11.4.5. Affordable Housing for Students
The University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) places learners at the center of its sustainable development strategy, with particular emphasis on ensuring suitable living and learning conditions and equitable access to education for all students, including those facing financial hardship, students eligible for preferential policies, and international students. In 2025, UEH implemented three complementary measures directly related to students’ access to housing: directly providing accommodation through its dormitory system; maintaining publicly disclosed accommodation fees for each room type; and waiving, refunding, or subsidizing dormitory fees for eligible student groups.
Direct Provision of Accommodation Through UEH Dormitories
In 2025, UEH continued operating student dormitories in Ho Chi Minh City, including the dormitories at 135 Tran Hung Dao Street and 43–45 Nguyen Chi Thanh Street. Dormitory accommodation was administered in accordance with university regulations, with quarterly accommodation fee collection and procedures for reviewing and processing students’ accommodation applications.
UEH publicly lists accommodation fees ranging from VND 180,000 to VND 1,150,000 per student per month, depending on the facility and room type. At the dormitories at 135 Tran Hung Dao Street and 43–45 Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, students also receive allowances of 2 m³ of water and 10 kWh of electricity per month at no charge. During the same year, housing market surveys in Ho Chi Minh City reported that student rental rooms commonly cost approximately VND 2.2 million to VND 6 million per room per month, excluding many service charges. To ensure a like-for-like comparison, UEH uses per-student costs and comparable room arrangements as the basis for assessing affordability, thereby identifying dormitory fees as a subsidized housing option compared with equivalent off-campus accommodation.
Sources:
https://dsa.ueh.edu.vn/tin-tuc/thong-bao-danh-sach-tam-sinh-vien-khoa-51-dai-hoc-chinh-quy-dhcq-duoc-xet-duyet-o-noi-tru/
https://dsa.ueh.edu.vn/don-gia-ky-tuc-xa/
https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/gia-phong-tro-sinh-vien-leo-thang-tien-thue-bang-ca-thang-luong-cua-me-20250825104318243.htm
For the incoming Cohort 51 in 2025, UEH accepted dormitory applications from August 24 to August 30, 2025, announced provisional admission results on September 5, 2025, and arranged the submission of additional documents and completion of accommodation procedures from September 11 to September 18, 2025. These activities demonstrate that UEH directly organized, administered, and maintained student housing services during the 2025 assessment year.
UEH dormitories at its Ho Chi Minh City facilities
Washing and drying machines and hot/cold water dispensers at the UEH Mekong Dormitory
Students in circumstances warranting special support include:
- Students who are Heroes of the People’s Armed Forces, Labor Heroes, wounded veterans, sick veterans, people entitled to benefits equivalent to those for wounded veterans, or students with disabilities.
- Students who are children of martyrs, wounded veterans, sick veterans, people entitled to benefits equivalent to those for wounded veterans, or people who have rendered meritorious service.
- Students from ethnic minority groups.
- Students who have lost both parents.
- Students from poor or near-poor households as defined by current government regulations.
- Students whose registered permanent residence is in mountainous areas or areas facing particularly difficult socioeconomic conditions.
- Students with outstanding individual achievements in academic study; Party, Youth Union, or other sociopolitical activities; or cultural, artistic, or sports movements (recognized with awards at the provincial or higher level).
In parallel, UEH provides online advice and support to students through:
- Advice and responses to student questions about dormitory facilities and community activities through the Facebook page University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City Dormitories – UEH
- Website and Facebook page ‘UEH Online Rental Housing’ – an information channel regularly updated with rental housing and room listings, as well as students looking to share accommodation.
- Communication campaigns on dormitory applications and safe rental housing searches, helping students make informed accommodation choices suited to their financial circumstances.
During the dormitory admission review for incoming Cohort 51 students in 2025, UEH prioritized accommodation applications from 40 students from poor and near-poor households. Using financial circumstances as a criterion for allocating accommodation helps direct dormitory resources toward students more likely to face housing cost pressures and reinforces the targeted nature of the affordable housing policy.
During the first semester of 2025, UEH published a notice on refunds of accommodation fees for residents of the dormitories at 43–45 Nguyen Chi Thanh Street and 135 Tran Hung Dao Street who qualified under policies on tuition exemptions, tuition reductions, and financial support for study expenses.
The notice cites the following legal and administrative bases:
- Government Decree No. 81/2021/ND-CP dated August 27, 2021, on tuition fees, tuition exemption and reduction policies, and support for study expenses.
