CIRCULAR

Prescribing the conditions, order, procedures and competence for recognition of diplomas granted by foreign education institutions for use in Vietnam

Pursuant to the June 14, 2019 Education Law;

Pursuant to the June 18, 2012 Law on Higher Education; and the October 19, 2018 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Higher Education;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 69/2017/ND-CP of May 25, 2017, defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training;

At the proposal of the Director of the Quality Control Department;

The Minister of Education and Training promulgates the Circular prescribing the conditions, order, procedures and competence for recognition of diplomas granted by foreign education institutions for use in Vietnam.

Article 1. Scope of regulation and subjects of application

1. This Circular prescribes the conditions, order, procedures and competence for recognition of diplomas granted by foreign education institutions for use in Vietnam, including lower secondary education diploma, upper secondary education diploma, certificate of completion of general education program, bachelor’s diploma, master’s diploma, doctor’s diploma and diplomas of equivalent levels (below collectively referred to as diploma).

2. This Circular applies to:

a/ The Quality Control Department of the Ministry of Education and Training;

b/ Specialized agencies in charge of education of provincial-level People’s Committees (below referred to as provincial-level Departments of Education and Training);

c/ Organizations and individuals involved in the recognition of diplomas granted by foreign education institutions for use in Vietnam

Article 2. Recognition of diplomas

Recognition of diplomas granted by foreign education institutions for use in Vietnam (below referred to as recognition of diplomas) means the recognition of the qualification of learners as stated in the diplomas according to education systems of the countries where the head offices of the foreign education institutions are located and determination of the level of equivalence with the training levels specified in the Vietnamese Qualifications Framework.

Article 3. Principles of recognition of diplomas

1. Recognition of diplomas shall be conducted at the request of diploma holders, personnel management agencies or labor management units upon the consent of diploma holders (below collectively referred to as requesters for recognition of diplomas).

2. A diploma granted by a foreign education institution shall be recognized when the concerned learner completes the relevant educational program, satisfies quality requirements according to regulations of the country where the foreign education institution’s head office is located, and is recognized by a competent education authority of such country according to Article 4 of this Circular.

3. A diploma granted by a foreign education institution shall be exempted from performance of procedures for recognition if satisfying the conditions specified in Article 5 of this Circular.

4. Higher education institutions shall, based on the conditions specified in Article 4 of this Circular, themselves make assessment of diplomas for use in their training activities and take responsibility before law for diploma assessment results. When necessary, higher education institutions shall request diploma holders to carry out procedures for recognition of diplomas according to Article 7 of this Circular.

Article 4. Conditions for recognition of diplomas

1. Diplomas granted by foreign education institutions to learners shall be recognized if the study or research period of the relevant education program conforms to the Framework Structure of Vietnam’s National Education System and either of the following conditions is satisfied:

a/ The education program has undergone quality accreditation corresponding to its training form by an education quality accreditation institution of the country where the foreign education institution’s head office is located;

b/ The foreign education institution is permitted to provide training and grant diplomas by a competent education authority of the country where the foreign education institution’s head office is located or has undergone quality accreditation by an education quality accreditation institution of the country where the foreign education institution’s head office is located.

2. Diplomas granted by a foreign education institution operating in a country other than the country where the foreign education institution’s head office is located (including also Vietnam) shall be recognized if competent education authorities of both countries allow the institution to open branches and provide training or approve the cooperation or joint training; and the institution conducts training activities according to its license and satisfies the conditions specified in Clause 1 of this Article.

3. Diplomas granted by a foreign education institution to learners participating in online training or blended training courses shall be recognized if the conditions specified at Point a, Clause 1 of this Article and either of the following conditions are satisfied:

a/ The training program is licensed by the Ministry of Training and Education for application in Vietnam, in case learners reside and study in Vietnam;

b/ The training program is licensed by a competent education authority of the country where training is organized, in case learners reside and study in such country.

4. The recognition of diplomas granted by foreign education institutions to leaners who are affected by wars, natural disasters, epidemics, fires and other force majeure events shall be decided by the Minister of Education and Training.

Article 5. Exemption from performance of procedures for recognition of diplomas

1. Diplomas granted by foreign education institutions in Vietnam to leaners which are recognized for use in Vietnam without having to undergo procedures for recognition of diplomas include:

a/ Diplomas of foreign education institutions falling within the scope of application of treaties or agreements on equivalence or mutual recognition of diplomas or treaties concerning diplomas to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has signed as announced by the Ministry of Education and Training;

b/ Diplomas granted by foreign education institutions to learners who are sent by the Ministry of Education and Training to study overseas using state budget funds;

c/ Diplomas granted by foreign education institutions to learners under the Vietnam-based programs on joint training with foreign partners approved by competent authorities from the effective date of the Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of Law on Higher Education (Law No. 34/2018/QH14 of November 19, 2018).

2. A diploma specified in Clause 1 of this Article must satisfy the following requirements:

a/ The title of the diploma is commensurate with provisions on diplomas of Vietnam’s national education system;

b/ The training period and conditions on enrollment are in line with regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training;

c/ The training program takes the form of direct training or blended training with the period of online training not exceeding 30% of the total period of the program.

3. The exemption from performance of procedures for recognition of diplomas does not cover the verification of diplomas. Agencies, organizations or employers shall verify diplomas in case of necessity.

