Rugby School to Open Its First Vietnam Campus in Hanoi This Autumn

Rugby School Hanoi will open its doors this September, making the historic Warwickshire institution the latest elite British school to establish a foothold in Vietnam. The launch covers pre-prep only at first, with children from Early Years 1 through Year 2 enrolled at a site in the Ciputra district near West Lake, according to an announcement published on the school's website today.

The school is being developed in partnership with Khai Sang Corporation, a Vietnamese education investor led by Mr Tuyen Nguyen, who already operates five schools across the country. It will be the ninth school in Rugby School Group globally and its fourth international campus, joining existing campuses in Thailand, Japan, Nigeria, and Dubai.

A phased rollout

The opening is deliberately staged. Prep and senior provision for Year 3 and above is planned for September 2027, on a separate site approximately 500 metres from the pre-prep building. The model echoes what other British operators have done in Vietnam: begin with early years, build parental confidence, and extend upward once a cohort is in place.

Dr Neil Hampton, CEO of Rugby School Global, described Hanoi as "a city of impressive energy and cultural depth" and said the group was "delighted" to be partnering with Khai Sang. Mr Nguyen said having Rugby School in Vietnam was "a privilege" and cited the school's "long history, strong tradition and proven excellence" as the draw.

Curriculum and character

The school will follow Rugby's "Whole Person Whole Point" philosophy, the same ethos applied across the group's nine institutions. It places equal weight on intellectual development, character formation, and imagination, with co-curricular provision spanning sports, music, and performing arts from the earliest years.

The senior school, once it opens in 2027, will lead pupils through IGCSEs and A Levels, providing a direct pathway to UK universities and other global destinations. Applications for the September 2026 pre-prep intake are open at [email protected].

Hanoi is drawing growing interest from British school groups. Brighton College Vietnam opened in the Vinhomes Ocean Park complex in Gia Lam in 2023, and Uppingham School is preparing to open its own Hung Yen campus in August 2026. Rugby School's arrival adds a further British option at the pre-prep level in a city that has, until recently, been underserved relative to Ho Chi Minh City for families seeking an English National Curriculum education.