How many IB schools in Hanoi
Hanoi currently lists four to five authorised IB World Schools, depending on how the boundary between Hanoi proper and the wider Hanoi metropolitan area is drawn. Three Hanoi schools deliver the full IB Diploma at sixth form. UNIS Hanoi, the United Nations International School of Hanoi, is the longest-standing IB Diploma provider in Vietnam, with authorisation across PYP, MYP and the Diploma. British International School Hanoi, known as BIS Hanoi, delivers the IB Diploma alongside the Nord Anglia model and sits at the upper end of the Vietnamese international market. Hanoi International School in Ba Dinh District is a smaller, longer-established IB school with a settled diplomatic family base. Singapore International School at SIS Hanoi runs the IB Primary Years Programme alongside a Cambridge IGCSE and A Level pathway at upper secondary.
The Hanoi IB cohort is unusual in being more diplomatic and NGO-weighted than in most Asian capitals, because of the UN, embassy and development agency footprint in the city. For the wider Hanoi context see our Hanoi city hub and the global IB curriculum hub.
UNIS Hanoi and the UN affiliation
UNIS Hanoi is one of only two UN-titled schools in the world, alongside UNIS New York. The school was founded in 1988 with formal United Nations affiliation and has held it ever since. The implication for parents is twofold. First, the cohort skews more international, with a significant share of UN agency, World Bank, ADB, embassy and INGO families on rotation through Hanoi for three to five-year postings. Second, the school's governance and admissions rhythm work to a UN posting calendar, with August intakes around the annual UN rotation cycle and a strong commitment to admitting children of UN families with eligible postings to Hanoi. UNIS Hanoi sits on a single campus in Ciputra International City on the eastern edge of Tay Ho District, with full Diploma authorisation and a strong record of placement into UK, US, Canadian and Australian universities.
UNIS Tay Ho, or BIS Vinhomes Riverside?
Take our 5 minute school finder quiz. We shortlist three Hanoi IB options based on your child's age, your district and your university targets.
Fees and how Hanoi compares with HCMC
Hanoi IB school fees in 2026 sit at the upper end of the Vietnamese international market, but still below comparable Singapore or Hong Kong IB fees. Lower primary at the smaller authorised IB schools runs from roughly USD 18,000 a year. UNIS Hanoi Lower Primary sits around USD 26,000, rising to USD 35,000 at the IB Diploma year. BIS Hanoi sits at a similar range across Years 12 and 13. Hanoi International School sits slightly lower at USD 18,000 to USD 28,000 across the stages. In Vietnamese dong terms the headline range is roughly VND 460 million to VND 880 million. Capital or entrance fees of USD 3,000 to USD 7,000 fall on first entry, transport from USD 1,500 to USD 2,500 a year, lunch around USD 1,200 and IB Diploma examination fees of roughly USD 800 in Year 13. Comparable HCMC fees are very similar at the senior years. For the full Vietnamese fee picture see our Hanoi international school fees guide and the wider cost calculator.
Illustrative example schools
The schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each holds a distinct identity in the Hanoi IB market.
United Nations International School of Hanoi on the eastern edge of Tay Ho in Ciputra International City is the anchor IB school in the city. Full PYP, MYP and Diploma authorisation, deep UN, embassy and INGO family base, and a strong record of university placement across the English-speaking world.
British International School Hanoi in Vinhomes Riverside Long Bien is the British-led IB flagship. Nord Anglia membership, full Diploma authorisation, with strong music, theatre and competitive sport facilities. The family base skews more corporate and Vietnamese diaspora-returnee than UNIS.
Hanoi International School near West Lake in Ba Dinh District is the smaller, longer-established IB school with a more diplomatic and embassy-led cohort. Single-site, smaller cohort, and a quieter, less corporate atmosphere than the larger campuses.
