But analysts have warned that the tuition at state owned schools will increase considerably once schools begin operating under the autonomy mode outlined in the amended Higher Education Law, which took effect on July 1.

They estimate that the tuition may be up to 3.5 times higher than now. Twenty three training establishments have been allowed to operate with autonomy.

Students at autonomy-based schools have to pay tuition of VND18.5-46 million for the 2019-2020 academic year. Meanwhile, students at other schools have to pay VND8.9-13 million only.

The tuition level for autonomy-based and state-funded schools are stipulated in Decree 86 applied for the academic years from 2015-2016 to 2020-2021.

Phan Hong Hai, vice rector of the HCMC Industry University, said technology majors have to pay VND19.25 million a year, and economics students VND18.15 million.

These tuition levels are applied to the 2019 academic year. They can increase by 4-6 percent year after year.

As for the HCMC Economics University, students in large training programs have to pay VND18.5 million for the first year, VND20.5 million for second, VND22.5 million for the third and VND24.8 million for the fourth year.

Meanwhile, students at high-quality training program have to pay VND32-40 million.

“Higher education has become more costly in Vietnam. And the unemployment rate of university graduates is increasing rapidly,” wrote Duong Quynh An, a second-year student in Hanoi, on her Facebook page.

The latest reports show that about 200,000 bachelor’s degree holders throughout the country are jobless.

In the past, students at pedagogical schools were exempted from tuition which aimed to attract students into the schools. However, the exemption is no longer applied under the new law.

However, poor students have been reassured that they will still have opportunities to follow higher education, because they can seek financial support from different sources.

The amended Higher Education Law, while allowing state-owned schools to raise tuition, also requests schools to use part of revenue from tuition to support students in difficult conditions.

Nguyen Van Duong from the HCMC Economics University, said besides the scholarship granted in accordance with the state’s regulations, the school also offers study encouragement scholarships. The scholarship is equal to the amount of money students have to pay (VND9 million per semester for good students).

Thanh Lich

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