Students at Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy have expressed concerns over a dramatic increase in tuition fees for the 2026-2027 academic year. Reports indicate that tuition fees for various programs have risen sharply, with some programs experiencing a doubling of costs compared to the previous year.

According to the university's new fee structure, which was formalized in a decision signed by the university's director on July 24, 2023, the tuition for the Medical Doctor program has increased from 3.11 million VND per month to 5.8 million VND, amounting to an annual fee of 58 million VND. Similarly, the Traditional Medicine program's fees have risen from 3.11 million VND to 5.6 million VND per month. The Pharmacy program has seen the most significant increase, with fees jumping from 2.76 million VND to 5.6 million VND per month, equating to an annual fee of 56 million VND, representing an increase of over 100%.

For postgraduate programs, the tuition for Master's degrees and residency programs has increased from 4.665 million VND to 8.7 million VND per month, while PhD programs have seen fees rise from 7.775 million VND to 14.5 million VND per month. This has raised concerns among students, many of whom feel that the rapid increase in tuition will significantly impact their financial planning and educational pursuits.

In response to the backlash, the university has stated that the fee adjustments are in line with government regulations that allow self-financing public universities to set tuition fees at 2 to 2.5 times the maximum tuition of non-autonomous institutions. The university maintains that its new tuition rates are still below the allowable maximum and comply with current regulations.

To alleviate the financial burden on students, the university has introduced a support policy for postgraduate students, offering monthly assistance ranging from 860,000 VND to 6.1 million VND, depending on the program. This support will be deducted directly from tuition fees.

Furthermore, during a recent meeting regarding the development strategy for higher education in Vietnam, Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau emphasized the need for a review of tuition policies to ensure they reflect quality and to expand financial support for students in essential fields.