Where IB families live in Hanoi
IB families in Hanoi cluster around two main anchors. Tay Ho, the western lakeside district, is the diplomatic and expatriate heart of the city and the natural anchor for UNIS Hanoi. Tay Ho villa stock around West Lake runs USD 2,500 to USD 5,500 a month for a four-bedroom villa, with serviced apartments at USD 1,800 to USD 3,500 a month. The cluster of embassies, the expatriate restaurant strip on Xuan Dieu and Quang An, and the Hanoi British Embassy commercial section, all reinforce Tay Ho as the heart of international family life in Hanoi. Across the Red River, Vinhomes Riverside in Long Bien is the natural anchor for BIS Hanoi families, with four-bedroom villa stock at USD 2,500 to USD 4,500 a month and a stronger Vietnamese diaspora-returnee mix. Inside the city centre, Ba Dinh and parts of Hoan Kiem hold smaller IB-school family clusters using the school coach networks. For the residential map see our best Hanoi schools for expat families guide.
Admissions, Decree 86 and university outcomes
Hanoi IB admissions sit under Vietnamese Government Decree 86, which caps the share of Vietnamese students at fully foreign-invested international schools at 50 percent of total enrolment at primary and at 50 percent at lower secondary. For premium schools such as UNIS Hanoi and BIS Hanoi, the binding constraint is the Vietnamese share at popular year entries, not the expat share. UNIS Hanoi prioritises children of UN agency staff and runs a rolling admissions calendar tied to the August intake. BIS Hanoi and Hanoi International School run more conventional Vietnamese international school admissions, with applications opening in November for the following August intake. The IB Diploma is recognised by all Vietnamese universities through the international student admissions track, including VinUniversity and Foreign Trade University, and is widely accepted by UK, US, Canadian, Australian and Singaporean universities through the standard university application calendars. For sibling-cluster context see our best IB schools in Hanoi guide and the IB schools in Hanoi review.
Frequently asked questions
How many IB schools are there in Hanoi?
Hanoi currently lists four to five authorised IB World Schools, with UNIS Hanoi as the longest-standing IB Diploma provider and BIS Hanoi as the British-led IB flagship. The IB Diploma is offered at three Hanoi schools at the upper secondary level, with the Primary Years Programme and Middle Years Programme reaching a slightly wider cohort. The cluster is concentrated on the northwest of the city around Tay Ho.
What is special about UNIS Hanoi?
UNIS Hanoi is one of two UN-titled schools in the world, with formal United Nations affiliation since its founding in 1988. The school holds full IB World School authorisation across PYP, MYP and the Diploma. The cohort includes a sizeable share of UN agency, embassy and NGO families, which gives UNIS Hanoi a different mix to the wider international school market in Vietnam.
How much do IB schools in Hanoi cost?
Hanoi IB school fees range from USD 18,000 a year for lower primary at the smaller IB schools to USD 35,000 a year for the IB Diploma at UNIS Hanoi and BIS Hanoi. In Vietnamese dong terms that is roughly VND 460 million to VND 880 million. Capital and entrance fees, transport, lunch and IB Diploma examination fees of around USD 800 in Year 13 add to the headline tuition.
Can Vietnamese nationals attend IB schools in Hanoi?
Yes, with the Decree 86 quota in mind. Vietnamese Government Decree 86 caps the share of Vietnamese students at fully foreign-invested international schools at 50 percent of total enrolment at primary and at 50 percent at lower secondary. Most premium Hanoi IB schools, including UNIS Hanoi and BIS Hanoi, fill expat allocations comfortably, which means the Vietnamese share is the binding constraint at popular year entries.
Is the IB Diploma recognised by Vietnamese universities?
Yes. The Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training recognises the IB Diploma for entry to Vietnamese universities through the international student admissions route. Most Hanoi IB Diploma graduates go to universities in the UK, Australia, Canada, the US and Singapore rather than staying in Vietnam, though Vietnamese family heritage cohorts increasingly target VinUniversity and Foreign Trade University.
Where are IB schools in Hanoi located?
The Hanoi IB cluster sits in the northwest of the city. UNIS Hanoi is on the eastern edge of Tay Ho District in Ciputra International City. BIS Hanoi is across the Red River in Vinhomes Riverside Long Bien. Hanoi International School is in central Ba Dinh District near West Lake. The geography means most IB families live in Tay Ho or Vinhomes Riverside, with smaller pockets in Ba Dinh and Hoan Kiem.
