Mr. B.T. H is currently a company worker and a student studying Industrial Electricity at a vocational college. According to Decree No. 238/2025/ND-CP, he is entitled to a 70% tuition fee reduction.
However, the school instructed Mr. T.H to pay 100% of the tuition deposit in advance to the school, after he finishes one year of school and has a transcript, the school will send his student application to the locality where he resides to receive 70% of the tuition fee reduction.
The form of receiving tuition fee reduction will be repeated annually until Mr. Ha graduates. If during his studies, Mr. Ha drops out of school, he will be considered to have completely lost 100% of the tuition fee deposited to the school.
Mr. T.H asked, are universities and colleges all applying this? When did Decree No. 238/2025/ND-CP take effect, because he started studying from October 2025, the school announced that he must pay the full tuition fee for 2025. Only after January 1, 2026 will 70% tuition fee exemption and reduction be applied.
The Ministry of Education and Training answers this question as follows:
Decree No. 238/2025/ND-CP dated September 3, 2025 of the Government stipulating tuition policies, exemptions, reductions, tuition fee support, learning cost support and service prices in the field of education and training, takes effect from September 3, 2025 and applies from the 2025-2026 school year.
Clause 11, Article 19 of Decree No. 238/2025/ND-CP stipulates:
In case parents (or guardians) of preschool children, general education students, students studying at continuing education institutions under the general education program, students studying at vocational education institutions, and higher education institutions have submitted dossiers in accordance with the provisions of this Decree and have not received tuition fee exemption, reduction, support and learning expense support according to the prescribed time limit, they are entitled to retroactive payment or deduction in the next payment".
Thus, in the case of Mr. B.T. H, if he is eligible for a 70% tuition fee reduction, it will be calculated from the actual starting time of study and applied from the 2025-2026 school year onwards. In case Mr. T.H has not received tuition fee exemption or reduction, it will be recovered in subsequent payments.
Point a, Clause 2, Article 21 of Decree No. 238/2025/ND-CP stipulates: "People's Committees of communes, wards, and special zones directly under the provincial level where learners register permanent residence are responsible for paying and finalizing tuition fee exemption and reduction expenses directly to parents (or guardians) or students studying at vocational education institutions (except for learners of the general education program applied in Clause 1, Article 21 of this Decree) and higher education institutions".
Thus, in case Mr. T.H studies at a non-public educational institution and is eligible for a 70% tuition fee reduction, the People's Committee of the commune or ward where he is permanently residing is responsible for considering and paying tuition fee exemption and reduction fees directly to him.
Decree No. 238/2025/ND-CP does not stipulate that students must pay tuition deposits as Mr. Ha mentioned.
