Credit-Based Tuition 2026-2027: How Much Is One Credit?

What is credit-based tuition and how do you calculate one semester?

Credit-based tuition means you pay exactly for the credits you register in a semester, not a fixed annual sum. Vietnamese universities have run on credits since the 2009-10 academic year: 1 credit = 15 lecture periods (50 minutes each) plus self-study time, and a bachelor's program is usually 120–140 credits. Schools that charge per credit usually publish a unit price each year (verified example: UEH), and this semester's tuition = unit price × total credits registered.

A real example: per UEH's admissions page, the first-year unit price for K51 students (2025-26 intake) in the standard program is 1.1–1.3 million VND per credit, about 33–39 million VND per year. If you register 15 credits this semester, tuition lands around 16.5–19.5 million VND. Lab courses and fully English-taught courses at UEH carry a 1.2× or 1.4× multiplier — a 3-credit English-taught course at 1.3 million would be 3 × 1.3 × 1.4 = 5.46 million VND.

In the data we could verify, HCMUT, HCMUTE, TDTU and EIU only show annual or per-major rates (we haven't seen a publicly posted per-credit price), so to know a semester's bill you should check the tuition notice on your school's student portal rather than multiplying yourself. The table below applies only to credit-based schools and uses UEH's unit price as the example.

On YourCampus: In YourCampus the timetable shows each course's credits, so you can total this semester's credits quickly and multiply by your school's unit price. App user guide

University tuition in 2026: figures for 5 HCMC schools

Rates differ a lot between schools and between programs within one school, so don't budget from a single 'average'. Below are the latest published figures for 5 HCMC universities we cross-checked against official sources (EIU is administratively part of HCMC since July 2025; its campus is in Binh Duong New City, about 40 km from the center). Each school's 2026-2027 tuition usually appears during admissions season; UEH has already posted a separate notice for the late-2026 and early-2027 semesters on its Student Affairs site.

• HCMUT – HCMC University of Technology (VNU-HCM) For HCMUT (Bach Khoa), the 2025-26 notice states: the standard program averages about 30 million VND per year with scheduled increases announced; the English-taught/advanced program is about 80 million VND per year and already set at 84 million for 2027-28; the Japan-oriented program is about 60 million VND per year. If you're searching for a 'VNU-HCM per-credit price', note that in the data we have, Bach Khoa publishes annual rates and we haven't seen a separate per-credit price.
• UEH – University of Economics HCMC K51 intake (2025-26), standard program: first-year unit price 1.1–1.3 million VND per credit, about 33–39 million VND per year, and the school commits to raising no more than 10% a year. For UEH tuition covering late 2026 – early 2027, the school has posted a separate notice on its Student Affairs site — check the new unit price there.
• HCMUTE – HCMC University of Technology and Engineering (formerly Technology and Education) We haven't seen an official HCMUTE 2026 rate yet; the latest is the 2025 intake: 32.5–62 million VND per year depending on major and program, up about 12% year-on-year according to VnExpress; the 2025-26 tuition regulation is posted on the Finance and Planning Office site. If you're looking up 'Su pham Ky thuat' tuition for 2026, that page is still the source — the school was renamed but the publishing source hasn't changed.
• TDTU – Ton Duc Thang University If you're looking for Ton Duc Thang University tuition for 2026, the latest figures we could verify are still from the 2025 freshman handbook: the standard program in HCMC costs 29.77–34.85 million VND per year by major, Pharmacy 66.79 million, and the Khanh Hoa campus 20.5–24 million; press estimates put the 2025-26 increase at 8–10%.
• EIU – Eastern International University (former Binh Duong) Published for the 2026 intake: business/economics 50 million, engineering majors 27 million, nursing 20 million VND per year, with a pledge not to raise tuition for all 4 years.

The figures above are what was published for the 2025 or 2026 intake when we checked (July 2026). A new intake may have different rates — always cross-check the latest tuition notice on the school's official website before deciding.

How high-quality and English-taught programs differ from the standard program in tuition

The gap between English-taught/advanced programs and the standard program varies by school — at some it's double or even more. HCMUT is the widest gap among the 5: the standard program is about 30 million while the English-taught/advanced program is about 80 million VND per year (2025-26), more than 2.5 times. At UEH the difference is applied per course: fully English-taught courses carry a 1.4× multiplier and lab courses 1.2× over the standard unit price. We haven't been able to verify high-quality program figures for HCMUTE, TDTU or EIU.

When comparing, calculate over all 4 years rather than just the first, because each program's increase schedule differs. HCMUT has fixed 84 million for the English-taught program in 2027-28 and flagged gradual increases for the standard program; UEH commits to raising no more than 10% per year. EIU, by contrast, doesn't raise tuition for 4 years — if you pick EIU, the first-year number is also the final-year number.

