ASEAN Scholarship Pathways for Vietnamese Students Applying to Singapore
By Muntasir • Published Jun 04, 2026 • Updated Sep 20, 2026 • Scholarships & Funding, Study in Southeast Asia
Singapore's ASEAN Scholarship pays full school fees, allowance, hostel and airfare for Vietnamese students from Secondary 3 through Pre-University 2, leading to the GCE A-Level. The scholarship itself lists no service bond, but Vietnamese students who later study at a Singapore public university under the Tuition Grant Scheme sign a 3-year work bond after graduation.
🎓 Vietnam applicants enter at Secondary 3, open to students in Grade 8, 9 or 10.
📩 The 2026 application round for Vietnam opened in January and closed around March.
💵 Covers school fees, annual allowance, hostel, a settling-in allowance and return airfare.
⏱️ The award runs four years, Secondary 3 to Pre-University 2.
💵 Progressing to a Singapore public university under the Tuition Grant Scheme adds a separate 3-year bond.
What the ASEAN Scholarship pays for
The ASEAN Scholarship is a Singapore Ministry of Education award for secondary and pre-university students from ASEAN countries, run jointly with a group of Singapore secondary schools and junior colleges. Vietnamese students enter at Secondary 3 and stay on the scholarship through Pre-University 2, a four-year track that ends with the Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Level certificate, according to the Ministry of Education's Vietnam scholarship page .
The award covers full school fees for the four years, an annual allowance paid alongside hostel accommodation, a one-time settling-in allowance when you arrive, and return economy airfare. It also pays your GCE O-Level and A-Level examination fees once each, plus subsidized medical benefits and accident insurance, per the same source.
Eligibility for Vietnamese applicants
The scholarship targets students already doing well in a Vietnamese school and ready to switch to an English-medium Singapore curriculum. For the 2026 application round, MOE listed these requirements for Vietnam:
Born between 2 January 2010 and 1 January 2013
Currently in Grade 8, 9 or 10
Proficient in English
A consistent record of doing well in school examinations
An active record of co-curricular activities
Age and grade windows shift with each intake, so check the current cycle's cutoff dates on the official Vietnam page before you apply.
Entry points by country
Singapore sets a different entry grade for each ASEAN country. Vietnam's only entry point is Secondary 3, so if you miss this window in Grade 8-10, you cannot apply again for this scholarship at a later grade.
| Entry point | Countries |
|---|---|
| Secondary 1 | Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia |
| Secondary 3 | Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam |
| Pre-University 1 | Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand |
Application windows
MOE opens applications by country on a staggered schedule. Vietnam's window runs from January to March, in the same slot as Brunei and Thailand, while Indonesia and the Philippines open earlier and Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar open later in the year, according to the ASEAN Scholarships overview page . Applications for a given intake close once the window shuts, so mark the January opening date on your calendar and apply as soon as the portal opens rather than waiting for the deadline.
What studying on the scholarship looks like
Scholars live in a hostel attached to their partner school for the full four years, alongside other ASEAN Scholarship holders and Singaporean boarders. Classes run in English, and the curriculum tracks Singapore's national syllabus through to the A-Level, a qualification recognized by universities across the region for direct entry into bachelor's programs.
Vietnamese scholars typically join a cohort of scholars from other ASEAN countries at the same school, so you adjust to Singapore's system alongside peers going through the same move. The settling-in allowance and hostel placement cover the first arrival, but budget for your own pocket money, textbooks beyond what the school issues, and trips home during school holidays.
After Pre-University 2: the bond that comes with university funding
The ASEAN Scholarship page for Vietnam does not list a service bond tied to the pre-university award itself. A separate bond applies if you go on to a Singapore public university, such as NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD, SIT or SUSS, and take up the government's Tuition Grant Scheme, which subsidizes tuition for international students. Under that scheme, international students who accept the Tuition Grant sign a 3-year work bond after graduation, tracked through the TG&S Portal, according to MOE's Tuition Grant Scheme page .
Breaking the bond, by leaving your course early or not completing the required years of work, triggers liquidated damages. Buying out the bond is also an option, by repaying the subsidized amount. Read the bond terms on the TG&S Portal before accepting a Tuition Grant offer, since the pre-university scholarship and the university-level bond are separate commitments with separate rules.
How to apply
Apply directly through the official Vietnam page during the open window. MOE and its partner schools shortlist candidates from submitted school records, then run a placement test and interview for shortlisted applicants before making offers. Typical documents include your school transcripts, an English translation of your records, a copy of your passport or birth certificate, and any English proficiency evidence you already hold.
Keep these documents ready before the portal opens, since Vietnam's window runs only from January to March and MOE reviews applications on a rolling basis rather than waiting until the deadline.