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Living in Vietnam

Kindergartens and Preschools in Vietnam

Vietnamese, bilingual and international preschool options for expat families, with fees and what to actually look for.

Published 2026-05-17· 6 min read· Vietnam Knowledge

Preschool in Vietnam runs from around 18 months to age 5–6, when formal Year 1 begins. The market has three tiers: Vietnamese mầm non (200–500 USD/mo), bilingual (500–1,000), and international (800–1,500).

The three tiers

TierFee/mo (USD)LanguageBest for
Vietnamese mầm non (public/private)$150–400VietnameseLong-term families wanting fluency; budget
Bilingual$400–90050/50 Vietnamese/EnglishMost expat families; integration + English
International (full)$800–1,500English (or French, German, etc.)Short-term expats; specific curriculum need

Vietnamese mầm non

State-funded or private Vietnamese-language preschools. Strong on routine, social skills, basic literacy and numeracy. Pros:

  • Cheap
  • Your child learns Vietnamese fast
  • Real local integration

Cons:

  • All-Vietnamese teachers, communication via Zalo group
  • Lunch is rice-based (which may or may not bother your kid)
  • Curriculum is rote-leaning
  • Naptime culturally enforced; not a problem for most kids

Best for: long-term expats with Vietnamese spouse or genuine intent to stay.

Bilingual preschools (the expat sweet spot)

Most expat families end up here. Daily English + Daily Vietnamese, often Western-trained head teachers, Vietnamese assistants, kid-focused facilities.

HCMC popular options:

  • Saigon Star International (D2 area) — Cambridge curriculum, primary-flow
  • The American School Early Years (multiple branches)
  • Vinschool kindergarten (VinGroup network, multiple HCMC locations)
  • EMASI kindergarten (D7, Nam Long)
  • Sakura Montessori (multiple HCMC + Hanoi locations) — Montessori bilingual
  • KinderWorld / SIS (Singaporean-led, several branches)
  • Lulla Day Care / Apple Tree / 5 Senses — mid-tier bilingual

Hanoi popular options:

  • Sakura Montessori Hanoi (multiple branches)
  • KinderWorld / SIS Hanoi
  • Vinschool kindergarten (multiple)
  • Wellspring Kindergarten (Tây Hồ, Hai Bà Trưng)
  • Genesis Kindergarten (Tây Hồ)
  • Maple Bear (Canadian curriculum bilingual)

Fees typically $500–900/month including lunch and snacks.

Full international preschools

Feeders to BIS/ISHCMC/SSIS/UNIS/Concordia. Strong English-only environment, IB PYP or English/American curriculum from age 3.

  • BIS HCMC Early Years (An Phú)
  • ISHCMC Early Years (An Phú)
  • SSIS Early Years (D7)
  • UNIS Hanoi Early Years (Tây Hồ)
  • Concordia Early Childhood (Long Biên)

Fees: $12,000–22,000/year (i.e. $1,000–1,800/mo).

Useful if you intend to feed straight into the same school for primary. Slight premium for guaranteed primary place.

What to actually look for

Beyond curriculum brochures:

  1. Indoor and outdoor play space — Vietnam's heat and air quality means real indoor space matters
  2. Air filtration — particularly Hanoi. Ask to see filters and air quality monitors
  3. Lunch quality — see the menu, taste the food
  4. Teacher turnover — ask how long the head teacher and class teachers have been there
  5. Class size and ratios — 1:5 to 1:8 reasonable for under-3s; 1:8 to 1:12 for 3–5s
  6. Pick-up flexibility — full day vs half day vs extended day options
  7. Sick-day policy — what counts as too-sick-to-attend?
  8. Mandarin / 3rd language? — bonus for long-term families
  9. Parent communication app — Class Dojo, Famly, etc.

Hours and meals

Typical bilingual full-day: 7:30am–4:30pm, including lunch and afternoon nap. Extended pickup to 5:30 or 6pm at small additional cost. Half-day option at most.

Lunch + snacks included. Bring milk for under-2s. Most kindergartens provide bottled water and fruit afternoon snack.

Vaccinations and health

Schools require:

  • Up-to-date vaccination record (Vietnamese book or foreign equivalent)
  • Health declaration form
  • Often a recent paediatric checkup

The Vietnamese national vaccine programme covers tuberculosis, hepatitis B, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, rubella, etc. Many expat parents add private vaccines (varicella, hepatitis A, meningococcal, HPV later) at Vinmec, FV or Family Medical.

Waiting lists and admissions

  • Bilingual tier: usually rolling admission, 1–3 months wait for popular branches
  • International feeders (BIS, ISHCMC, UNIS, Concordia): 6–12+ months
  • Vietnamese tier: easy to get in, but quality varies enormously branch to branch

Visit at least three before signing. Lunch service is when classes show their true character.

Honest take

For expat families staying 1–3 years, a bilingual at $500–900/mo gives the best mix of English-medium learning, social integration and budget. Full international Early Years makes sense only if your child is going to that group's primary school. The Vietnamese-only route is excellent for long-term families and produces kids with proper Vietnamese fluency — a real long-term asset.

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