How to Apply to an International School in Vietnam
Applying to an international or bilingual school in Vietnam usually follows a broadly predictable sequence, but timing, assessments and documentation vary between schools and between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Here's what to expect at each stage, and how to plan the process well whether you are moving with months of notice or only a few weeks.
Quick answer
A step-by-step guide to applying to international and bilingual schools in Vietnam, covering documents, assessments, deposits and mid-year admissions.
At a glance
- Country: Vietnam
- Sections: 12
- Questions answered: 9
- Schools listed: 3
- Read time: 15 min read
The general shape of the admissions process
Most international and bilingual schools in Vietnam follow a broadly similar admissions sequence: an initial enquiry, a formal application with supporting documents, some form of age-appropriate assessment, and, if a place is offered, a deposit to secure it. The exact order, the specific documents required, and the format of any assessment vary by school, so treat this as a general roadmap rather than a fixed process that applies identically everywhere.
Because many families relocate to Vietnam for work at relatively short notice, schools in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are generally accustomed to handling applications on a shorter timeline than in some other markets, though popular schools and year groups can still have limited availability at certain points in the year. Starting the conversation with your shortlisted schools as early as you realistically can is always sensible.
Many schools also assign a dedicated admissions officer or relocation liaison to prospective overseas families, who can talk you through the specific steps, required documents and typical timeline for your child's age group before you commit to a formal application. It is worth asking, early in your first contact with a school, whether this kind of dedicated point of contact is available, since it can meaningfully simplify a process that otherwise involves coordinating several documents and deadlines from overseas.
Documents schools typically ask for
Documents commonly requested
- Completed application form and recent school reports
- Transcript or record of previous schooling
- Passport and visa or residency documentation
- Any special educational needs or medical information relevant to schooling
- A reference or recommendation letter from a previous school, where required
- Certified or notarised translations of any documents not originally in English, if required
Common documents requested during an application include a completed application form, your child's most recent school reports, a transcript or record of previous schooling, a copy of your child's passport and visa or residency documentation, and sometimes a reference or recommendation letter from a previous school. Some schools also ask for records of any special educational needs support, English language proficiency, or medical information relevant to the child's schooling.
Because documentation requirements differ between schools and can also depend on your child's nationality and prior schooling, ask each shortlisted school directly for its current checklist rather than assuming one list applies everywhere. Preparing these documents, including any necessary translations, well ahead of your planned move can meaningfully speed up the process.
If any of your documents are not originally in English, ask the school directly whether it requires a certified or notarised translation, and if so, whether this needs to be completed before or after arrival in Vietnam, since translation and notarisation logistics can take longer to arrange from overseas than from within the country.
Entrance assessments and interviews
Many schools in Vietnam use some form of assessment as part of admissions, though the format varies considerably by age and by school. For younger children, this is often an informal, play-based observation session rather than a formal test. For older children, schools more commonly use written assessments in English and maths, sometimes alongside an interview with the child, a parent interview, or both.
The purpose of these assessments is generally to understand a child's current academic level and English language proficiency well enough to place them appropriately and plan any additional support, rather than to select only the highest-scoring applicants, though the exact approach and any selectivity varies by school. If English is not your child's first language, ask the school directly how it supports English language learners, since provision and approach differ meaningfully between schools.
Some schools that receive a high volume of overseas applications offer remote assessment options, for example a video-call interview or an online written assessment, rather than requiring an in-person visit before a decision is made. Ask directly whether this is available if travelling to Vietnam ahead of your move purely for an assessment is not practical for your family.
Waiting lists and timing
Because school popularity, class sizes and available capacity vary by school, city and year group, some schools operate waiting lists for particularly sought-after year groups, especially around the main academic year start. Timelines for building up waiting lists vary, so if you have a preferred school in mind, it is worth making contact and starting the formal application process as early as you reasonably can, even if your move date is still some months away.
At the same time, because Vietnam's international school market includes a large number of schools across both major cities, families who start the process later, including those arriving with limited notice, generally still have workable options, particularly if they are open to more than one school on their shortlist. Popular residential areas such as Tay Ho and Ciputra in Hanoi, or Thao Dien and Phu My Hung in Ho Chi Minh City, tend to have the highest concentration of demand for their local schools, so families targeting one of these areas specifically may want to start earlier than families with more geographic flexibility.
Mid-year and short-notice arrivals
A meaningful proportion of expatriate families relocate to Vietnam outside the standard start of the academic year, whether for work reasons or because a decision to move came together quickly. Many schools in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are used to handling mid-year admissions and can offer practical guidance on how a child might settle in academically and socially when joining partway through a term or year.
If you expect to arrive mid-year, say so clearly and early when you first contact a school, and ask specifically about mid-year availability by year group, how the school supports new arrivals academically, and whether any part of the fee structure is prorated for a partial year. Our guide to moving with kids to Vietnam covers the wider practicalities of a mid-year relocation in more detail.
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Deposits and securing a place
Once a school offers a place, most require a deposit to secure it, usually alongside a signed enrolment agreement. Deposit amounts, refund conditions and deadlines vary considerably by school, so read any enrolment contract carefully and ask directly about what happens if your plans change after paying a deposit, for example if a work relocation is delayed or falls through.
Some schools also require registration or application fees earlier in the process, separate from the enrolment deposit, so it is worth clarifying at the outset exactly what is payable at each stage of the admissions process, and whether any of these amounts are refundable under any circumstances.
