International school fees in Ho Chi Minh City, 2026

The 2026 fee landscape

The Ho Chi Minh City international school fee market splits into four clear tiers. The premium international tier covers the half dozen schools that lead the city on academic outcomes and where most expat package families end up, with senior school tuition at USD 26,000 to 38,000 per year. The upper mid tier sits at USD 18,000 to 26,000 and covers schools with credible academic outcomes at a notable discount to the premium tier. The mid tier proper sits at USD 12,000 to 18,000 and covers smaller international schools and several Cambridge curriculum providers. The bilingual and Vietnamese international tier sits at USD 4,000 to 12,000 and covers the bilingual schools and Vietnamese international or international standard private schools that mix English and Vietnamese instruction.

The market quotes almost exclusively in USD at the premium and upper mid tier, reflecting the foreign currency exposure most families carry and the schools' own cost base. Mid tier and bilingual schools quote in Vietnamese dong, although USD invoicing is available at most. For the wider context on the school market itself, see our piece on the best international schools in Ho Chi Minh City.

2026 fee tiers (Ho Chi Minh City)

Within each tier, the senior school fee usually sits 30 to 50 percent higher than the kindergarten or early years fee. Most schools publish a fee schedule by year group on the website, although the published figures often omit the loading items covered below.

Capital and development fees

The capital fee is the line item that surprises most new arrivals. Most premium tier schools in Ho Chi Minh City charge a one time capital or development fee on enrolment, usually USD 6,000 to 12,000 per child. SSIS charges around USD 8,000 to 10,000, BIS HCMC around USD 7,500, ISHCMC around USD 7,000 to 8,000, and AISVN around USD 9,000. These fees are almost always non refundable, although a small minority of schools structure them as a refundable bond returnable on departure under specific conditions.

The capital fee is in addition to the application fee (USD 200 to 400, non refundable, paid with the application) and the registration or place reservation fee (USD 1,500 to 3,000, paid on accepting a place and usually applied as a credit against first term tuition). For a family with two children entering at the premium tier, the upfront cash outlay on enrolment, before the first term invoice, typically runs USD 16,000 to 26,000. This should be factored into the cash flow modelling in the cost calculator and discussed with the employer alongside the headline tuition allowance.

The hidden extras

Headline tuition figures understate the full cost of place by 12 to 18 percent. The school bus typically runs USD 1,500 to 3,000 per child per year, depending on distance from school and the specific contract. The lunch programme, where the school operates one, runs USD 800 to 1,500 per child per year. Uniform costs sit at USD 300 to 600 for the initial kit and USD 150 to 300 per year thereafter. Device or laptop programmes run USD 800 to 1,500 across the senior school years. Exam entries for IGCSE, AP and IB Diploma sit at USD 700 to 1,600 across each exam year. School trips and the residential or expedition programme typically run USD 800 to 3,500 per year, depending on the specific year group programme.

A practical rule of thumb is to multiply the headline tuition by 1.15 to 1.18 for a realistic all in cost of place. A premium tier place with USD 32,000 tuition and a USD 8,000 capital fee, amortised over a six year placement, comes to a full cost of around USD 38,500 per year. For two children this is USD 77,000 per year, before housing and the rest of the family budget. Our hidden fees piece covers this in more detail across the region.

Year on year inflation

Premium tier fees in Ho Chi Minh City rose around 4 to 5 percent in USD terms across the 2025 to 2026 cycle, broadly in line with Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur and slightly below Jakarta. Most premium schools index annual increases to a basket of teacher salary inflation, local cost base inflation and a USD adjustment factor. The historical average rise over the past five years has tracked 3.5 to 5.5 percent. Families on longer placements should budget for compounded fee inflation of 18 to 28 percent across a typical four to five year posting, on top of the year one fee.

The mid tier has tracked similar inflation in percentage terms but at a smaller absolute increase. Capital fees have risen more slowly than tuition, partly because they are usually fixed at the point of enrolment and only revised on the published schedule for new joiners. Several schools have introduced or revised refundable bond mechanics over the past two years, which is worth confirming in writing before paying the capital line. Bus and lunch contracts have risen broadly in line with general Vietnamese consumer inflation, which has hovered at 3 to 4 percent in recent years.

Currency and payment terms

Premium tier schools quote in USD and accept payment in USD or in Vietnamese dong at the school's published exchange rate, which is usually a small premium to the interbank rate. Mid tier schools quote in dong and accept payment in dong or USD. Capital fees almost always settle in USD even at schools that quote tuition in dong, since the schools use the USD capital line to fund building works that are largely USD denominated. Most schools offer three payment options. Annual upfront, with a small discount of 2 to 4 percent. Termly, with no discount. Monthly, sometimes with a small administrative loading of 1 to 3 percent.

