Families enrolling a child in school in Vietnam may be asked for health information alongside academic and identification documents. The exact paperwork varies by school, but vaccination history, medical information and emergency contact details are among the records families should be ready to provide.
Vietnam also has a formal school health system. Current regulations provide for health checks at the beginning of the school year, student health monitoring and review of vaccination history for children entering preschool and primary school, with other education levels included in specific circumstances.
International schools can add their own admission procedures. For example, the International School Ho Chi Minh City states that its medical form and vaccination records are required to complete the admissions process.
The practical lesson for families is simple: do not assume that one universal set of documents applies to every school in Vietnam. Ask the individual school for its current health requirements, but prepare the core records below before enrolment.
School health records checklist for Vietnam
A useful folder for a child entering school in Vietnam can include:
- Vaccination history
- School medical or health form
- Details of allergies
- Current medication list
- Information about chronic medical conditions
- Relevant specialist or hospital reports
- Emergency contact information
- Details of the child's usual doctor or clinic, if available
- Information about previous significant illnesses or surgery when relevant
- Copies of prescriptions for medication used during the school day
- Any documents requested for special educational or medical needs
Not every school will request every item. The school's own admissions or health office should confirm what is mandatory.
Vaccination records
Vaccination history is one of the most important records to prepare.
Vietnam's Decree 165/2026/ND-CP provides for a review of vaccination history for all children entering preschool and primary school, as well as students at other education levels in circumstances specified by Ministry of Health guidance.
The review concerns vaccines included in Vietnam's Expanded Programme on Immunization for diseases subject to mandatory vaccination requirements.
Schools coordinate this process with local health authorities as part of school health activities.
International schools may also request vaccination records directly during admission. ISHCMC, for example, lists vaccination records among the final documents needed to complete enrolment.
Families arriving from another country should therefore bring the child's existing vaccination history rather than relying on memory.
Useful records may include:
- Childhood vaccination booklet
- Vaccination certificates
- Electronic vaccination records
- Records from a pediatrician or family doctor
- Documentation of vaccines received in different countries
Keep the original documents and prepare clear copies or digital scans.
Do children need every Vietnamese vaccine before starting school?
Families should not assume that every international child must immediately repeat or receive every vaccine in Vietnam simply because the child is enrolling in school.
The relevant issue is the child's existing vaccination history, the national vaccination programme and the requirements that apply to the child's age and school.
If the record is incomplete or difficult to interpret, the school or a healthcare professional can advise on the next step.
Do not repeat vaccinations solely because a foreign document looks different from a Vietnamese record. A clinician should review the child's documented history first.
School medical forms
Some schools use their own medical form rather than asking families to submit a complete hospital record.
ISHCMC provides a clear example: after acceptance, the school's medical form and vaccination records are required to complete its admissions process.
A school medical form may ask about:
- Previous illnesses
- Allergies
- Regular medication
- Asthma
- Seizures
- Diabetes
- Heart conditions
- Previous surgery
- Hearing or vision issues
- Mental health or developmental needs
- Dietary restrictions related to health
- Emergency contacts
The exact questions depend on the school.
Complete these forms accurately rather than treating them as routine administrative paperwork. The information may be used if a child becomes ill or has an emergency during the school day.
Allergies should be clearly documented
If a child has a significant allergy, make sure the school knows about it before the child begins attending.
This is particularly important for:
- Food allergies
- Medication allergies
- Insect-sting allergies
- Latex allergy
- Previous severe allergic reactions
Provide the name of the allergen and any emergency plan supplied by the child's clinician.
If the child has prescribed emergency medication, ask the school how it should be stored, who can administer it and whether additional authorization forms are required.
Do not assume that procedures are identical to those at the child's previous school.
What about regular medication?
Children who take medication during school hours may need additional documentation.
The school may have its own rules covering:
- Who stores medication
- Whether the child can carry it
- Written parental authorization
- Medical instructions
- Prescription labels
- Dosage and timing
- Emergency medication
Bring medication in its original packaging whenever possible and keep a copy of the prescription or medical instructions.
For families relocating internationally with prescription medicines, Vietnamese entry rules are a separate issue from school medication procedures. Customs Rules for Prescription Medications in Vietnam explains what travellers should check when bringing medication into the country.
