Ministry of Education and Training proposes standards for foreign teachers and researchers at educational institutions in Vietnam
An Nhien
Saturday, Dec/13/2025 - 18:08
(L&D) – Ministry of Education and Training proposes specifically standards and conditions for foreigners teaching and doing scientific research. The proposals are included in the draft Decree on foreign nationals working in management, teaching, research and academic exchange at educational institutions in Vietnam.
Foreign nationals serving in management positions at higher education institutions must hold a master’s degree or higher relevant to their management field.
The draft sets out specific conditions and standards for foreign nationals holding managerial positions across three levels: preschools, general education and continuing education institutions; vocational education institutions; and higher education institutions.
Preschools, general education and continuing education institutions
Regarding professional qualifications, the draft stipulates that foreign nationals appointed to managerial positions in preschools, general education institutions, and continuing education institutions must hold at least a bachelor's degree in educational management or a related management field; and possess a doctoral degree or hold the title of professor, associate professor, or academician.
They must have at least two years of experience in managing preschools, general education institutions, or continuing education institutions; and possess experience in educational administration.
Other requirements: They must have language proficiency necessary for communication and management at educational institutions; preference is given to those proficient in both Vietnamese and English; and they should possess an understanding of local cultures, customs, or ethnic minority communities; those holding doctoral degrees or the academic titles of Associate Professor or Professor in fields related to early childhood education, general education, or continuing education are preferred.
Vocational education
Following the draft, foreign nationals serving in managerial positions at vocational education institutions must hold a master's degree relevant to the field of administration and appropriate to the position they are assigned; and possess a doctoral degree or hold the academic titles of professor, associate professor, or academician.
They must have at least two years of experience in managing institutions or educational organizations that provide vocational training programs, as well as experience in educational administration.
They must possess sufficient foreign-language proficiency for communication and administrative work within educational institutions, with priority given to those proficient in English; additional priority is given to candidates who are fluent in both Vietnamese and English; and who have an understanding of the culture and customs of local regions or ethnic minority communities.
They must possess foreign-language proficiency for communication and administrative duties at educational institutions; priority is given to those fluent in both Vietnamese and English; and to those with knowledge of local cultural practices or ethnic minority communities.
Higher education
Foreigners serving in management positions at higher education institutions must hold a master’s degree or higher relevant to their managerial field and corresponding to the position to be undertaken; and must possess a doctoral degree or hold the title of professor, associate professor, or academician.
They must have at least two years of experience in managing higher education institutions, as well as experience in educational administration.
They must demonstrate foreign-language proficiency sufficient for communication and management within educational institutions, with priority given to those proficient in English; additional priority is given to candidates fluent in English who have an understanding of Vietnamese culture, customs, and traditions.
They must have foreign-language skills sufficient for communication and management within educational institutions; preference is given to those proficient in both Vietnamese and English; familiarity with local cultures, regional customs, or ethnic minority communities is also valued.
The draft further specifies the conditions and standards for foreign nationals teaching or conducting scientific research at all levels: preschool education; general education; continuing education institutions; vocational education; and higher education.
Preschool education
Regarding preschool education, the draft proposes foreign nationals teaching preschoolers at early childhood education institutions must hold at least a college degree in early childhood education; or a degree equivalent to a college-level qualification in a related field if teaching a specific subject at the preschool; they may also hold a doctoral degree or have the title of professor, associate professor, or academician.
They must have at least two years of teaching/educational experience at preschool institutions; possess a pedagogical certificate; or have at least two years of teaching/educational experience in the field of early childhood education.They must be proficient in the language of instruction, with preference given to those fluent in English; familiarity with Vietnamese culture, customs, and practices is also valued.
Foreign nationals teaching a foreign language as their mother tongue to preschool children must hold at least a college degree; possess a TESOL certificate or other international language teaching certificates recognized and announced by the Ministry of Education and Training for use in Vietnamese educational institutions; or have teaching/educational experience at preschool institutions or have completed a practicum at a Vietnamese preschool (minimum 90 teaching periods)…
In cases where foreign nationals teach a foreign language as their mother tongue to management staff, teachers, or employees at preschool education institutions, they must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher and possess a TESOL certificate or other international language teaching certificates recognized and announced by the Ministry of Education and Training for use in educational institutions in Vietnam.
