons led by international or Vietnamese teachers? Are meals, extracurricular activities and trips included in the tuition fee? International schools Reference range: Segment Reference fees Tier 1 international schools VND 350–500 million a year Tier 2 international schools VND 200–350 million a year At international kindergartens, parents shouldn’t only ask “How many letters will my child learn?” What matters more is a learning environment based on play, language development, social and emotional development and independence – the focus commonly found in international early years programmes for 4–5-year-olds. For schools following the IB, parents need to check clearly which programme applies to each age group. Not every school uses the same framework in kindergarten and primary. Primary school fees in Hanoi Primary school is the foundation stage. When calculating fees, parents should look at the 5-year cycle rather than only the first year. State schools According to the state fee table for 2025–2026, primary school fees are: Ward: VND 155,000/month Commune: VND 75,000/month However, parents need to check fee exemption, compensation and support policies at the time of enrolment. Beyond the basic fee, families may still have costs for school meals, uniforms, learning materials and experiential activities. Private and bilingual schools Reference range: VND 100–250 million a year. These can be divided into two common groups: School group Reference fee range Common features Mid-range private schools VND 80–120 million a year Vietnamese curriculum with enhanced English High-end bilingual schools VND 150–250 million a year Combining the Vietnamese curriculum with an international framework At primary level, parents should ask clearly about the academic English programme. This is an important foundation if the family wants their child to move to an international programme at lower or upper secondary level. International schools Reference range: Segment Reference fees Tier 1 international schools VND 500–700 million a year Tier 2 international schools VND 300–450 million a year For the IB PYP, parents should find out how the school organises inquiry-based learning, projects and transdisciplinary themes – the description of project-based learning in the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) can help you picture this more clearly. When comparing primary school fees, calculate the full 5 years. Some schools increase fees every year; others increase them by year group. The total difference after 5 years can be much larger than it first seems. Lower secondary school fees in Hanoi Lower secondary is the stage when many parents start to consider changing schools. This is usually because of the focus on English, an international curriculum or plans to study abroad after Grade 9 or Grade 12. State schools According to the state fee table, lower secondary fees are: Ward: VND 155,000/month Commune: VND 75,000/month For high-quality state schools or schools with special models, parents need to check each school’s own fee notice. Private and bilingual schools Reference range: VND 150–280 million a year. At lower secondary level, schools start to differ more clearly. Some focus on an enhanced Vietnamese curriculum; others expand STEM, extracurricular activities, projects, academic thinking and an international direction. Parents should ask clearly: How many subjects will my child study in English? How is academic English supported? Is there a pathway to the IB, Cambridge, AP or A Levels? Does the school offer early guidance on upper secondary options? International schools Reference range: Segment Reference fees Tier 1 international schools VND 600–800 million a year Tier 2 international schools VND 400–550 million a year For families planning to study abroad, lower secondary is the stage to prepare academic English, research skills, presentation skills and self-management. This is also the stage at which many schools offer the MYP framework – the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) is one example parents can look at to see how interdisciplinary learning is organised at this level. If your child is moving from the Vietnamese system to an international programme, ask about EAL support as part of understanding the fees at their stage. This is an additional fee, and it also affects how well your child adapts. Upper secondary school fees in Hanoi Upper secondary is the stage with the clearest differences in fees. It is also the stage that determines the pathway to university in Vietnam, study abroad or international progression. State schools According to the state fee table, upper secondary fees are: Ward: VND 217,000/month Commune: VND 95,000/month Beyond tuition, parents still need to budget for extra classes, exam preparation, foreign languages, international qualifications and careers guidance activities if their child plans to study abroad. Private and bilingual schools Reference range: VND 180–320 million a year. This group usually follows three main directions: The Vietnamese curriculum with enhanced English Bilingual programmes with dual qualifications International or semi-international programmes such as A Levels, AP or IB-oriented