Hanoi has more than 50 non-public primary schools enrolling thousands of first graders each year. By mid-February, many had announced admission plans and fee structures for the upcoming academic year.

Most schools require parents to pay a deposit once their child is accepted, under various names such as “registration fees,” “admission fees,” or “seat reservation fees.”

These payments are usually deducted from tuition, uniforms, or textbooks after enrollment, but are not refunded if the student ultimately does not attend.

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

In some cases, schools impose two to four separate deposits.

At True North International School, for example, parents must pay a VND3 million registration fee and an additional VND15 million admission fee.

Dwight School Hanoi requires four separate payments: a VND9.8 million application fee, a VND28.8 million admission fee, a VND30 million tuition deposit, and a VND45 million security fee – bringing the total to more than VND113 million, the highest reported so far.

Each year, Hanoi sees approximately 110,000-120,000 children entering Grade 1.

A private school administrator said deposits are intended to ensure families remain committed and to prevent inflated enrollment numbers that complicate admissions planning.

The practice has sparked controversy for years as it is not regulated by law and is instead based on agreements between parents and the schools.

Officials from the Hanoi Department of Education and Training have described deposit collection as “inappropriate,” though many schools continue to apply it.