Applying to more than one school at once
It is common practice, and generally sensible, for families to apply to more than one school in parallel, particularly given how much choice exists in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and how much fee levels, culture and availability can vary between schools that look similar on paper. Applying to two or three schools at once increases the chance of securing a place in your preferred year group within a reasonable timeframe, though it does mean managing more than one process, set of documents and set of deadlines simultaneously.
Be transparent with schools if you are applying elsewhere at the same time, since many admissions staff are used to this and can advise on realistic timelines for a decision. Once you accept an offer and pay a deposit, withdraw promptly from any other applications you no longer intend to pursue.
How the process can differ between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City
The overall admissions sequence is broadly similar in both cities, but the practical experience of shortlisting and visiting schools differs somewhat given how each city is laid out. In Hanoi, many families visiting shortlisted schools in a single trip can realistically see several campuses clustered around Tay Ho and Ciputra without excessive travel between visits, whereas Ho Chi Minh City's main school clusters in District 2 and District 7 sit on opposite sides of the city, so a single-day comparison visit to schools in both areas needs to be planned around the city's traffic patterns.
Neither city's process is inherently harder to navigate, but it is worth building a visit schedule that accounts for realistic travel time between campuses rather than assuming you can fit in more visits per day than the city's traffic will actually allow.
Getting help with the process
If you are relocating to Vietnam for the first time and find the number of schools and differing admissions processes overwhelming, it can help to speak with an education consultant or relocation specialist who is familiar with the Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City school markets specifically, in addition to doing your own research and speaking directly with schools. Employers relocating staff to Vietnam sometimes offer this kind of support as part of a relocation package, so it is worth asking what assistance, if any, is available to you before starting the process independently.
Visiting a school before or after applying
Where a family has the opportunity to visit Vietnam ahead of a move, arranging a school tour alongside the formal application process can add genuinely useful information that a website or a phone call cannot fully convey, including a sense of the campus, the atmosphere in classrooms, and how staff and students interact day to day. Many schools in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are happy to arrange a tour for a prospective family even before a formal application is submitted, though it is worth asking in advance so a suitable time can be arranged around the school day.
For families unable to visit in person before committing, ask a school directly whether it can offer a video tour, a call with current parents, or additional photos and information beyond what is published on its website, since many schools that regularly work with relocating overseas families have developed ways to convey this information remotely.
What happens after enrolment is confirmed
Once a place is confirmed and a deposit paid, most schools move into a settling-in phase that typically includes sharing a uniform and equipment list, confirming the child's class or form placement, and, in many cases, arranging some kind of welcome event, orientation day or buddy pairing before or shortly after the child's first day. Ask a school directly what this onboarding process typically looks like, particularly if your child will be starting partway through a term rather than at the beginning of the academic year, since orientation support for mid-year starters can differ from the induction offered to children starting at the natural beginning of the school year.
It is also worth asking, at this stage, how the school communicates with new families day to day, for example through a parent portal, email or a messaging app, since getting set up on the right communication channels promptly can make the first few weeks noticeably smoother.
Understanding an offer letter and enrolment agreement
When a school makes an offer, it is typically accompanied by a written enrolment agreement setting out the terms of the place, including fees, payment schedule, deposit conditions and withdrawal or notice terms. Read this document carefully before signing, and ask the school directly to clarify anything that is unclear, particularly around what happens if your family's plans change after a deposit is paid, since these terms can differ meaningfully between schools and are far easier to query before signing than to renegotiate afterward.
If you are comparing offers from more than one school, it can help to lay out each school's enrolment terms side by side, covering not just the headline fee but deposit amounts, payment timing and notice periods, so that the comparison reflects the full commitment rather than tuition alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should we start the application process?
Starting several months ahead of your planned move is sensible where possible, particularly for popular schools and year groups, though many schools in Vietnam are used to shorter-notice relocations. If you have limited notice, contact schools directly as soon as you can rather than waiting until you arrive.
Do schools require an entrance test?
Many do, though the format varies by age and school — often an informal observation for younger children and written English and maths assessments, sometimes with an interview, for older children. Ask each shortlisted school directly what its current assessment process involves.
Can we apply to a school before we have a visa or work permit?
In many cases yes, though some documentation requirements may depend on your visa or residency status, so check directly with the school which documents are strictly required at application stage versus before the first day of school.
Is it acceptable to apply to several schools at the same time?
Yes, this is common practice given how many schools exist across Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Be transparent with schools about parallel applications, and withdraw promptly from any you no longer plan to pursue once you accept an offer elsewhere.
What happens if we need to enrol our child mid-year?
Many schools in Vietnam are experienced in handling mid-year arrivals given how many expatriate families relocate outside the standard academic year start. Contact schools directly, be clear about your timeline, and ask specifically about mid-year availability and academic support for new arrivals.
Are application and registration fees refundable?
This varies by school and should be confirmed in writing before you pay. Ask specifically about registration fees, application fees and enrolment deposits separately, since refund policies can differ between each.
How does the school assess English language ability?
Many schools include some form of English language assessment as part of admissions, particularly for children joining a fully English-medium programme. Ask directly how the school supports English language learners if this may apply to your child, since approaches vary between schools.
Do schools provide support for children transferring from a different curriculum?
Many schools have experience supporting children moving between curricula, though the level and type of support varies. Ask the receiving school directly how it typically helps a child transitioning from a different curriculum or education system, especially around exam-stage transfers.
Can an assessment be completed remotely before we arrive in Vietnam?
Some schools that receive a high volume of overseas applications offer remote options such as a video interview or online written assessment, while others prefer or require an in-person visit. Ask each shortlisted school directly what it can accommodate for families applying from overseas.
International schools in Hanoi
International schools in Ho Chi Minh City
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