programmes When choosing an upper secondary school, parents should ask carefully about outcomes. A school with high fees isn’t necessarily the right fit if its university pathway isn’t clear. International schools Reference range: Segment Reference fees Tier 1 international schools VND 700–900 million a year Tier 2 international schools VND 500–650 million a year For the IB Diploma Programme, parents should check the school’s authorisation status, subject options, university guidance team and English entry requirements. The IB Diploma is considered by many international universities in their admissions. However, each university has its own requirements for scores, subjects and additional documents. Parents shouldn’t see the IB as a guarantee of entry to a top university. Fee comparison across 4 stages in Hanoi by 3 school segments Stage State Private / bilingual International Tier 2 International Tier 1 Kindergarten Framework: VND 75,000–217,000/month VND 60–180 million/year VND 200–350 million/year VND 350–500 million/year Primary Framework: VND 75,000–155,000/month VND 100–250 million/year VND 300–450 million/year VND 500–700 million/year Lower secondary Framework: VND 75,000–155,000/month VND 150–280 million/year VND 400–550 million/year VND 600–800 million/year Upper secondary Framework: VND 95,000–217,000/month VND 180–320 million/year VND 500–650 million/year VND 700–900 million/year Note: Fee ranges by stage for private, bilingual and international schools are for reference only. Parents need to check each school’s official fee schedule for the relevant school year. Fee comparison across 4 stages in Hanoi by 3 school segments What else should parents budget for beyond tuition? Tuition is only one part of the total education budget. At private, bilingual and international schools, the real total cost can be higher than the published fee. How much higher depends on each school’s policies. Families should ask for a detailed fee schedule before paying a deposit. Registration, deposit and place reservation fees State schools usually don’t charge place reservation fees as private schools do. At private, bilingual and international schools, parents may come across fees such as: Entrance assessment fee Registration fee Enrolment fee Place reservation fee Guarantee fee Facilities fee In the international segment, these fees can run to tens of millions of dong. Some are refundable; others are not. Parents should ask clearly before paying, especially about the conditions for a refund if the family changes its plans. Some schools set out each step and associated fee in their published admissions process – a document parents should read carefully before deciding. School meals, the school bus, uniforms and extracurricular activities These costs are easy to overlook because they usually aren’t included in the main tuition fee. Common items include: School meals School bus Summer and winter uniforms Books, learning materials and equipment Extracurricular activities Trips and field trips Exams for qualifications or international programme fees For international schools, parents should ask about costs per year, not just per month. A small monthly cost can become a large expense over a whole school year. EAL support fees EAL stands for English as an Additional Language. It is a programme that supports students learning English as an additional language. This cost usually comes up when students move from a Vietnamese-medium system to an international or English-heavy bilingual programme. EAL may be charged per term, per block or per year. Some schools include it in tuition; others charge separately. Parents should ask clearly before enrolment. Checklist: 10 additional costs to ask the school about Entrance assessment fee Registration fee Enrolment or place reservation fee Facilities fee School meals School bus Uniforms Books, learning materials and equipment EAL support, if needed Extracurricular activities, trips and qualification exams Parents and students enjoying extracurricular activities at Westlink Hanoi The latest fee exemption, reduction and support policies When calculating school fees by stage, parents shouldn’t overlook fee exemption, reduction or support policies. The support may not be large compared with international school fees, but it is still useful to know when planning a budget. Who is eligible for fee exemptions, reductions or compensation? Decree 238/2025/NĐ-CP sets out how tuition fees are collected and managed, and policies on fee exemptions, reductions and support with learning costs. In Hanoi, the City People’s Council resolution sets out fee levels, compensation for fee exemptions and tuition support levels from the 2025–2026 school year. Parents should check the original documents directly or ask the school about their child’s specific situation. Groups that usually need checking carefully include: 5-year-olds in kindergarten Primary school students Lower secondary students Students eligible under social policies Students from poor or near-poor households Students in disadvantaged areas Students at private schools eligible for support under the regulations Tuition support for private school students in Hanoi According to