School Term Dates and the Academic Year in Vietnam
International and bilingual schools in Vietnam broadly follow a northern hemisphere academic year, but exact term dates vary by school and by curriculum. Here's the general pattern, how Tet and other holidays factor in, and what to check before planning a move to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City around the school calendar.
Quick answer
How the academic year and term dates generally work at international schools in Vietnam, and what to check when planning a mid-year move.
At a glance
- Country: Vietnam
- Sections: 12
- Questions answered: 10
- Schools listed: 3
- Read time: 10 min read
The general academic year pattern
Most international and bilingual schools in Vietnam follow an academic year that broadly runs from August or early September through to June or early July, similar to the pattern common in the UK, US and many other international school markets, rather than following the academic calendar used in Vietnamese state schools, which can differ. This is a general pattern rather than a fixed rule that applies identically at every school, and exact start and end dates, along with the length and timing of term breaks, vary from school to school, and to some extent between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City schools depending on each school's own governance and calendar-setting practice.
Because of this variation, always check a specific school's current published academic calendar directly rather than assuming it matches a neighbouring school or a pattern described in a general guide like this one. It is also worth noting that a school's calendar can shift slightly from one year to the next even where the overall pattern stays consistent, so re-check the calendar each year rather than relying on a date you noted down previously.
Term structure: terms versus semesters
Some international schools in Vietnam divide the year into three terms, often loosely aligned with autumn, spring and summer, following a structure common at British curriculum schools internationally. Others use a two-semester structure, more common among American curriculum schools, sometimes with a distinct quarter system for grading purposes within each semester. Some IB schools use a term or semester structure that reflects the wider curriculum influence at that particular school.
Both models include broadly similar total instructional time across the year, so the difference is mostly one of internal structure and reporting rhythm rather than one system offering meaningfully more schooling than the other. Ask a specific school directly which structure it uses and how reporting periods align with it, and how many half-term or mid-term breaks it builds into the year, since this varies and can affect family travel planning.
Public holidays and the Vietnamese calendar
Because international and bilingual schools in Vietnam operate within the country and are subject to Vietnamese public holidays, most schools observe major national holidays such as Tet (Lunar New Year), which can involve an extended break of a week or more depending on the school and the specific year, since Tet's exact dates shift each year according to the lunar calendar. Some bilingual schools may also observe additional Vietnamese public holidays that a fully international school might treat differently.
Because Tet's timing and the length of any associated school break varies from year to year and by school, always check a specific school's current academic calendar for exact dates rather than assuming a fixed pattern, particularly if you are planning travel or a relocation around this period. Some families use the Tet break as an opportunity to travel within the region, since much of Vietnam, including transport and many businesses, slows down considerably around the holiday itself. Other national holidays observed to varying degrees include Reunification Day and Labour Day at the start of May, and National Day in early September, though again exact school treatment of these dates should be confirmed with the specific school.
How term dates can affect a relocation plan
Planning a relocation around the school calendar
- Ask each shortlisted school for its current, specific academic calendar rather than relying on general patterns
- Check the timing and length of the Tet break for the specific year you are planning around
- If flexible, consider arriving shortly before a new term or academic year begins
- If arriving mid-term, ask directly how the school supports new starters academically and socially
- Re-confirm dates each year, since a school's calendar can shift slightly year to year even when the general pattern stays similar
If you have some flexibility over your relocation date, arriving shortly before the start of a new academic year or term, rather than partway through one, can make settling in academically and socially somewhat more straightforward for many children, since a fresh term start is when a school's own routines, new class groupings and orientation activities are most naturally geared toward welcoming new arrivals. That said, many families do not have this flexibility, and Vietnam's international school sector is generally well accustomed to mid-year arrivals given how many expatriate relocations happen on short notice for work reasons.
If your move date is fixed and falls mid-term, contact your shortlisted schools directly and early to understand exactly how they support a child starting outside the usual term start, and what if any adjustment period or induction support is typically offered.
Differences between fully international and bilingual school calendars
Because bilingual schools blend Vietnamese national curriculum elements with an international stream, their academic calendars can sometimes differ slightly from fully international schools, particularly around how they treat certain Vietnamese public holidays or examination periods tied to the national curriculum component. If you are considering a bilingual school, ask specifically how its calendar compares to a fully international school's calendar, since this can matter for planning family travel, holidays and any coordination with a partner working on a different schedule.
Some bilingual schools also build in additional study or revision periods around Vietnamese national examinations that would not appear on a fully international school's calendar at all, so this is another point worth clarifying directly if your child is enrolled in, or considering, the Vietnamese-curriculum stream at a bilingual school.
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How Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City weather can shape the school year
Vietnam's climate differs considerably between north and south, and this occasionally has a practical bearing on how schools plan their year. Hanoi experiences a cooler winter period, generally from December through February, while Ho Chi Minh City has a more consistent tropical climate year-round but a distinct rainy season, generally from around May to November, that can bring heavy downpours and occasional localised flooding. These seasonal patterns rarely change published term dates outright, but they can affect the timing and format of outdoor school events, sports days or field trips, and, occasionally, short unplanned closures during severe weather.
If timing around specific events or a particular season matters to your family's planning, ask a shortlisted school directly whether it has a general policy for adverse weather, since this varies and is worth understanding well before you rely on a specific date. Some schools build a contingency day or two into their calendar specifically to absorb the odd unplanned closure without affecting the total number of teaching days across the year.
