Procedure for Recognition of Foreign Vocational College Diplomas in Vietnam

03 types of recognized diplomas, certificates

According to the guidelines in the Draft Circular here, diplomas and certificates issued to Vietnamese individuals by foreign vocational education institutions will be recognized under one of the following three cases:

- Diplomas and certificates issued by foreign vocational education institutions legally operating in Vietnam, conducting vocational education activities in compliance with the permit;- Diplomas and certificates issued by foreign vocational education institutions within the scope of the Agreement on diploma equivalence or mutual recognition of diplomas and certificates or international treaties related to diplomas and certificates that the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has signed or is a member of;- Diplomas and certificates issued by intermediate schools, colleges, higher education institutions, or organizations abroad where the vocational education programs have been recognized by the vocational education quality accreditation body of that country or permitted to be established and authorized to issue diplomas and certificates by the competent vocational education authority of that country.

Additionally, diplomas and certificates issued by foreign vocational education institutions to learners in the form of distance learning can be recognized if the distance education programs for issuing diplomas and certificates have been certified by the vocational education quality accreditation body and approved by the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs of Vietnam to conduct training or joint training in Vietnam.

Application for recognition:

- A request form for the recognition of diplomas or certificates issued by a foreign educational institution (as per the template);- A copy of the diploma or certificate issued by the foreign educational institution accompanied by a Vietnamese translation authenticated by a competent authority;- A copy of the academic transcript from the foreign educational institution accompanied by a Vietnamese translation authenticated by a competent authority.

Additionally, the holder of the diploma or certificate (who studied abroad) can attach one of the following related documents to the application:

- Confirmation from the Vietnamese diplomatic representative agency in the host country;- Confirmation from the foreign vocational educational institution where the person studied;- A valid copy of the passport with entry and exit stamps;- And foreign language certificates, other related diplomas, and certificates.

Recognition procedure:

- The holder of the diploma or certificate, their legal representative, or their authorized representative who wishes to request the recognition of diplomas or certificates issued by a foreign educational institution must submit 02 sets of the application to the General Department of Vocational Education, Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs;- Upon receiving a complete and valid application, the General Department of Vocational Education will issue a receipt to the applicant. If the application is sent by post, the date of receipt is determined based on the postmark;- Within no more than 30 working days, the General Department of Vocational Education will review and process the application to recognize the diploma or certificate equivalent to one of the types of Vietnamese diplomas or certificates;- If the diploma or certificate requested for recognition does not match one of the types of Vietnamese diplomas or certificates, the General Department of Vocational Education will inform the applicant in writing, providing additional information and recognizing the actual value of the diploma or certificate within the education system of the issuing country;- If the diploma or certificate does not meet the conditions for recognition, the General Department of Vocational Education will notify the applicant in writing, stating the reasons for non-recognition.

Diplomas and certificates issued by foreign educational institutions, once recognized, will serve as the basis for confirming the educational level of the diploma or certificate holder for further study at educational institutions in Vietnam.

The document recognizing the diploma or certificate holds legal value for the holder to use the diploma or certificate in accordance with Vietnamese law.

Recognition fee: Paid according to the regulations of the Ministry of Finance.

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