International School Tuition in Ho Chi Minh City Approaches $38,000 a Year

Families at international schools in Ho Chi Minh City are facing another round of fee increases as the 2026 to 2027 academic year begins, with most institutions implementing rises of between 3 and 6 percent, according to VnExpress International. The British International School, operated by Nord Anglia, charges the highest fees in the city, with Year 12 and Year 13 tuition now reaching VND 999.3 million per year, equivalent to approximately USD 37,985.

That figure does not capture the full cost of attendance. Families must also budget for a non-refundable registration fee, textbooks, uniforms, extracurricular activities, and transport. Across the market of around 30 international schools offering British, American, or Australian curricula, the effective first-year cost for new families typically runs 20 to 30 percent above the headline tuition figure once capital levies and refundable deposits are factored in.

Some schools held firm

A small number of operators chose not to raise fees for the coming year. The North American International School and Scotch AGS South Australian School held tuition flat, offering some families an alternative at the lower to mid-range of the market. At the premium end, where the British and international-curriculum schools cluster, the upward trajectory has continued without interruption since the pandemic.

The pressure is unlikely to ease in the near term. Vietnam has been identified by the UK government as a priority market for transnational education, a designation that has encouraged additional British operators to examine Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi as expansion targets. More supply could eventually moderate the pace of increases, but demand continues to outpace available places at the city's most sought-after schools, sustaining the conditions that have made annual fee rounds an increasingly fraught moment for expat and local families alike.