Coordinating school calendars across two children or two schools
If you have children at more than one school, whether because of age differences or because you are transitioning from one school to another, it is worth comparing both schools' current calendars closely, since term dates, half-term breaks and the timing of holidays like Tet do not necessarily align exactly between schools even within the same city. This is a genuinely practical consideration for family logistics, childcare planning and coordinating any family travel, so request both calendars in writing before finalising school choices where this applies to your family.
This also matters for families with a child moving between a nursery or early years setting and a primary school, since early years providers in Vietnam sometimes run on a different calendar altogether, including shorter breaks and different closure days, from the primary and secondary school your older children may attend.
Public and school holidays around exam periods
For families with children approaching IGCSEs, A-levels, the IB Diploma or AP exams, it is worth understanding how a school's calendar builds in study leave, revision periods and the examination window itself, since these can affect family travel plans in the exam years specifically even if travel at other times has been straightforward in past years. Examination boards set exam windows centrally, but individual schools decide how to structure study leave and revision time around them, so ask a school directly, particularly in your child's exam years, how it structures the weeks around external examinations.
Where to find accurate, current term dates
The only reliable source for a specific school's current term dates is the school itself, typically published on its own website or shared directly with enrolled and prospective families. Because dates can change from year to year, and because this guide is designed to explain the general pattern rather than list specific dates that would quickly become outdated, always verify directly with your shortlisted or enrolled school before finalising travel plans, work arrangements or a relocation timeline around the school calendar. If you are choosing between schools, ask each one for a full calendar for the coming academic year in writing, rather than relying on a verbal summary, since written calendars are easier to compare and to refer back to later.
Requesting term dates before a job offer is finalised
Families in the early stages of considering a move to Vietnam, perhaps while a job offer is still being negotiated, often want a rough sense of term dates before they are in a position to contact a specific school formally as a prospective applicant. Many schools are willing to share a general current-year calendar on request even at this early, informal stage, since it helps both sides establish whether the timing of a potential move would align reasonably well with a natural point in the school year.
If you are at this early stage, it is reasonable to email a school's admissions office directly and ask for a copy of the current academic year calendar for general planning purposes, being clear that you do not yet have a confirmed move date. Most schools are used to this kind of preliminary enquiry from relocating families and can usually provide a calendar without requiring a formal application first.
School closures for non-holiday reasons
Beyond planned holidays and term breaks, schools in Vietnam can occasionally close for reasons unrelated to the academic calendar itself, including severe weather events, particularly during Ho Chi Minh City's rainy season, or, less commonly, public health measures affecting a specific area or the country more broadly. These closures are announced by individual schools as circumstances require and are not something a general guide can predict or list in advance.
If you are planning around a tight schedule, for example a house move or a partner's own start date at a new job, it is sensible to ask a shortlisted school directly whether it has a defined policy for unplanned closures, such as a shift to remote learning for a short period, and how it typically communicates these decisions to families, since this varies between schools and can matter for practical planning in your first year.
Public exam windows and half-term travel planning
Families who like to plan holiday travel well in advance often ask about half-term or mid-term break dates alongside the main term structure, since these shorter breaks are a common time for regional travel from Vietnam. Half-term timing and length vary between schools and are generally set independently rather than following one shared pattern across the sector, so a family with children at two different schools should not assume these shorter breaks will line up.
Because flights and regional travel during these popular break windows can book up, and because exact dates are only confirmed once a school publishes its calendar for the coming year, it is worth checking with your specific school as early as its calendar becomes available if travel planning around a half-term break matters to your family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the international school year in Vietnam follow the Vietnamese state school calendar?
Generally no — most international and bilingual schools follow a broadly August or September to June or July academic year similar to UK or US patterns, rather than the calendar used in Vietnamese state schools, though bilingual schools may align more closely with some Vietnamese holidays. Always check a specific school's calendar directly.
How long is the Tet break at international schools?
This varies by school and by year, since Tet's exact dates shift annually according to the lunar calendar and different schools schedule breaks of different lengths around it. Check your specific school's current academic calendar for the relevant year.
Do schools use a three-term or two-semester structure?
Both exist in Vietnam's international school market — a three-term structure is common at many British curriculum schools, while a two-semester structure is more common at American curriculum schools. Ask your specific school directly which structure it uses.
Is it better to move to Vietnam at the start of the academic year?
Arriving shortly before a new term or academic year can make settling in slightly more straightforward for many children, since schools are naturally geared toward welcoming new starters then. However, many schools are well equipped to support mid-year arrivals if your move date is fixed.
Will my two children have the same school holidays if they attend different schools?
Not necessarily — term dates and holiday timing, including around Tet, do not always align exactly between schools even within the same city. Compare both schools' current calendars directly if this applies to your family.
Do bilingual schools have a different calendar from fully international schools?
Sometimes, particularly around certain Vietnamese public holidays or national curriculum examination periods. Ask a specific bilingual school directly how its calendar compares to a fully international school's if this matters to your planning.
Where can I find a specific school's exact term dates?
Directly from the school itself, usually published on its website or shared with prospective and enrolled families, since dates can change from year to year and a general guide cannot reliably list current dates for every school.
Can a mid-year arrival affect which year group my child is placed in?
Placement is generally based on age and academic background rather than time of year, but a school may discuss the timing of a mid-year start with you in terms of how it will support your child's transition. Ask the specific school directly how it handles mid-year placements.
Do nurseries and early years settings follow the same calendar as the main school?
Not always. Some early years settings attached to a school run on a slightly different calendar, including different closure days, so check both calendars separately if you have a younger child moving between stages.
Does the exam period affect term dates for older students?
Individual schools decide how to structure revision time and study leave around externally set exam windows for IGCSEs, A-levels, the IB Diploma or AP exams, so ask the specific school how it plans the weeks around exams in your child's exam years.
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