A high-quality or English-taught program isn't automatically better just because it costs more — schools usually explain the difference with smaller classes, English materials and some courses taught by foreign lecturers, but every school is different. Read the school's admissions plan carefully to see what your extra money buys before deciding.

How retake tuition is calculated when you fail a course or retake to improve

In principle under the credit system, failing a course or retaking to improve your grade both mean re-registering that course next semester, and tuition is usually charged by the course's credits — but the specific retake rate is set by each school, and we couldn't verify it at any of the 5. If a school charges the same unit price as first registration, for example UEH's published first-year K51 rate (1.1–1.3 million per credit, standard program), retaking one 3-credit course would be about 3.3–3.9 million VND — treat this as an estimate, not an official rate (before any lab or English multiplier).

So before re-registering, read the academic regulations or ask the training office to be sure — some schools may charge differently from first registration. Beyond money, a retake delays graduation; per-semester credit caps and how academic warnings are counted depend on each school's regulations.

One cost few people notice: late withdrawal. Per EIU's student handbook, you can drop or swap courses free in week 1; withdrawing in week 2 gives a W grade and you pay 30% of that course's tuition; after week 2 withdrawal is no longer possible — meaning even if you abandon the course midway and stop attending, you still pay for it in full. Withdrawal deadlines differ at other schools, so put your school's drop deadline in your calendar at the start of the semester.

On YourCampus: Before registering, you can read course reviews from earlier cohorts on YourCampus to gauge which courses are heavy and which fit this semester's load. App user guide

When is the tuition deadline and what happens if you pay late?

Tuition deadlines are set in each school's academic calendar and vary — don't guess, check your own school's notice. One example we verified is EIU: the school emails the tuition notice to student email in week 3 and closes payment in week 5 of the semester; pay late and you can't sit final exams or register courses for the next semester.

For HCMUT, UEH, HCMUTE and TDTU we couldn't verify either the deadline dates or the specific penalties, so none are listed here — check your school's academic calendar and tuition notice. One UEH-specific note: it runs 3 semesters on the calendar year (early semester Jan–Jun, mid semester Jun–Aug, late semester Aug–Jan), so there are up to 3 payment rounds a year instead of 2.

• School email At EIU the tuition notice and deadline go out via school email; other schools also use student email (@st.ueh.edu.vn, @student.tdtu.edu.vn, @student.hcmute.edu.vn, @hcmut.edu.vn) for academic notices — turn on notifications from week one.
• Student portal The amount due for the current semester is on the portal (MyBK, UEH portal, online.hcmute, TDTU stdportal, EIU AAO) — reconcile it with your own calculation before transferring.
• Keep the receipt Screenshot the receipt or transfer history; if the system hasn't updated near the deadline, that's your evidence for the training office to unlock you.
• Financial hardship Ask the Student Affairs office before the deadline, not after it has passed.

How much does 4 years of university cost and how much does tuition rise each year?

Quick estimate: take the first-year rate times 4, then add the increase schedule. HCMUT standard at about 30 million/year means at least 120 million over 4 years with no increases; UEH standard program: taking the 120–140 credits typical of a bachelor's program (actual credits depend on your major — check your curriculum) × the first-year K51 rate of 1.1–1.3 million = roughly 132–182 million VND, before the up-to-10%/year rise the school pledges not to exceed; EIU doesn't raise tuition, so 4 × 27 = 108 million for engineering and 4 × 50 = 200 million for business are the final numbers.

As for how much tuition rises in 2026, it depends on the school: UEH caps at 10%/year; HCMUTE rose about 12% for the 2025 intake (VnExpress); TDTU an estimated 8–10% for 2025-26 (press) — we haven't seen an official TDTU 2026 rate yet; HCMUT announced a gradual path for the standard program and a specific 84 million for the English-taught program in 2027-28. When totaling, add dorm or rent, food and transport — that part may be no smaller than tuition itself.

Tuition exemptions and scholarships: where to ask

If you fall under a policy category, tuition exemptions and reductions are set by the state and the school only reviews your file; how and when to submit is announced by each school (usually via the Student Affairs office). This article doesn't list each eligible group because they can change yearly — just check your school's notice. Beyond that, many schools have their own scholarship funds, and for most students that is what matters.

A few verified numbers: HCMUTE set aside a 60 billion VND scholarship budget for 2025; EIU offers talent, women-in-engineering and IELTS 5.5+ scholarships worth 27 million VND each — equal to one year of engineering tuition; UEH attached a tuition-support policy to its late-2026 tuition notice. Merit scholarships based on academic results have different conditions at each school — check your school's scholarship rules.

Scholarships and exemptions may have their own application deadlines, separate from the tuition deadline — check both dates in one pass through the academic calendar and your school's notices.