# Vietnam STEM education and strategic technology expansion > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/vietnam-education-scholarship-expansion > Updated: 2026-08-19T15:39:00.000Z. Sources: 16. Developments: 5. In July 2026, the Vietnamese government launched a large-scale rollout of state-funded scholarships to boost talent in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Decree No. 179/2026/ND-CP, effective 15 July, provides monthly awards to top-performing students in 15 designated STEM fields, covering about 30% of higher-education enrolments and aiming to raise STEM enrolment to 35% by 2030. The program funds up to 30,000 recipients with an annual budget of roughly 1.3 trillion VND. Under this decree, eligible candidates must rank among the top 30% of admissions in 51 listed majors, including artificial intelligence, semiconductor design, and biotechnology. Scholarships, ranging from 3.7 million to 5.5 million VND monthly, are awarded automatically via a central management platform. Decree 176 (effective 7 July) added a specialised stipend scheme for the nuclear power sector, offering undergraduates monthly allowances exceeding 5 million VND and merit-based scholarships for graduate and doctoral candidates. On 25 July, Decision No. 995 approved 90 new STEM programmes across 23 universities, focusing on semiconductor chips, robotics, and automation. This decision also introduced a 2027 post-graduate regime requiring doctoral candidates to study full-time and refrain from other employment. Expanding the scope of international training, Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau signed Decision No. 1600/QD-TTg to award 1,500 full scholarships for training in strategic technologies at leading global universities. This initiative, targeting completion by 2035, will support 100 undergraduates, 400 master’s students, 500 doctoral candidates, and 500 postdoctoral researchers to drive national digital transformation and innovation. To qualify for these international awards, PhD candidates must hold a master’s degree with a minimum score of 8.0 out of 10, while postdoctoral researchers must demonstrate significant scientific achievements, such as patents or publications in reputable international journals. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-19: Vietnam to award 1,500 scholarships for strategic technology training Vietnam will provide 1,500 full scholarships to students and scientists for overseas training in strategic technologies by 2035 to bolster national digital transformation and innovation. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-approves-full-scholarships-for-1500-scientists-and-students ### 2026-08-01: Vietnam government unveils scholarships for science, engineering and strategic technology students Vietnam's Decree 179 grants VND 3.7‑5.5 million monthly scholarships to top 30 % of students in 51 science, engineering and strategic tech majors, with automatic award and centralized management. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-government-unveils-scholarships-for-science-engineering-and-strategic-technology-students ### 2026-07-26: Vietnam approves >5 million VND monthly stipend for nuclear power students Vietnam's Decree 176, effective 7 July 2026, gives nuclear‑sector students tuition waivers and monthly stipends over 5 million VND, plus merit scholarships. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-approves-5-million-vnd-monthly-stipend-for-nuclear-power-students ### 2026-07-25: Vietnam Approves 90 STEM Talent Programs and Tightens Doctoral Training Rules Vietnam’s education ministry approved 90 STEM talent programmes at 23 universities and introduced stricter full‑time PhD rules from 2027 to improve research quality. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-approves-90-stem-talent-programs-and-tightens-doctoral-training-rules ### 2026-07-14: Vietnam launches government scholarships to boost STEM talent Vietnam's Decree 179/2026 launches state scholarships for top STEM students, covering 475,000+ enrolments, aiming to raise STEM share to 35% by 2030 with monthly aid of 3.7‑5.5 million dong. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-launches-government-scholarships-to-boost-stem-talent --- Cite as: Vietnam STEM education and strategic technology expansion. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/vietnam-education-scholarship-expansion