International School Fees in Ho Chi Minh City Approach USD 38,000 a Year

Tuition at Ho Chi Minh City's international schools has reached nearly VND 1 billion a year for senior students, as most of the city's approximately 30 institutions offering British, American, or Australian curricula have announced increases of between 3 and 6 percent for the 2026 to 2027 academic year. According to VnExpress, the British International School charges the highest fees in the city, with Grade 12 tuition reaching VND 999.3 million, or roughly USD 37,985, placing it at the top of a market that has seen sustained upward pressure since the post-pandemic reopening.

The International School Ho Chi Minh City follows closely at VND 987.8 million for senior year students, with meals included in the published figure. Saigon South International School and the Australian International School sit at VND 924.5 million and VND 908 million respectively. At the more affordable end of the British-curriculum segment, British Vietnamese International School starts secondary tuition at VND 614.7 million, rising to VND 708.8 million at the top year.

What the headline figure excludes

Published tuition figures understate the true cost for most families. Lunch, transport, uniforms, placement tests, textbooks, and non-refundable enrolment deposits are almost universally billed on top of the base rate. For a family paying close to VND 1 billion in headline tuition, the full-year outlay will typically run 15 to 25 percent higher once those charges are included, a consideration that rarely appears in school marketing materials.

Two holdouts

Not all schools have moved. The Schools of North America and Scotch AGS both held fees flat for the coming year, setting them apart from the broad market trend and potentially making them more attractive to cost-conscious families in a city where the gap between the most and least expensive schools now spans roughly VND 300 million at the Grade 12 level.

Most of the premium schools cluster in Thu Duc City, formerly District 2, and District 7, where expatriate demand and strong local appetite from mixed-nationality households have historically supported pricing above what comparable schools charge in other Southeast Asian capitals. Whether that premium holds through 2027 to 2028, when the next round of fee decisions falls due, will depend in part on how families respond to the current cycle.