- Joint Circular No. 35/2014/TTLT-BGDDT-BTC dated October 15, 2014, guiding policies on support for study expenses for ethnic minority students.
- UEH Decision No. 5244/QD-DHKT-TCKT dated December 20, 2024, promulgating the regulations on dormitory accommodation fees for 2025.
- Students’ dormitory accommodation contracts and relevant notices on eligibility for tuition exemption and reduction.
According to the notice, UEH arranged reimbursement of accommodation fees to eligible students’ bank accounts based on an approved list, requiring students to complete verification of their account information before October 12, 2025. This constitutes direct evidence of a financial support policy related to housing costs. The government regulations cited provide the basis for determining eligibility and procedures; the reimbursement of accommodation fees is governed by UEH’s specific notice.
Beyond providing information, these activities also help build a mutually supportive student community, reflecting UEH’s commitment to care and social responsibility.
Results of Direct Housing-Cost Support in 2025. UEH provided housing support to specific eligible groups. In 2025, three Vietnamese students received support, exemptions, or reductions in dormitory accommodation fees totaling VND 7,200,000; meanwhile, 25 Lao students and three Cambodian students received full dormitory fee waivers. Thus, 31 students in total received direct housing-cost assistance during the year. UEH also reimbursed accommodation fees through bank transfers to eligible students under the notice applicable to the dormitories at 43–45 Nguyen Chi Thanh Street and 135 Tran Hung Dao Street.
Full sources:
https://dsa.ueh.edu.vn/hoc-bong/ueh-dong-hanh-cung-sinh-vien-co-hoan-canh-kho-khan-nam-2025-ho-tro-tai-chinh-truc-tiep-tiep-suc-hanh-trinh-hoc-tap/
https://dsa.ueh.edu.vn/tin-tuc/thong-bao-ve-viec-hoan-tra-noi-tru-phi-cho-cac-sinh-vien-noi-tru-tai-ky-tuc-xa-theo-dien-mien-giam-hoc-phi-va-ho-tro-chi-phi-hoc-tap-trong-hkd-2025-doi-voi-sinh-vien-dhcq-lien-thong-dhcq/
Supporting International Students and Learner Groups with Specific Accommodation Needs
In addition to providing housing and financial assistance to domestic students, UEH continued supporting international students enrolled at the university, particularly those facing difficulties finding accommodation and settling into life in Vietnam. In 2025, UEH’s dormitory fee waiver policy directly benefited 28 students from Laos and Cambodia, comprising 25 Lao students and three Cambodian students.
UEH also announced international student exchange scholarship programs for the first semester of 2025 at 13 partner universities in Asia and Europe. Depending on program conditions, students could receive dormitory accommodation, living allowances, or related study expense support from the host institution. For full-time doctoral students, UEH’s communications in 2025 also referred to accommodation support under the applicable program regulations
Compared with 2024, UEH continued implementing housing and financial support policies for students in 2025 through dormitories in Ho Chi Minh City and Vinh Long, priority accommodation review procedures, transparent accommodation fees, and housing cost waivers and reimbursements.
Under the free accommodation policy for Lao and Cambodian students, the number of beneficiaries increased from 19 in 2024 to 28 in 2025, an increase of nine students, or approximately 47.4%.
Maintaining Housing Support and Dormitory Fee Reimbursement Policies
In 2025, UEH continued implementing dormitory fee regulations under Decision No. 5244/QD-DHKT-TCKT dated December 20, 2024, applicable to 2025. The university collected accommodation fees during the prescribed periods and reimbursed accommodation fees for dormitory residents eligible for tuition exemption, tuition reduction, and study expense support under the applicable provisions.
The notice issued for the first semester of 2025 specified reimbursement of dormitory fees to the bank accounts of eligible students at two UEH dormitories. This demonstrates that the support policy was not only announced but also had an implementation procedure during the assessment year.
Beyond direct housing-related support, UEH continued connecting students with accommodation, financial assistance, transport, and student support services. Scholarships, student loans, and emergency assistance help ease overall financial pressures, but are reported separately to accurately reflect the scale of the university’s housing support.
These outcomes show that UEH continued maintaining student accommodation and support policies, with clearer information in 2025 regarding room rates, dormitory admission, and accommodation fee waivers. These measures help students facing financial hardship and international students secure stable accommodation and continue their education, supporting an equitable, compassionate, and sustainable university environment and advancing the commitment to ‘Leave No One Behind’ in higher education.