Article 6. Competence for recognition of diplomas

1. The Director of the Quality Control Department under the Ministry of Education and Training shall recognize the bachelor’s diploma, master’s diploma, doctor’s diploma and diplomas of equivalent levels.

2. Directors of provincial-level Departments of Education and Training shall recognize the lower secondary education diploma, upper secondary education diploma and certificate of completion of the general education program.

Article 7. Order and procedures for recognition of diplomas

1. A requester for recognition of a diploma shall provide information on the diploma specified in Appendix I to this Circular on the online public service portal of the Ministry of Education and Training or a provincial-level Department of Education and Training (below collectively referred to as agency competent to recognize diplomas). Proofs for verification of the diploma shall be submitted directly or sent by post to the agency competent to recognize diplomas, including:

a/ A copy of the diploma proposed for recognition or a duplicate from the diploma register, enclosed with a notarized Vietnamese translation and copies of directly relevant diplomas and certificates;

b/ A copy of the diploma annex or academic transcript, enclosed with its notarized Vietnamese translation;

c/ Proofs of the overseas study period (if any);

d/ A letter of authorization for verification of information on the diploma (if the requester is the diploma-granting education institution).

2. Within 20 working days after receiving a dossier of request for recognition of a diploma, the agency competent to recognize diplomas shall make a reply on the diploma recognition result to the requester. In case it is required to conduct verification of information on the diploma from the foreign education institution or a foreign verification unit, the time limit for making a reply must not exceed 45 working days after receiving the dossier of request for recognition.

3. The recognition of a diploma shall be acknowledged in a certificate of recognition, made according to the form provided in Appendix II or III of this Circular. In case the diploma is disqualified for recognition or there are insufficient grounds for verification of information on the diploma though the time limit specified in Clause 2 of this Article has expired, the agency competent to recognize diplomas shall issue a written reply to the requester. In case of impossibility to determine the level of equivalence of the diploma with the training levels specified in the Vietnamese Qualifications Framework, the agency competent to recognize diplomas shall provide information on and recognize the validity of the diploma according to the education system of the country where the head office of the concerned foreign education institution is located.

4. An agency competent to recognize diplomas shall make a register of diploma recognition certificates, covering information on the names and dates of birth of persons whose diplomas are recognized; names of diploma-granting education institutions; training forms; and training levels equivalent to the Vietnamese Qualifications Framework or training levels according to education systems of countries where foreign education institutions’ head offices are located; and serial numbers of certificates.

Article 8. Cancellation of the recognition of diplomas

1. In case a diploma is verified to be illegal or a dossier of request for recognition of the diploma is untruthful, the recognition of the diploma shall be cancelled.

2. The head of an agency competent to recognize diplomas shall issue a decision on cancellation of the recognition of the diploma and revocation of the diploma recognition certificate, clearly stating the reason for cancellation and revocation.

3. The decision on cancellation of the recognition of the diploma and revocation of the diploma recognition certificate shall be posted on the portal of the agency competent to recognize diplomas and sent to the person whose diploma is subject to cancelation of the recognition, the inspection agency that detects violations (if any), the agency of the diploma holder (if any), and related agencies and organizations.

Article 9. Responsibilities of agencies competent to recognize diplomas

1. The Quality Control Department

a/ To be responsible for diploma recognition results and settle complaints and denunciations (if any);

b/ To publicize and update on the public service portal of the Ministry of Education and Training information on cases exempted from the performance of procedures for recognition of diplomas under Clause 1, Article 5 of this Circular.

2. Provincial-level Departments of Education and Training

a/ To be responsible for diploma recognition results and settle complaints and denunciations (if any);

b/ To report to the Ministry of Education and Training the number of recognized diplomas before December 25 every year.

Article 10. Effect

1. This Circular takes effect on June 1, 2021. This Circular replaces the Minister of Education and Training’s Decision No. 77/2007/QD-BGDDT of December 20, 2007, promulgating the Regulation on the order and procedures for recognition of diplomas granted to Vietnamese by foreign education institutions; the Minister of Education and Training’s Circular No. 26/2013/TT-BGDDT of July 15, 2013, amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Regulation on the order and procedures for recognition of diplomas granted to Vietnamese by foreign education institutions, promulgated together with the Minister of Education and Training’s Decision No. 77/2007/QD-BGDDT of December 20, 2007, and Circular No. 17/2017/TT-BGDDT of July 13, 2017, replacing the phrases “the Department for International Cooperation” and “Department for Training with Foreign Countries” with the phrase “the International Cooperation Department”, and the phrase “the Education Quality Accreditation and Test Department” with the phrase “the Quality Control Department” in the Minister of Education and Training’s Decision No. 77/2007/QD-BGDDT of December 20, 2007, promulgating the Regulation on the order and procedures for recognition of diplomas granted to Vietnamese by foreign education institutions, amended and supplemented in the Minister of Education and Training’s Circular No. 26/2013/TT-BGDDT of July 15, 2013.

2. The Chief of the Office, Director of the Quality Control Department, and heads of related units under the Ministry of Education and Training; directors of provincial-level Departments of Education and Training; directors of general universities and academies; rectors of universities; and  related organizations and individuals shall implement this Circular.