University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City

Key Highlights

• Public health-sciences university operating under Vietnam’s Ministry of Health
• Established in 1976 through the consolidation of medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry schools
• Institutional accreditation is listed as valid through January 12, 2029
• Official undergraduate information reports a training scale of approximately 13,000 students

Student Life & Environment

Student life is shaped by a demanding health-sciences environment and by study that may move between classrooms, laboratories, simulation settings, and clinical sites. The official university structure includes student organizations and support units, while recent activities show programming beyond coursework. In April 2026, for example, the Youth Union organized a mental-health and yoga activity for both residential and non-residential students. Students should consult the current activity calendar because clubs and events vary by year and organizing unit. University-managed accommodation is available but is allocated rather than guaranteed. For 2026–2027, newly admitted students and learners received first priority, followed by continuing students seeking a new place. Registration opened online on August 18, 2026 and was to remain available only until vacancies were filled. Approved residents collected rooms at 540 Ngo Gia Tu in central Ho Chi Minh City. The published 2026–2027 options were four-person rooms, six-person rooms, and air-conditioned six-person rooms. Residence fees were charged for ten months. Because space is finite and the registration window is tied to the academic cycle, students who need housing should monitor official email and residence announcements immediately after admission. Those living outside the residence should consider travel between the Hong Bang teaching address and assigned clinical locations when selecting accommodation.

Location & Surroundings

The university’s main address is 217 Hong Bang in the Cho Lon area of Ho Chi Minh City. This is a dense urban setting rather than an isolated residential campus. Students can expect daily life within Vietnam’s largest metropolitan area, with access to hospitals, pharmacies, public-health organizations, and other healthcare facilities relevant to professional education. The location is particularly consequential for clinical programs. Teaching and practical experience can take place at the University Medical Center and at cooperating hospitals and community facilities elsewhere in the city. Applicants should therefore evaluate commuting needs, not only distance from the main academic address. The university residence used for 2026–2027 check-in is at 540 Ngo Gia Tu, also in the central urban area. International students should plan for Ho Chi Minh City’s tropical climate, traffic, and the practical importance of Vietnamese in everyday and clinical settings. The university’s English name appears on official pages, but that does not establish English as the teaching language for a particular degree. Confirm program language and placement locations before arranging housing or travel.

Costs & Career Outcomes

The university’s 2026 undergraduate admissions document published expected annual tuition by program. Amounts ranged from VND 30,000,000 for Social Work and Psychology to VND 90,000,000 for Dentistry. Medicine was listed at VND 88,000,000; Pharmacy at VND 63,500,000; Preventive Medicine and Traditional Medicine at VND 55,000,000; and several nursing and allied-health programs at VND 48,000,000. These were expected 2026 figures, and the document stated a projected maximum annual increase of 10%, so students should rely on their formal fee notice for the amount payable. For 2026–2027, university residence charges were VND 13,000,000 for ten months in either a four-person or standard six-person room and VND 18,000,000 for an air-conditioned six-person room. These figures cover residence charges, not a complete cost of attendance. Food, transportation, learning materials, insurance, clinical clothing or equipment, immigration expenses, and personal costs were not established as one official budget. A 2026 freshman-scholarship notice confirms that scholarship and statutory tuition-exemption policies exist, but eligibility must be checked against the current rules. Graduate tuition varies by level and field. For continuing cohorts in 2026–2027, published annual charges ranged from VND 51,500,000 to VND 73,500,000 for listed master’s, residency, and Specialist Level I groups, and from VND 60,500,000 to VND 88,000,000 for doctoral and Specialist Level II groups. Programs prepare students for regulated healthcare, laboratory, pharmaceutical, public-health, social-service, or psychology work, depending on the curriculum. Clinical degrees do not by themselves guarantee permission to practise in another jurisdiction. Students planning to work outside Vietnam should investigate licensing, degree recognition, language examinations, and supervised-practice requirements before enrolling. No reliable university-wide employment rate or salary figure was found, so none is presented.