'Deposit fees' for first grade at Hanoi private schools reach 110 million VND

Private schools collect "deposit fees" of about 5-20 million VND for first grade, with some exceeding 110 million VND, non-refundable if students withdraw from enrollment.

Over 50 private primary schools in Hanoi enroll thousands of first-grade students each year. By mid-February, many schools announced their admission plans and fees for the upcoming academic year.

Most schools require parents of admitted students to pay a "deposit fee," known by various names such as registration fee, enrollment fee, or reservation fee. These fees are typically deducted from tuition, uniform costs, or textbooks upon enrollment. However, if a student withdraws, the deposit is non-refundable.

Notably, some institutions demand two to four separate deposit payments. For instance, True North School charges a 3 million VND registration fee plus a 15 million VND enrollment fee. Dwight Hanoi School has four distinct charges: a 9,8 million VND registration fee, a 28,8 million VND enrollment fee, a 30 million VND tuition deposit, and a 45 million VND assurance fee, totaling over 113 million VND – the highest recorded so far.

Deposit requirements at 14 private primary schools in Hanoi for the 2026-2027 academic year:

No.	School	"Deposit fees" for first grade (million VND)
1	FPT	2
2	Vinschool	3
3	Lomonoxop	3 (basic system) 5 (enhanced English system)
4	Phenikaa	5
5	Da Tri Tue	5
6	Nguyen Sieu	6-8
7	Newton	12
8	Olympia	15
9	Maya	3 (registration fee) 15 (reservation fee)
10	True North	3 (registration fee) 15 (enrollment fee)
11	Archimedes	23
12	Ngoi Sao Hoang Mai	25
13	Quoc te Nhat Ban	25 (enrollment fee) 20 (deposit)
14	Dwight Ha Noi	9,8 (registration fee) 28,8 (enrollment fee) 30 (tuition deposit) 45 (assurance fee)

Annually, Hanoi sees approximately 110,000 to 120,000 children enter first grade. According to a private school director, these "deposit fees" aim to encourage families to commit to their choices, thereby reducing the number of speculative applications and preventing admission challenges.

This practice has been controversial for years, as these fees are not formally regulated but rather based on agreements between parents and schools. Leaders from the Department of Education and Training have frequently expressed that collecting such deposits is "not ideal," yet schools continue the practice.