publicly available information from Hanoi, tuition support from the 2025–2026 school year applies to some groups of non-public educational institutions. Support for in-person learning ranges from VND 155,000 to 217,000 per student per month, depending on the stage. Support for online learning is 75% of the in-person rate, around VND 116,000–163,000 per student per month. The maximum support period needs to be checked against the regulations and implementation guidance for each school year. Scholarships from private and international schools Beyond state policies, many private, bilingual and international schools offer their own scholarships. Scholarships may be based on: Academic achievement English proficiency Sport The arts Community activities Each year’s admissions policy For Westlink, parents can find out about scholarships directly from the admissions team. Parents finding out about scholarships at Westlink Hanoi A 13-year education budget for your child Parents often compare fees year by year. But education is a long journey from kindergarten to the end of upper secondary school. Looking at the 13-year pathway makes the financial picture clearer and helps families decide at which stage to invest most. The state school pathway If your child attends state schools in Hanoi, the basic fees under the framework are usually much lower than in other segments. However, parents still need to budget for costs beyond tuition, such as: School meals Extra classes Foreign languages Soft skills Extracurricular activities Qualification exam preparation Transition exams between stages The real total budget can therefore be much higher than the basic fees. The mid- to high-end private and bilingual pathway In mid- to high-end private and bilingual schools, fees usually rise with each stage. The reference range is VND 1.5–3.2 billion over 13 years, excluding additional fees, scholarships or discounts. This pathway suits families who want a better learning environment than state schools and enhanced English, while staying connected to the Vietnamese education system. The international pathway At international schools, the total cost over 13 years can be much higher. Reference range: Segment Reference total tuition over 13 years International Tier 2 VND 5–7 billion International Tier 1 VND 8–10 billion These fee ranges by stage don’t include additional fees. Parents also need to account for enrolment fees, the school bus, meals, EAL, learning materials, trips and likely annual fee increases. A formula for calculating your real budget Parents can use a simple formula: Annual budget = Tuition + compulsory additional fees + optional additional fees + a buffer for fee increases Where: Compulsory additional fees include enrolment fees, learning materials and uniforms, if applicable. Optional additional fees include the school bus, EAL and paid extracurricular activities. The buffer for fee increases should be calculated for each school year. This approach helps parents avoid looking only at the published fee and then finding their budget off track once their child enrols. Westlink in the picture of international school fees in Hanoi Westlink International School Hanoi is an international school in the Tay Ho Tay area of Hanoi, with a 2.5-hectare campus. According to the school’s website, it offers IB programmes and a bilingual programme to meet students’ diverse learning needs and educational directions. Westlink is a member of the International Schools Partnership (ISP), a global network of international schools. The school focuses on creating a modern learning environment and developing students’ academic ability, independent thinking and essential skills. In terms of programmes, Westlink is an IB World School authorised for the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and, since December 2025, the Middle Years Programme (MYP). For the Diploma Programme (DP), Westlink is currently a candidate school; parents should check the latest status directly with the school at the time of applying. Westlink tuition fees, 2025–2026 According to Westlink’s published fee table for the 2025–2026 school year: superseded by 2026–2027 fees]: Dưới đây là bảng thông tin học phí được trích xuất từ hình ảnh: Programme Year group Annual tuition (reference) IB Programme Early Years VND 383,000,000 IB Programme Grades 1–3 VND 498,000,000 IB Programme Grades 4–5 VND 518,000,000 IB Programme Grades 6–7 VND 549,000,000 IB Programme Grade 8 VND 582,000,000 IB Programme Grades 9–10 VND 603,000,000 Bilingual programme Grades 6–7 VND 260,000,000 Bilingual programme Grades 8–9 VND 275,000,000 The table above shows the published fees for the 2025–2026 school year. Parents also need to check other fees, such as the placement test fee, enrolment fee, guaranteed fee, school bus, meals, uniforms and EAL fees if needed. When is Westlink worth considering? Westlink suits parents looking for an international school in Hanoi who still need to compare budgets carefully. Points to consider include: Fees fall within the Tier 2 international segment. There is a choice between an international programme and a bilingual programme. Fee information is published. The campus is in the Tay Ho Tay area. The