Tuition fees are one factor that significantly influences the dual goals of higher education: ensuring quality and expanding access. Without increasing tuition fees, there may not be enough resources to ensure quality; however, rising tuition fees increase the barriers for potential students from low-income households. Thus, these schools’ tuition fees fluctuate from VND12 million (US$494) to VND24.5 million a year meanwhile, if schools collect the tuition fee according to the Decree 86, tuition fees will range from VND9.8 million to VND14.3 million a year. Tuition fees of autonomous public universities according to the Decree 81 are 2-2.5 times higher than those of non-autonomous institutions. The majority of students’ tuition fees are covered by their parents without long-term support from the State.
