Vietnam, principally Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, has an established international school market built around foreign business postings and a growing Vietnamese demand for English-medium education.
The school landscape
Ho Chi Minh City hosts British International School Ho Chi Minh City (BIS), the International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC), the Australian International School. Hanoi hosts United Nations International School (UNIS), British International School Hanoi (BIS), Concordia. Fees range from USD 18,000 to 32,000 per year.
Curriculum
The IB Diploma is offered at BIS, ISHCMC, UNIS and a handful of others. The British IGCSE / A-Level pathway is the alternative most expat families choose.
Neighbourhoods
In HCMC, District 2 (Thao Dien) is the established expat heartland. District 7 (Phu My Hung) has grown as a second cluster. In Hanoi, Tay Ho (West Lake) is the principal expat district.
What to know
Air quality varies materially across the year and across the two cities. School-level air quality monitoring and filtration is now standard at premium international schools.