Hanoi
California's Fairmont Schools Makes Its Southeast Asia Debut in Hanoi
The U.S. education group, part of the ISP network, opens its sixth global campus this August with dual American and locally compliant curriculum tracks for Hanoi families.
Fairmont International School Vietnam has announced its official launch for the 2026-2027 academic year, becoming the first school to carry the Fairmont name anywhere in Southeast Asia. According to The Manila Times, citing a PR Newswire release, the school's official opening ceremony is set for August 13, with teaching beginning four days later on August 17.
The Hanoi campus is the sixth Fairmont school worldwide and the group's first outside North America. Fairmont has operated from California for more than 70 years, and the Vietnam school is designed to bring its academic culture and university placement support to Hanoi families through what the group describes as a "One School, Two Homes" philosophy, linking students across campuses in both countries.
Two curriculum tracks
The school's most distinctive structural feature is a dual-track academic model. Families can choose between a pathway built on U.S. Common Core Standards, with Advanced Placement courses available as the senior programme develops, and one that satisfies the requirements of Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training. The two-track offer is designed to serve both expatriate families who want a directly transferable American curriculum and Vietnamese families who want international standards without forfeiting compliance with national requirements.
Fairmont International School Vietnam is a member of International Schools Partnership, the global group that also operates Heathfield International School in Bangkok, giving the school access to ISP's network of more than 110 schools across 25 countries for professional development and cross-school programming.
Vietnam's tightening framework
The launch follows a period of regulatory change in Vietnam. From July 2026, schools in Hanoi operating under foreign educational partnerships have been required to publish the terms of those arrangements, a rule that applies directly to institutions carrying an overseas brand. The new disclosure requirements have prompted a number of schools to release documentation that had previously been kept from public view.
International school tuition in Vietnam has also been rising sharply. At the premium end of the market in Ho Chi Minh City, annual fees for 2026-2027 have climbed to close to USD 38,000. Fairmont has not disclosed its Hanoi fee schedule, though the school is positioned as a premium offering in a city where demand for international places has grown steadily alongside an expanding base of foreign-invested enterprises and professional expatriates.