Best schools in Hanoi
Education in Hanoi
Hanoi’s international school scene is young, apart from a few long-standing names like UNIS Hanoi (1988) and Hanoi International School (1996), most schools only appeared after 2010. That rapid growth means there’s more choice than ever, but it also comes with a caveat: standards vary, and some schools have even rebranded after past issues. If you’re moving here, take your time, ask around, and do your homework.
Choosing a school in Hanoi
State schools are not really an option unless you are planning to live here permanently and want your children to integrate entirely into the local culture. There are several layers of schooling in the local system - pre-school and kindergarten, primary, secondary and onto high school, during which students prepare for the Vietnamese school-leaving certificate, the National High School Graduation Examination.
When it comes to international schools, the curricula are as varied as the food. The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is the most popular and either comes as the last part of a full IB programme or is just offered as the diploma qualification, acquired over the final two years of schooling. You can also find schools offering a British curriculum, with IGCSEs on offer and A levels (and some schools like BIS Hanoi offering a mix of IGCSEs through to IBDP), the French curriculum and schools following American Common Core standards, culminating in an American high school diploma as well as offering Advanced Placement courses.
If you’re living in expat areas such as Tay Ho (West Lake) or Cau Giay, the school run is usually pretty manageable. Most schools are 10–20 minutes away, and families rely on school buses, Grab (a ride-hailing service) or their own drivers rather than trying to navigate Hanoi’s motorbike chaos themselves. The new metro lines are starting to help, meaning if you position yourself well you can occasionally trade traffic for a smooth, air-conditioned ride. Either way, getting children to school becomes part of the city’s rhythm and, for many parents, it’s surprisingly easy once you find your routine.
Special education needs in Hanoi
Most top international schools in Hanoi support mild to moderate special needs. UNIS, for example, offers a psycho-educational assessment and speech therapist but does not have behaviour and/or autism specialists.
Pre-schools, kindergarten and nurseries in Hanoi
Many of the international schools have pre-school/kindergarten sections which we recommend as a good starting point, not least for the fact that they are independently accredited and have good facilities, but we also hear that there are some dedicated pre-schools offering services for young children up to 6 years old such as EtonHouse Hanoi.