For families paid in a third currency, GBP, EUR, SGD or JPY, the practical approach is to hold a working USD balance to cover at least one term of fees plus the capital line, and to settle in USD rather than converting through dong. Most international banks in Vietnam, including HSBC, Standard Chartered and several Korean and Japanese banks, offer multi currency accounts that simplify this.

Termly invoicing is the most common rhythm and aligns with the academic year. The first term invoice typically lands in late June or early July for an August start, the second in late October, the third in late January. Most schools require settlement within 14 to 30 days of invoice. Late payment penalties are usually 1 to 2 percent per month and most schools will withhold reports or block exam entry where fees are materially in arrears. The annual upfront discount is often more useful than it appears; on a USD 35,000 fee at 3 percent it is worth USD 1,050 per child, materially better than a typical bank deposit return on the cash held back.

Sibling discounts and scholarships

Most premium and upper mid tier schools in Ho Chi Minh City offer a sibling discount structured as a percentage off the second and subsequent children's tuition. SSIS offers around 5 percent off the second child and 10 percent off the third and fourth. BIS HCMC and ISHCMC offer similar tiered structures. AISVN and Renaissance also operate sibling discount schedules. The discount typically applies to tuition only and not to capital, bus, lunch or other loading items. For a family with three children at a premium tier school, the sibling discount across the placement can be worth USD 8,000 to 15,000 per year. Our sibling discount comparison covers the structure across the region.

Formal scholarships at Ho Chi Minh City schools are limited. SSIS, BIS HCMC and AIS Saigon all run small academic scholarship programmes at the senior school entry points, typically offering 25 to 100 percent tuition reduction for a small number of students per year. These are competitive, awarded on academic and co curricular merit, and usually require the family to apply in the preceding January. Sport and music scholarships are even more limited and tend to be specific to a school and year. Most families should plan on full fees rather than counting on a scholarship outcome.

Negotiating the education line in your package

Most expat families arriving in Ho Chi Minh City carry an education allowance as part of the overall compensation package. The market norm for senior corporate hires is full coverage of tuition for up to two or three children at a designated tier of school, with capital fees often covered as a one time relocation expense and bus and uniform usually rolled into a separate annual allowance. For mid level and junior expat hires, the education line is often capped at a fixed annual figure regardless of the actual fees charged. Where the cap is below the fee at the chosen school, the family covers the gap.

The practical negotiation points are worth understanding before signing. First, the school tier covered by the policy. Many companies define this loosely and a clear written confirmation that SSIS, BIS HCMC and ISHCMC are all included avoids friction in year one. Second, the inclusion of capital fees. Some companies treat these as a one off relocation expense, others as a personal cost. The capital fee at the premium tier in Ho Chi Minh City for a two child family is USD 14,000 to 22,000, which is a meaningful negotiation point. Third, the treatment of bus and lunch, which add USD 2,500 to 5,000 per child per year. Fourth, the policy on fee inflation across the placement, since a four year posting can see compounded fee rises of 18 to 25 percent. A clear gross up clause or a tier match policy at the school tier rather than at a fixed dollar amount is the family friendly outcome.

For self funding families, the comparison logic is different. The premium tier is rarely worth the marginal cost above the upper mid tier on academic outcomes alone, although it remains worth it for cohort depth and the network. Many self funding families end up at the upper mid tier or top of the mid tier, which delivers strong academic outcomes at fees 30 to 50 percent below the premium tier.

How Ho Chi Minh City compares

A premium tier Diploma place in Ho Chi Minh City at SSIS or BIS HCMC sits at USD 30,000 to 36,000 per year. The equivalent place at NIST or Bangkok Patana in Bangkok runs USD 30,000 to 34,000. JIS in Jakarta runs USD 30,000 to 34,000. ISKL in Kuala Lumpur runs USD 22,000 to 26,000. UWCSEA or SAS in Singapore runs USD 38,000 to 50,000. Hong Kong premium tier sits at USD 38,000 to 55,000. Ho Chi Minh City is broadly in line with Bangkok and Jakarta and meaningfully below Singapore and Hong Kong, with Kuala Lumpur the value pick of the region. For the wider comparison see our 2026 fee report and the Kuala Lumpur fee piece.

Related guides

• Best international schools in Ho Chi Minh City
• Cheapest international schools in Ho Chi Minh City
• IB schools in Ho Chi Minh City

Frequently asked questions