What does Circular 54/2026 require?
Circular 54/2026/TT-BGDĐT is the Ministry of Education and Training's regulation on training programmes at every level of higher education. For bachelor's programmes it adds required outcomes in digital competence, artificial intelligence and foreign languages, and it gives universities 36 months to review every programme they already run.
What is Circular 54/2026/TT-BGDĐT?
It is the regulation on training programmes for bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels, dated and in force from 30 June 2026.
The circular covers programme standards; how programmes are built, appraised and issued; how they are run, maintained, improved, inspected and supervised; and how they are approved, suspended or closed (Article 1.1). It applies to universities and other institutions that provide higher education, which the circular calls training institutions (Article 1.2). It took effect on 30 June 2026 (Article 24.1).
Some programmes are outside it or follow other rules: residency and specialist-doctor programmes are excluded; programmes awarded by foreign institutions follow their own rules but may not set entry requirements, outcomes or quality requirements below the corresponding Vietnamese standard; and institutions set up under international treaties follow those treaties (Article 1.3 to 1.5).
Which circulars does it replace?
It replaces four earlier circulars (Article 24.2).
- Circular 17/2021/TT-BGDĐT on programme standards and on building, appraising and issuing programmes.
- Circular 35/2021/TT-BGDĐT on teaching materials and textbooks in higher education.
- Circular 02/2022/TT-BGDĐT on opening programmes and suspending enrolment or training.
- Circular 12/2024/TT-BGDĐT, which amended Circular 02/2022.
What is new for bachelor's programmes?
Five requirements matter most for a programme committee. Each is in the official text.
| Requirement | What the text says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Required outcomes | Outcomes must include digital competence, content on artificial intelligence, foreign-language ability, and adaptability and lifelong learning. | Article 7.2(a) |
| Measurable outcomes | Outcomes are made concrete as requirements that can be observed, assessed and measured. | Article 7.3 |
| Programme structure | Supplementary content includes interdisciplinary knowledge, foreign language, digital competence and artificial intelligence. | Article 9.3(b) |
| Assessment based on outcomes | Assessment is based on the outcomes and shows how far each course and the whole programme reaches them. | Article 10.2 |
| Review of running programmes | Within 36 months, every running programme is comprehensively reviewed and improved. | Article 25.2 |
Master's outcomes centre on research, innovation and applying knowledge, and doctoral outcomes on independent research (Article 7.2(b) and (c)). The digital, AI and foreign-language requirement is written for the bachelor's level.
What does a training programme consist of?
Every course is described by its objectives, outcomes, credits, main content and how it contributes to the programme's outcomes (Article 9.2).
A bachelor's programme has a general education block, including the compulsory shared subjects such as political theory, law, physical education, and national defence and security education (Article 9.3(a)). It then has foundation and major knowledge, specialised content and supplementary content, which is where interdisciplinary knowledge, foreign language, digital competence and AI sit (Article 9.3(b)). The minimum study load for a bachelor's programme is 120 credits (Article 8.1(a)).
What should a university be able to show?
In our reading, three things: the new outcomes are written, they are taught and assessed, and their attainment is measured and used to improve the programme.
- Written. Each programme states the required outcomes in observable, assessable and measurable terms (Article 7.2(a) and 7.3).
- Taught and assessed. Courses carry the outcomes, and teaching and assessment are designed around them (Articles 9.2, 10.2 and 10.3).
- Measured and improved. The institution measures how far learners reach the outcomes and uses the results to improve teaching, assessment and the programme (Article 20.1 and 20.2, Appendix II).
This three-part grouping is WorldWise Learning's summary for planning. It is not wording from the circular.
What are the key dates?
| Date | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 30 June 2026 | The circular takes effect. | Article 24.1 |
| 30 June 2029 | End of the 36 months for reviewing and improving every running programme. | Article 25.2 |
| Before 31 December, every year | Annual report and data update on the higher education database. | Article 23.2 |
| No more than 24 months | Only for fields that had no programme standard on 30 June 2026: once the field's standard takes effect, its programmes are reviewed and updated within no more than 24 months. | Article 25.5 |
Where can I read the official text?
On the Government's legal documents portal, which also links the signed PDF.
Read the Government portal record for Circular 54/2026/TT-BGDĐT or the signed PDF (a 46-page scan). The articles cited on this page were checked against that text on 12 November 2026. If a requirement matters for a decision, read the article itself.