campus holds LOTUS green building certification, according to the school. The IB PYP and MYP are authorised. Parents shouldn’t decide on fees alone. Book a tour, ask detailed questions about the programme, meet the admissions team and watch how your child responds to the learning environment. Westlink scholarships for parents, 2026–2027 Fees are an important consideration, but not the only one. A school with lower fees isn’t necessarily the right fit if its programme doesn’t match your child’s direction. Equally, a school with higher fees needs to demonstrate its value through its programme, teachers, student support and outcomes. Parents should compare schools across 6 groups of criteria: Curriculum Accreditation or authorisation status Teaching staff English support and support for new students Facilities Real total cost after additional fees If the family plans to study abroad, ask additionally about university guidance, academic profiles and the ability to transfer between programmes. The fee schedule parents should ask for when researching international schools Parents should ask for the full schedule of fees, not just the tuition table. A complete fee schedule should include: Annual tuition Tuition per term or instalment Registration fee Entrance assessment fee Enrolment fee Guarantee fee Facilities fee Meals School bus Uniforms Learning materials EAL Refund conditions Scholarship or discount policies Also ask whether the school plans to increase fees in the coming years. This is important information if parents want to calculate a 3-year, 5-year or 13-year pathway. Frequently asked questions about school fees by stage in Hanoi What are state school fees in Hanoi for 2025–2026? According to the Hanoi People’s Council resolution, state school fees for 2025–2026 range from VND 75,000 to 217,000 a month, depending on the stage and area. Nursery and kindergarten (excluding 5-year-olds) and upper secondary in wards are VND 217,000 a month, and VND 95,000 a month in communes. Kindergarten for 5-year-olds, primary and lower secondary in wards are VND 155,000 a month, and VND 75,000 a month in communes. Are kindergarten, primary and lower secondary fees waived? Parents need to check fee exemption, compensation and support policies for each school year. From 2025–2026, Hanoi has regulations on compensation for fee exemptions and tuition support levels for groups of educational institutions. On enrolment, parents should ask the school directly about the actual amount payable. What is the difference between a high-end private school and an IB international school? High-end private schools usually combine the Vietnamese curriculum with enhanced English or an embedded international framework. IB international schools must meet the requirements of the International Baccalaureate for each programme they are authorised to offer. Parents should check clearly which programmes a school is authorised for, such as the PYP, MYP or DP. What do fees at an all-through international school usually include? The total cost usually includes tuition, an enrolment fee, a guarantee fee, school meals, the school bus, uniforms, learning materials, EAL and extracurricular activities. Some schools include many of these in tuition; others charge separately. Parents should therefore ask for a full fee schedule. Can students at private and international schools receive state tuition support? According to publicly available information from Hanoi, students at some private and non-public educational institutions may receive tuition support by stage from the 2025–2026 school year. Support for in-person learning ranges from VND 155,000 to 217,000 per student per month, depending on the stage. Parents need to check whether the conditions apply to their specific school. Should I choose an international school just because the fees are lower? No. Lower fees only matter if the programme, teachers, student support and learning environment still suit your child. Parents should compare overall value, not just the amount of money. When should I book a school tour? Parents should book tours once they have a shortlist of 2–4 schools that fit their budget. A tour helps families check things a fee schedule can’t show, such as the classroom atmosphere, how teachers communicate, the facilities and how their child feels. School fees by stage in Hanoi for 2025–2026 need to be seen on two levels: the fee levels set by regulation and the real costs in each school segment. At state schools, basic fees are low, but parents still need to budget for extra classes, school meals and foreign languages. At private, bilingual and international schools, fees are higher but come with more choice of programmes, environments and pathways. If your family is researching international school fees in Hanoi, ask for a full fee schedule, ask clearly about additional fees and compare schools over several years. For Westlink, parents can review the school’s published fees by stage, learn about its IB and bilingual programmes, and then book a tour to see the learning environment for themselves. Book a tour of Westlink for detailed advice on programmes, fees, scholarships and the costs to budget for in the new school year.
