There is no more Department of Education and Training, what are the procedures for transferring from middle school to high school?

Parents are concerned that from July 1, 2025, the two-level local government (provincial and communal levels) will operate nationwide, there will no longer be a district-level Department of Education and Training (DET) as before. Will there be any changes in the procedures for requesting school transfer and admission for middle and high school students?

Regulations on transferring schools and admitting students to study at secondary and high schools are stipulated in Article 2, Decision No. 51/2002/QD-BGDDT dated December 25, 2002 of the Minister of Education and Training, Decision "On promulgating Regulations on transferring schools and admitting students to study at secondary and high schools".

At the same time, the Ministry of Education and Training also issued Circular No. 10/2025/TT-BGDDT (issued on June 12, 2025) regulating the decentralization, delegation and assignment of authority to perform state management tasks of local authorities at two levels for general education . This circular also clearly guides which tasks in the process of transferring schools and receiving junior high school and high school students under Decision 51/2002/QD-BGDDT are performed by the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level; and which tasks are replaced by the "Department of Education and Training" and are in charge of the "People's Committee at the commune level".

Ho Chi Minh City students in the 2025 high school graduation exam

PHOTO: NGOC DUONG

Based on the above documents, Thanh Nien Online would like to provide parents with information and procedures for transferring schools and accepting junior high and high school students from July 1, 2025, when the whole country operates a two-level local government, without the Department of Education and Training.

Transferring schools and re-applying to study

Request to transfer schools in the following cases: Students change residence with their parents or guardians; Students have especially difficult family circumstances or have truly legitimate reasons to transfer schools.

Students who want to re-enter school are those who want to re-enter school after a break but are still within the age limit of each level of education.

Transfer records

School transfer documents include: Application for school transfer signed by father, mother or guardian; transcript (original); certificate of admission to the first grade of high school specifying the type of school recruited (public or private); school transfer recommendation letter issued by the principal of the school of departure; in case of transfer from another province or city, there must be a school transfer recommendation letter issued by the chairman of the People's Committee of the commune of departure (for junior high school level) or the director of the Department of Education and Training of the place of departure (for high school level).

Transfer procedures for secondary school students

• Transferring schools within the same province or city: The principal of the destination school receives the application and reviews and resolves it according to the regulations of the Director of the Department of Education and Training;
• Transferring from another province or city: The People's Committee of the commune where the student is transferring to a school will receive and introduce the student to the school according to their place of residence, along with verified documents.

Transferring schools for high school students

Transferring schools within the same province or city: The principal of the destination school receives the application and reviews and resolves it according to the regulations of the Director of the Department of Education and Training.

Transferring from another province or city: The Department of Education and Training of the destination province will receive, check the documents and introduce the school.

The transfer of schools is carried out at the end of the first semester of the school year or during the summer before the start of the new school year. Exceptions regarding time are made by the Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune level at the destination (for junior high school level) and the Director of the Department of Education and Training (for high school level) at the destination for consideration and decision.

Ho Chi Minh City high school students confident before 2025 high school graduation exam

PHOTO: NHAT THINH

Transfer from private high school to public high school

This is only considered and resolved in the following two cases:

• In case a student studying at a private high school must move his/her residence with his/her parents or guardians to an area with particularly difficult socio -economic conditions where there is no private high school, the director of the Department of Education and Training of the destination shall consider and decide on each specific case regarding the transfer to a public high school;
• In case a student studying at a private high school with an entrance exam must move his/her residence with his/her parent or guardian, and there is no private high school of equivalent quality in that area, the director of the Department of Education and Training of the destination place shall consider and decide on each specific case regarding the transfer to a public high school.

Accepting Vietnamese students studying abroad and foreign students studying in Vietnam

Vietnamese students studying abroad and foreign students studying in Vietnam are given favorable conditions to continue studying at Vietnamese secondary and high schools on the basis of ensuring sufficient conditions on subjects and documents and procedures specified in Chapter III and Chapter IV of this regulation (Decision No. 51/2002/QD-BGDDT).

If a student wants to transfer from a regular high school to a specialized high school (boarding high school for ethnic minorities, specialized school, gifted school), it must follow the regulations of that specialized school.

Responsibility of the Department of Education and Training and principals: Ensuring students' right to study, preventing negativity

Responsibility for implementation is specified in Article 21 of Decision 51/2002/QD-BGDDT.

The Director of the Department of Education and Training, based on the specific requirements and conditions of local education, shall consider and issue necessary additional instructions and regulations to effectively organize school transfers, and widely notify schools and parents of students, in order to ensure students' legitimate right to study, and at the same time prevent negative phenomena that may arise.

The school principal is responsible for:

• Correctly implement regulations on subjects, records, and procedures for transferring schools for students, receiving Vietnamese students returning from abroad, and foreign students studying in Vietnam.
  
• Do not force or suggest students from your school to transfer to another school for any reason.
  
• Implement the reporting regime with the Department of Education and Training (high school level), the People's Committee of the commune level (secondary school level) in transferring schools for students, receiving Vietnamese students returning from abroad, and foreign students studying in Vietnam.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khong-con-phong-giao-duc-dao-tao-thu-tuc-chuyen-truong-thcs-thpt-ra-sao-185250707135649972.htm