In cases where foreign nationals teach professional development or specialized training courses for management staff, teachers, or employees at preschool education institutions must hold a master’s degree in a field relevant to the content being taught.
General education
According to the draft, foreign nationals teaching at general education institutions must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in a field relevant to the subject being taught or to education; possess a teaching certification; or have at least two years of teaching experience in general education institutions or continuing education institutions.
They must have experience teaching in the general education sector; be proficient in the language of instruction; and preferably have a specialization in general education.
Foreign nationals teaching a foreign language program as their native language must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher; possess a TESOL certificate or other international language teaching certificates recognized by the Ministry of Education and Training for use in Vietnam’s educational institutions; or have teaching experience in general education institutions.
Continuing education
The draft specifies that foreign nationals teaching at continuing education institutions must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in a field relevant to the subject taught or to education; possess a doctoral degree or hold the title of professor, associate professor, or academician; have a teaching certification; or have at least two years of teaching experience in general education or continuing education institutions, with experience in the education field.
Foreign nationals teaching a foreign language program as their native language must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher; possess a TESOL certificate or other international language teaching certificates recognized by the Ministry of Education and Training for use in Vietnam’s educational institutions; or have teaching experience at general education or continuing education institutions.
Vocational education
According to the draft, foreign nationals teaching theoretical subjects must hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a field relevant to the assigned teaching area; possess a doctoral degree or hold the title of professor, associate professor, or academician; have a teaching certificate for instructors teaching at the elementary, intermediate, or college levels as prescribed by the Vocational Education Law; or have at least two years of teaching experience at vocational education institutions, higher education institutions, or reputable research institutes abroad.
Foreign nationals teaching practical or integrated courses must hold an engineering degree, a bachelor’s degree in engineering, a bachelor’s degree in technical sciences, or an equivalent qualification in a field relevant to the assigned teaching area; or hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field and have at least five years of direct professional experience in production, business, services, or practical teaching. They must also possess a doctoral degree or hold the title of professor, associate professor, or academician; have a teaching certificate for instructors teaching at the elementary, intermediate, or college levels as prescribed by the Vocational Education Law; or have at least two years of teaching experience at vocational education institutions, higher education institutions, or reputable research institutes abroad.
Foreign nationals teaching language as their mother tongue must hold at least a bachelor’s degree; possess a TESOL certificate or other internationally recognized foreign language teaching certificates approved by the Ministry of Education and Training for use in Vietnamese educational institutions; or have experience teaching foreign languages at vocational education or higher education institutions.
In special cases, consideration may be given to approving individuals who do not fully meet the standard requirements for theoretical or practical instructors at vocational education institutions but possess exceptional professional competence, hold patents, or have received scientific awards, demonstrated tangible contributions, are recommended by reputable international educational organizations, or are part of government-level cooperation programs, as verified by the competent authority.
Higher Education
The draft specifies that foreign nationals teaching, conducting scientific research, or participating in academic exchanges must hold a master’s degree or higher appropriate to their assigned position, field, or teaching/research/exchange specialization; hold a doctoral degree suitable for their assigned position, field, or teaching/research/exchange specialization; or hold a master’s degree or higher relevant to their assigned position, field, or specialization and have research works published in internationally recognized journals indexed by WoS/Scopus. They may also demonstrate scientific contributions through peer-reviewed international journals, published books or book chapters, or participation in research projects, scientific topics, or service contracts at various levels with practical professional value.
For foreign nationals without a master’s degree teaching foreign language programs as a native language, they must hold at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent; possess a TESOL certificate or other internationally recognized foreign language teaching certificates approved by the Ministry of Education and Training for use in Vietnamese educational institutions; or have experience teaching foreign languages at vocational or higher education institutions.
In special cases, consideration may be given to individuals who do not fully meet the requirements for university-level teaching or scientific research but possess exceptional professional expertise, hold patents or scientific awards, or have proven practical contributions. Such individuals may be recommended by reputable international educational organizations, participate in government-level cooperation programs, be certified by competent authorities, or receive a guarantee of sponsorship from the host educational institution.
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