How many international primaries in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City has roughly 25 international or English language primary schools serving the expatriate market, the second deepest cluster in Vietnam after Hanoi has been comprehensively overtaken in recent years. Around 16 of these sit inside full through schools running from age three to eighteen, where families can enrol at reception and progress to the IB Diploma or A Level on the same campus. The remaining nine operate as dedicated primaries or junior schools, with the expectation that families transfer at Year 6 or Year 7 to a separate senior school.
Cohort sizes range widely. International School Ho Chi Minh City primary at An Phu runs roughly 700 children from age three through Year 6, the largest single international primary cohort in the city. The mid cluster of Australian International School Vietnam primary, Saigon South International School and Renaissance International School Saigon runs at 400 to 600 primary children per campus. The boutique primaries and dual language settings typically sit at 150 to 300 children. This depth means most central HCMC families can reach at least four sensible primary options within a 30 minute drive, an unusually rich position by mainland Southeast Asian standards.
Fees and the primary tiers
Primary international school fees in Ho Chi Minh City divide into three tiers. The value tier runs USD 9,000 to USD 14,000 a year and covers the smaller dual language primaries, the bilingual streams inside larger schools and most non IB or non British curriculum primaries. The mid tier sits at USD 14,000 to USD 22,000 and captures the established through school primaries at the upper end of the bilingual cluster and the lower years at the premium schools. The premium tier, USD 22,000 to USD 30,000, includes the full Year 6 fees at ISHCMC, AIS Vietnam, SSIS, Renaissance and the British International School, the five flagship through schools.
Three HCMC specific cost factors matter at primary. A one off registration fee of USD 2,500 to USD 5,000 is standard at the premium schools. School bus fees of USD 1,800 to USD 3,200 a year are nearly universal given the city traffic. And the gap between Year 1 and Year 6 fees at the same school is typically 20 to 30 per cent, which catches new families budgeting from current rather than future fees. For wider context see our Ho Chi Minh City international school fees guide.
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Illustrative example schools
The schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each holds at least one of CIS, WASC, NEASC or BSO accreditation and has at least 10 years of operating history in the city.
International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC) primary at An Phu in District 2 runs roughly 700 children from age three through Year 6, the largest international primary cohort in Vietnam. IB Primary Years Programme in early years and the early primary years, with a transdisciplinary inquiry model. Most ISHCMC primary children continue into the ISHCMC secondary campus in Thao Dien.
Australian International School Vietnam (AIS) primary in Thao Dien runs IB Primary Years from age three, with around 450 primary children. The school then offers families a choice at senior level between the IB Diploma and the Cambridge IGCSE and A Level pathway, a rare feature in the HCMC market. Strong music and sport from Year 3 onwards.
Saigon South International School (SSIS) in Phu My Hung, District 7 runs an American elementary core through grade 5, the city's flagship US curriculum primary. Roughly 500 elementary children, with progression into SSIS middle school and the IB Diploma layered onto the US high school programme. The Phu My Hung campus serves the dense Korean, Japanese and Singaporean residential cluster.
For a curated editorial pick see our best international schools in Ho Chi Minh City long read.
Which primary framework
The choice of primary framework in Ho Chi Minh City is the most consequential schooling decision before sixth form, because the framework shapes teaching style, homework volume and assessment cadence. The IB Primary Years Programme is the dominant framework in the city, used at ISHCMC, AIS, EIS, Renaissance and the British International School primary at the lower years. It is inquiry led and transdisciplinary, leading naturally into MYP at middle school and the IB Diploma at sixth form.
The UK National Curriculum with EYFS at the front end is used at the British International School Ho Chi Minh City and a handful of smaller British primaries, leading into IGCSE in Years 10 and 11 and A Level or IB Diploma at sixth form. The US elementary core, used at Saigon South International School, is content rich and assessment light through grade 5. For the wider primary frameworks across cities see our curriculum hub. Families weighing primary against secondary should also see the HCMC British curriculum hub and the HCMC IB hub.
Admissions and waitlists
The structural intake at HCMC primaries is August, with most schools opening registration for the following August intake from October of the preceding year. A second smaller intake operates in January at the start of the second semester. The premium through schools, including ISHCMC, AIS, SSIS, Renaissance and BIS, run a January application deadline followed by a rolling waitlist through the summer.
Waitlist intensity at primary follows a predictable pattern. Year 1 entry at the most established Thao Dien and Phu My Hung schools can run 6 to 12 months out, particularly for sibling blocked applications, although the position is materially easier than Bangkok or Singapore. Year 2 to Year 5 entry is usually possible within four to six weeks at most schools given the natural churn of expatriate movement in HCMC. Year 6 entry tightens again as families lock in for a clean transition to secondary on the same campus. Admissions tests, where used, focus on age appropriate reading and reasoning for native English speakers and on English as an additional language placement for non native speakers. For the broader admissions picture see the Ho Chi Minh City city hub.
Frequently asked questions
How many international primary schools are there in Ho Chi Minh City?
Ho Chi Minh City has roughly 25 international or English language primary schools, of which around 16 sit within through schools running from age 3 to 18 and 9 operate as dedicated primary or junior schools. The largest single primary cohort is at International School Ho Chi Minh City at An Phu.
What age does primary school start in Ho Chi Minh City?
Most HCMC international primary schools start at age 5 in reception or kindergarten, with formal Year 1 starting at age 5 to 6. The US curriculum schools start kindergarten at age 5 and grade 1 at age 6. Roughly 25 per cent of HCMC primary schools include Year 7 inside the primary phase before transitioning to secondary.
How much do primary international schools cost in Ho Chi Minh City?
HCMC primary school fees range from USD 9,000 a year at the value tier dual language primaries to USD 30,000 at the premium through schools ISHCMC, AIS, SSIS, Renaissance and the British International School. Median Year 4 to Year 6 fees sit near USD 18,000.
Do HCMC primary schools follow EYFS or IB PYP?
The largest cohort of HCMC primary schools follows the IB Primary Years Programme, used at ISHCMC, AIS, EIS, Renaissance and the British International School primary at the lower years. A smaller cohort follows the UK National Curriculum with EYFS in early years, used at the British International School senior pipeline. Saigon South International School uses the US elementary core.
When should I apply for primary school in Ho Chi Minh City?
Apply 6 to 12 months ahead for Year 1 entry at the most over subscribed schools, including ISHCMC, AIS, SSIS, Renaissance and the British International School. Mid year January and April entry is usually possible at lower year groups given expatriate movement, with offers typically issued within four to six weeks of a complete application.
