JOINT CIRCULAR No. 53/1998/TTLT/BGDĐT-BTC-BLĐTBXH GUIDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SCHOLARSHIP AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCE REGIMES FOR STUDENTS IN PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

CIRCULAR

PART 1:ON SCHOLARSHIPS

I. ENCOURAGEMENT SCHOLARSHIPS (ES)

1. Recipients and Scope of Application of Encouragement Scholarships.
Encouragement scholarships are granted based on academic performance and conduct of students with the aim of encouraging them to achieve good results.

The recipients of encouragement scholarships are regular full-time students at public educational institutions who have achieved academic performance and conduct ratings of good or excellent:

- Students with a good rating have an average grade point average (GPA) from 7 to less than 8 points, without any test scores below 5 (taken from the first attempt) and without disciplinary actions from reprimand upwards.

- Students with an excellent rating have a GPA from 8 to less than 9 points, without any test scores below 5 (taken from the first attempt) and without disciplinary actions from reprimand upwards.

- Students with an outstanding rating have a GPA of 9 points or higher, without any test scores below 5 (taken from the first attempt) and without disciplinary actions from reprimand upwards.

2. Amount of Encouragement Scholarships.

Based on the full scholarship amount of 120,000 VND/month for university and college students and 110,000 VND/month for vocational high school and technical education students, according to current classification levels, students will receive the following amounts of encouragement scholarships:

- Good rating receives 120,000 VND/month for university and college students and 110,000 VND/month for vocational high school and technical education students.

- Excellent rating receives 180,000 VND/month for university and college students and 165,000 VND/month for vocational high school and technical education students.

- Outstanding rating receives 240,000 VND/month for university and college students and 220,000 VND/month for vocational high school and technical education students.

II. POLICY SCHOLARSHIPS (PS)

1. Recipients and Scope of Application of Policy Scholarships.

a. Students in special recruitment programs (studying in classes approved by authorized agencies) for highland and remote areas (the list of communes, wards, and towns in highland and remote areas recognized and issued by the Committee for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas under Decision No. 42/UB-QĐ dated May 23, 1997), funded by the State for training.

b. Students at preparatory universities for ethnic minorities.

c. Students at boarding schools for ethnic minorities.

d. Students with disabilities studying at central vocational schools for war invalids and people with disabilities (who do not receive salary and living expenses while studying) managed by the Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

2. Amount of Policy Scholarships.

The policy scholarship is uniformly 120,000 VND/month.

If students who are eligible for policy scholarships achieve academic performance and conduct ratings of good or excellent, they will receive additional incentives for academic achievement from the scholarship budget with specific amounts as follows:

+ 30% of the full encouragement scholarship amount if they achieve a good rating,

+ 80% of the full encouragement scholarship amount if they achieve an excellent rating,

+ 120% of the full encouragement scholarship amount if they achieve an outstanding rating.

Plus thirty percent of the full HBKK rate if rated as good,

Plus eighty percent of the full HBKK rate if rated as excellent,

Plus one hundred twenty percent of the full HBKK rate if rated as outstanding.

PART 2:

SOCIAL ASSISTANCE

I. OBJECTS AND SCOPE OF APPLICATION OF SOCIAL ASSISTANCE

The objects entitled to social assistance are students studying at public schools in regular full-time programs within the following categories:

1. Students who are ethnic minority people living in mountainous areas. The basis for identifying ethnic minority people is the original birth certificate, or the marriage certificate of their parents (if the original birth certificate is lost), which must indicate that either the father or mother is an ethnic minority person. Ethnic minority people living in mountainous areas are those who have continuously lived in mountainous regions or have permanent residence registration in mountainous areas for at least three years (as of the time of enrollment in the training institution).

2. Students who are orphaned with no guardian and no regular source of support (students must present a confirmation letter from the Veterans and Social Affairs Office of the district, county, or town based on the application of the commune where the student resides).

3. Students who are disabled according to the provisions of the State in Decree No. 81/CP dated November 23, 1995, are those facing economic difficulties and whose labor capacity has been reduced by 41% or more due to disability, as determined by the competent Medical Board (medical examination procedures follow the guidelines set forth in Circular No. 34/TT-LB dated December 29, 1993 issued by the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Health). Students in this category must present a medical examination report and a confirmation from the People's Committee of the commune or ward regarding their difficult economic situation.

4. Students from families classified as poverty alleviation targets (must present a certificate of being a poor household issued by the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs).

Students eligible for social assistance must submit an application for social assistance and provide all required documents as stipulated before they can be considered for social assistance by the school.

II. AMOUNT OF SOCIAL ASSISTANCE

The amount of social assistance is 100,000 VND per month.

If students' academic performance and conduct are rated as good or excellent, in addition to the monthly social assistance, they will also receive additional scholarships for academic encouragement taken from scholarship funds, with specific amounts as follows:

- 30% of the full scholarship amount if they achieve a good rating,

- 80% of the full scholarship amount if they achieve an excellent rating,

- 120% of the full scholarship amount if they achieve a distinguished rating.