Chronic conditions and ongoing care
Children with chronic medical conditions may need more than a basic admission form.
Examples include:
- Asthma
- Epilepsy
- Diabetes
- Severe allergies
- Heart conditions
- Chronic gastrointestinal disorders
- Neurological conditions
- Other conditions requiring regular monitoring
A concise medical summary can be particularly useful. It may include the diagnosis, regular medication, warning signs, emergency instructions and contact details for the clinician responsible for the child's care.
Avoid sending an enormous unorganised medical history unless the school requests it. A short current summary plus relevant reports is usually easier for school health staff to use.
Families who have recently moved may also want to identify a local healthcare provider before an urgent problem occurs. How to Choose an English-Speaking Clinic in Vietnam covers some of the practical points to verify when arranging care.
Are school health checks required in Vietnam?
Vietnam has a formal system for student health monitoring.
Under the current framework, preschool children and students in general education institutions undergo a health check once each year at the beginning of the school year.
The examination may take place at the educational institution, a commune-level health station, a medical facility or another appropriate location that complies with healthcare rules.
Schools are also responsible for updating relevant beginning-of-year health-check information within the Ministry of Health's health data system under current guidance.
These school health checks should not be confused with the medical information that an individual school may request during admission. They are related processes but are not necessarily the same document.
Vietnam keeps student health records
School health monitoring is not new in Vietnam.
Joint Circular 13/2016/TTLT-BYT-BGDDT established student health monitoring records for different age groups, including preschool children and students from primary through upper secondary school.
The framework includes health records for:
- Children from 3 months to under 6 years
- Students in Grades 1 to 5
- Students in Grades 6 to 9
- Students in Grades 10 to 12
Vietnam's newer education rules also include student health monitoring records among the records maintained by schools.
For international families, this means school health information is part of the country's broader education and preventive-health system rather than simply an admissions form used by international schools.
Do foreign medical records need to be translated?
There is no reason to assume that every foreign health record must automatically be translated into Vietnamese for every school.
International schools often operate partly or primarily in English, while Vietnamese schools and local health services may use Vietnamese documentation.
The safest approach is to ask the school directly:
- Which language it accepts
- Whether a translation is required
- Whether the translation must be certified
- Whether the original document should also be submitted
If a vaccination certificate uses abbreviations or brand names that may be unfamiliar in Vietnam, a clear vaccination summary from the child's doctor can also make the record easier to interpret.
Do not pay for certified translations of an entire medical history before confirming that the school actually requires them.
What if vaccination records are missing?
Missing vaccination records are worth dealing with before the school term starts.
First, contact previous healthcare providers, vaccination services or schools to see whether records can be recovered.
Possible sources include:
- Previous pediatrician
- Family doctor
- National or regional vaccination registry
- Previous school
- Hospital or clinic
- Electronic patient portal
If reliable records cannot be recovered, discuss the situation with a qualified clinician rather than attempting to reconstruct the vaccination history from memory.
The school can also explain its procedure for incomplete documentation.
What should families tell the school about previous illness?
Not every childhood illness needs a detailed report.
Information is most useful when it affects current safety, treatment or participation at school.
Examples may include:
- A condition requiring emergency treatment
- Recent major surgery
- Restrictions on physical activity
- Recurrent seizures
- Severe asthma
- A significant allergy
- Ongoing infectious-disease follow-up
- A medical device used by the child
For common illnesses that do not create an ongoing health issue, extensive historic documentation may not be necessary unless the school specifically requests it.
Families unfamiliar with common health concerns in the country can also read 10 Most Common Illnesses in Vietnam for a broader overview of conditions encountered in Vietnam.
Special educational and medical needs
Medical information may overlap with educational support when a child has a disability, developmental condition or other need that affects school participation.
ISHCMC, for example, asks applicants to provide documents relating to additional needs and medical needs when applicable.
Families should consider bringing relevant recent reports from professionals such as:
- Pediatricians
- Psychologists
- Psychiatrists
- Speech and language therapists
- Occupational therapists
- Neurologists
- Other specialists involved in the child's care
The goal is not to submit every document ever produced. Recent information describing the child's current needs is generally more useful.
