Circular No. 90/2026/TT-BGDĐT on standards, conditions, working regime, appointment and salary grading for higher education support personnel

Scope and Applicability

The Circular regulates standards, conditions, working regime, appointment and salary grading for higher education support personnel: teaching assistants, researchers and teaching support staff. Other educational institutions conducting higher education activities may apply it to teaching assistants and teaching support staff. Institutions under the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Public Security follow their sector-specific laws; if none exist, this Circular applies.

Standards

• Ethics: comply with law and internal rules; honesty and fairness; scientific integrity; protect personal and research data, respect intellectual property, information security and rules on AI use.
• Qualifications: teaching assistants hold at least a bachelor's degree; researchers follow Ministry of Science and Technology standards; teaching support staff follow sector ministry standards, or otherwise hold at least a relevant bachelor's degree.
• Professional competence: command of course knowledge, ability to guide and support learners, safe use of equipment, IT, AI and foreign-language skills. Teaching support staff additionally need proficient vocational skills and knowledge of occupational safety, hygiene and fire/explosion prevention.

Recruitment and Assignment Conditions

• Meet political, professional ethics and health requirements.
• Meet qualification and competence standards under Articles 4 and 5.
• Meet sector-specific technical and safety conditions for positions using specialized equipment, laboratories or practice environments.
• Meet other requirements set by the university, consistent with law.

Duties

• Teaching assistants: prepare materials, guide learning, practice and discussion, tutoring, support assessment, self-development.
• Researchers: lead or take part in science, technology and innovation activities, collect data, guide learners, write reports, prepare materials.
• Teaching support staff: prepare laboratories, workshops and equipment; supervise practice sessions; support assessment; maintain equipment and supplies and assist inventory; operate online learning systems.

Working Time

• Follows labor law with a 40-hour week and flexible scheduling.
• Leave per law, scheduled under the university's plan.
• University heads set detailed time allocation.
• Overtime may not exceed legal limits and must be paid.

Appointment and Salary Grading

• Public employees (viên chức): by job position, civil-service law and the university's charter.
• Employees: labor contracts and pay under labor law and the university's charter.
• Appointees or contracted staff must meet this Circular's standards and conditions.

PhD and Master's Students

• If already recruited as public employees or employees in a support role and sent for training: may assist as assigned, without affecting studies and entitlements.
• Otherwise: may assist under lecturer guidance and supervision, may not replace lecturers, do not change student status or create an appointment; funding and remuneration follow law and university rules.

Transition and Implementation

• Teaching assistants appointed before 1 January 2026 keep existing allowances until 31 December 2026; universities must review and regrade salary scales and allowances.
• Staff recruited or contracted before the effective date who do not meet the standards may continue working; training follows law and the university's charter.
• The Department of Teachers and Educational Administrators guides and inspects implementation.
• University heads review positions, assign duties, evaluate performance and plan training.
• Private universities base recruitment and pay on this Circular's standards, conditions and working regime, paying by job, with allowances under their charters, openly and transparently.
• Effective date: 7 December 2026.