Schools & Education in Hoi An

Country Level Legal Status

Vietnam does not officially recognize homeschooling as a legal form of education; children are formally expected to attend a public or private school under the national compulsory education framework set out in Vietnam's Education Law.

Local Hoi An Community Or Co Op

No documented, Hoi An-specific homeschooling co-op or organized in-person support group could be confirmed. General homeschooling networks referenced in expat sources are described at the whole-of-Vietnam or informal expat-community level, not as a named, active Hoi An group, so families should not assume a local co-op exists without verifying current groups directly (e.g. via Hoi An expat social media groups) before relying on one.

Practical Implications For Expats

Because there is no formal homeschool registration or accreditation pathway, expat families that homeschool typically do so informally: following a foreign curriculum (e.g. a British, American, or online curriculum provider), keeping their own records of progress, and sometimes using periodic external/standardized testing, since a Vietnamese-issued homeschool credential does not exist.

Ambiguity And Enforcement In Practice

The Vietnamese constitution recognizes parents' general right to direct their children's education but does not explicitly legislate for or against homeschooling, leaving the practice in a legally ambiguous, informal space rather than either a clearly protected or clearly banned status. In practice, reports describe no formal penalties or prosecutions for homeschooling families, though a homeschooled child would not be counted as enrolled within the official system.

Recommendation

HAIS explicitly advertises limited spots due to small class sizes and encourages parents to enrol as soon as possible to reserve a place for the coming academic year, rather than waiting until arrival in Vietnam.

Admissions Cycle

Admissions for HAIS are described as open on a rolling basis for the current school year (e.g. 2025-2026), rather than a single fixed once-a-year deadline, but popular year groups and Early Years/Kindergarten places are the ones most likely to fill first given the school's small size.

Sibling Priority

Families with a sibling already enrolled receive priority consideration for a new sibling's application, but this does not guarantee a place if the specific class/year level is full.

Small Class Sizes Limited Spots

Yes

Practical Advice For Foreign Families

• Start the inquiry and tour process 2-3+ months before an intended start date where possible, especially for Kindergarten/Early Years or mid-year moves, since Hoi An has far fewer international-school seats than a large city like Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City.
• Be prepared to arrange the trial day and bus service with the lead times the school requests (roughly two working days for a trial day, up to two weeks for bus service) rather than expecting same-week starts.
• Given a documented case of a Hoi An international school (Green Shoots) closing abruptly in September 2023 after collecting large advance tuition payments, with families left unable to recover paid fees, it is worth checking a school's licensing status with the Quang Nam Department of Education and paying fees in installments rather than large lump sums where the school allows it.