Ask the school which reports it needs before arranging additional assessments solely for admission purposes.
Emergency contact information
Medical paperwork is only useful if the school can reach the right people when something happens.
Check that the school has current:
- Parent or guardian phone numbers
- Alternative emergency contact
- Local Vietnamese phone numbers where possible
- Preferred hospital or clinic, if the school asks for one
- Insurance information if required
Update the school when these details change.
Families who are new to the country should also understand where they would seek care if their child becomes ill outside school. Sick in Vietnam? What to do and where to go to get better provides an overview of clinics, hospitals and emergency care options.
Should you bring the child's complete medical file to Vietnam?
Usually, carrying the entire paper medical history is unnecessary.
A more practical set of records includes:
- Vaccination history
- Current medical summary
- Current prescriptions
- Allergy information
- Important recent specialist reports
- Relevant test results
- Emergency treatment plan where applicable
Keep secure digital copies in addition to paper versions.
If your child has a complex medical history, ask the treating specialist which documents would be most useful for another clinician taking over care in Vietnam.
Before the first school day: a practical checklist
Before your child starts school, confirm that you have:
- Obtained the school's current medical form
- Submitted the vaccination record requested by the school
- Declared important allergies
- Listed regular medications
- Supplied emergency medication instructions if relevant
- Provided information about chronic conditions
- Submitted any required specialist reports
- Confirmed emergency contacts
- Asked whether documents need translation
- Kept copies of everything submitted
- Asked how the school handles illness and medical emergencies
- Confirmed how medication is stored and administered
Do this early rather than waiting until orientation week. Missing health documents can be more difficult to obtain once the family has already moved abroad.
Questions to ask the school directly
Requirements vary enough that a short conversation with admissions or the school health office can prevent unnecessary paperwork.
Useful questions include:
- Which health documents are mandatory before enrolment is complete?
- Do you have your own medical form?
- Which vaccination records do you require?
- Are overseas vaccination records accepted?
- Do documents need to be translated into Vietnamese or English?
- Does my child need a medical examination before starting?
- How should prescription medication be provided to the school?
- What documentation is required for allergies or chronic conditions?
- Who should parents contact about medical needs?
- How are parents notified if a child becomes ill?
Get the answers from the school itself rather than assuming that another school in Vietnam uses the same procedure.
What international families should remember
Vietnam has formal school health monitoring requirements, including beginning-of-year health checks and vaccination-history review for relevant students. At the same time, individual schools can have their own admissions and medical-document procedures.
For most international families, the best preparation is to arrive with a clear vaccination history, an up-to-date medical summary when necessary, details of allergies and medication, and accessible emergency contacts.
Then confirm the exact requirements with the school before submitting documents or arranging additional medical examinations or translations.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions below cover common concerns about school health records in Vietnam.
What health records does a child need for school in Vietnam?
Requirements vary by school. Families should generally be ready with vaccination history, the school's medical form, information about allergies and medication, emergency contacts and relevant documentation for chronic or special medical needs.
Are vaccination records required for school in Vietnam?
Vietnam's current preventive-health framework provides for vaccination-history review for children entering preschool and primary school, as well as other students in specified circumstances. Individual schools may also request vaccination records as part of admission.
Do international schools in Vietnam require medical forms?
Some do. For example, the International School Ho Chi Minh City states that its medical form and vaccination records are required to complete the admissions process. Families should confirm the exact requirements with their chosen school.
Do foreign medical records need to be translated into Vietnamese?
Not necessarily. Requirements depend on the school and the document. Ask whether English-language records are accepted and whether any translation must be certified before paying for translation services.
What should I do if my child's vaccination records are missing?
Try to recover records from previous doctors, vaccination registries, hospitals or schools. If reliable documentation cannot be found, discuss the child's history with a qualified clinician and ask the school how it handles incomplete vaccination records.
Do students receive health checks at school in Vietnam?
Yes. Current Vietnamese rules provide for preschool children and students in general education institutions to receive a health check once a year at the beginning of the school year.
Sources
Writer
Tan Nguyen
Medical writer for Vietnam Clinic. MD, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City.
