On August 11, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) issued a time frame for the 2025-2026 school year for preschool education, general education and continuing education.
Accordingly, students nationwide will be able to return to school one week before the opening date. For primary school students (grade 1, grade 9, grade 12) will return to school 2 weeks earlier than the opening date.
Like previous years, students at all levels will open the new school year on September 5. The Ministry of Education and Training requires semester 1 to end before January 18, 2026 and complete the program, ending the school year before May 31, 2026.
Thus, no later than May 31, 2026, students nationwide will have a summer vacation in 2026.
The Ministry of Education and Training notes that the school attendance period and the school year extension period are not more than 2 weeks compared to the regulations of the ministry. In special cases, localities need to report to the ministry before implementing.
The Department of Education and Training of localities can decide to let students stay home from school in cases of extreme weather, natural disasters and arrange appropriate make-up classes, but it is also necessary to ensure teachers' leave during the school year.
For senior students, high schools in the area will consider recognizing the completion of the primary school program and consider recognizing the completion of junior high school graduation before June 30, 2026. Admissions for first-level classes are expected to be completed before July 31, 2026.
For the high school graduation exam, the Ministry of Education and Training expects the 2026 exam to take place earlier than every year, taking place on June 11-12, 2026.
The Ministry of Education and Training emphasizes that the school year schedule of localities must ensure 35 weeks of actual study (1st semester has 18 weeks and second semester has 17 weeks). The school year time plan also needs to be consistent with the characteristics and practical conditions of the locality.
For holidays and Tet, the Labor Code and annual guidance documents will decide for localities to implement.
The Ministry of Education and Training further informed that teachers' annual leave should be taken during the summer vacation or may be arranged alternately at other times of the year to suit the specific characteristics and time plans of the local school year.