PART 3:

STUDENTS ELIGIBLE FOR POLICY BENEFITS

1. Students eligible for policy benefits under Article 66 of Decree No. 28/CP dated April 29, 1995 of the Government, if their academic performance and conduct are rated as good or excellent, will receive additional scholarships for academic encouragement taken from scholarship funds, with specific amounts as follows:

- 40% of the full scholarship amount if they achieve a good rating,

- 90% of the full scholarship amount if they achieve an excellent rating,

- 140% of the full scholarship amount if they achieve a distinguished rating.

2. Students eligible for policy benefits under Article 66 of Decree No. 28/CP dated April 29, 1995 of the Government, but who are also recipients of policy scholarships and social assistance (as provided in Clause b of Article 1 and Article 2 of Decision No. 1121/1997/QĐ-TTg dated December 23, 1997) shall only enjoy one benefit with the highest level of assistance.

PART 4:

IMPLEMENTATION

Scholarships and social assistance are budgeted separately and consolidated into the annual budget for educational and training expenses.

Based on the annual enrollment quota assigned by the State and the regulations on granting scholarships and social assistance, educational and training institutions organize reviews and register lists of students eligible for policy scholarships and social assistance, and estimate the number of students to receive scholarships for academic encouragement and awards for academic encouragement to prepare the budget for scholarships and social assistance, which is then integrated into the annual budget for educational and training expenses of the unit and submitted to the management authority for review and consolidation to prepare the annual budget for submission to the financial authority. After receiving the annual budget allocation, educational and training institutions prepare detailed budgets, including the budget for scholarships and social assistance, to be submitted to the financial authority as the basis for disbursement, and simultaneously sent to the State Treasury for payment and expenditure control.

Students studying multiple majors or attending multiple schools, if they meet the conditions, may only receive one scholarship or one social assistance allowance at one major or one school.

The awarding of scholarships for academic encouragement is conducted after each semester. These scholarships are paid monthly and for eleven months in a year. For the final semester of the program, immediately after the results of academic performance and conduct are known, the educational and training institution must conduct a comprehensive review to grant the entire scholarship and awards for academic encouragement to the students of that semester.

Policy scholarships are paid monthly and for twelve months in a year.

Social assistance is paid monthly and for twelve months in a year.

Scholarships for academic encouragement are granted monthly and throughout eleven months of the year, along with grants and social allowances.

(Specific scholarship amounts for each category are detailed in the attached annex).

Based on general regulations and the situation of the school, the Rector issues a decision to establish a Scholarship Review Board. The Board consists of representatives from relevant departments, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, and the Student Association, chaired by the Rector or Deputy Rector.

The review and granting of scholarships for academic encouragement must be promptly conducted immediately after the results of each semester's academic performance and discipline are available.

The preparation of budgets, disbursement, and settlement of accounts for scholarships and social allowances shall be carried out in accordance with current financial regulations.

Staff members sent to study who were previously receiving living expenses at public schools before Decision No. 1121/1997/QĐ-TTg dated December 23, 1997, of the Prime Minister regarding scholarships and social allowances will continue to receive living expenses until the completion of their courses.

For staff members sent to study after January 1, 1998, salary provisions are as follows: staff members with continuous service of three years or more will have their salaries paid by the sending agency during their studies, and upon graduation, they will return to the sending agency to work; staff members with less than three years of continuous service will not receive salaries but will enjoy academic encouragement scholarships.

PART 5:

ARTICLE TRANSITION PROVISIONS

1. This Circular takes effect from January 1, 1998.

In 1998, the scholarship and social allowance fund will be sourced from the budget for educational and training activities in the 1998 fiscal year that has been allocated.

2. The provisions of this Circular replace those related to scholarship and social allowance systems for students and trainees at public training institutions in the following documents: Joint Circular No. 19/TT-LB dated September 16, 1989, of the Ministry of Higher Education, Secondary Technical Education, and Vocational Training and the Ministry of Finance; Circular No. 18/TT-BĐH dated September 18, 1989, of the Ministry of Higher Education, Secondary Technical Education, and Vocational Training guiding "scholarships and living expenses for students and trainees at universities, colleges, secondary technical education institutions, and vocational training"; Joint Circular No. 25/TT-LB dated September 15, 1990, of the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Finance regarding the implementation of Decisions No. 72/HĐBT and No. 253/CT of the Council of Ministers concerning scholarships for students and trainees at teacher training institutions and mountainous regions; Circular No. 21/TT dated September 15, 1990, guiding the provision of scholarships for students and trainees at teacher training institutions and mountainous regions; and Circular No. 7322/HS-SV dated November 23, 1993, of the Ministry of Education and Training temporarily adjusting full scholarships and living expenses.

Any difficulties encountered during implementation should be reported to the relevant ministries for research and resolution.