Amendments to documentation, procedures, and outcomes for recognition of qualifications awarded by foreign educational institutions

On May 2, 2024, the Minister of Education and Training issued Circular 07/2024/TT-BGDĐT, amending and supplementing Article 7 and replacing Appendices II and III of Circular 13/2021/TT-BGDĐT, which stipulates the conditions, sequence, procedures, and authority for recognizing qualifications awarded by foreign educational institutions for use in Vietnam.

Accordingly, applicants for qualification recognition must provide the qualification information specified in Appendix I of Circular 13/2021/TT-BGDĐT, upload their application documents to the online public service portal of the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) or the Department of Education and Training, and pay the prescribed fee.

Application documents for recognition of qualifications awarded by foreign educational institutions for use in Vietnam include:

– A copy of the qualification or a copy issued from the original qualification register for the qualification submitted for recognition, accompanied by a notarized Vietnamese translation;

– A copy of the qualification supplement or academic transcript, accompanied by a notarized Vietnamese translation;

– Notarized copies of directly relevant qualifications and certificates (if any);

– Evidence of the period of study abroad (if any): decisions by the employing organization authorizing study and accepting the applicant’s return; a passport and visa pages bearing visas and entry and exit stamps consistent with the period of study abroad, or other supporting documents;

– Written authorization to verify qualification information (if required by the verification organization).

Application documents must be uploaded to the online public service portal as follows:

– Applicants who have information and evidence enabling direct verification with the awarding educational institution or the competent verification authority must provide that information and evidence to the competent qualification recognition authority for direct verification and upload the following to the online public service portal:

+ Scanned copies of the application documents specified in Points a and b, Clause 2, Article 7 of Circular 13/2021/TT-BGDĐT (certification of electronic copies against the originals is not required);

+ Electronic copies certified against the originals of the application documents specified in Points c and d, Clause 2, Article 7 of Circular 13/2021/TT-BGDĐT;

– Applicants who do not have information and evidence enabling direct verification must have electronic copies of the documents specified in Points a, b, c, and d, Clause 2, Article 7 of Circular 13/2021/TT-BGDĐT certified against the originals and upload them to the online public service portal, together with written authorization to verify qualification information (if required by the verification organization);

+ Applicants who do not upload their application documents to the online public service portal must submit the documents specified in Clause 2, Article 7 of Circular 13/2021/TT-BGDĐT to the competent qualification recognition authority in person or by post.

– Within 20 working days, the competent qualification recognition authority must provide the qualification recognition outcome to the applicant.

If qualification information needs to be verified with a foreign educational institution or a foreign verification organization, the time limit for providing the qualification recognition outcome must not exceed 45 working days from the date the qualification recognition application is received.

– The qualification recognition outcome must be recorded on a recognition certificate using the templates in Appendices II and III of Circular 13/2021/TT-BGDĐT.

If a qualification does not meet the conditions for recognition, or if the time limit specified in Clause 4, Article 7 of Circular 13/2021/TT-BGDĐT has elapsed without sufficient grounds to verify the qualification information, the competent qualification recognition authority must respond to the applicant in writing or by email.

If the qualification’s equivalence to a level specified in the Vietnam National Qualifications Framework cannot be determined, the competent qualification recognition authority must provide information and recognize the value of the qualification according to the education system of the country where the foreign educational institution has its headquarters.

– The competent qualification recognition authority must establish a register of recognition certificates, recording the following information: the full name and date of birth of the person whose qualification is recognized; the name of the awarding educational institution; the mode of study; the equivalent level in the Vietnam National Qualifications Framework or the level in the education system of the country where the foreign educational institution has its headquarters; and the recognition certificate registration number.

– Higher education institutions that assess qualifications themselves for use in their educational activities must compile qualification assessment records and retain them in accordance with regulations.

Circular 07/2024/TT-BGDĐT takes effect on November 2, 2024.

This is an automated translation. If you notice any errors, please contact the Department of Communications, National Economics University at phongtruyenthong@neu.edu.vn.