HCMCity (VNS/VNA) - Many universities in Ho Chi Minh City plan to provide scholarships to studentswhose families’ livelihoods have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic or wholive in the Mekong Delta and are affected by drought and saltwater intrusion.

TheOpen University has announced that it will give scholarships of 2 million VND (85 USD) to students if one of their parents lost a job or their family facesdifficulties in selling agricultural produce.

Thereare 3,000 scholarships on offer, and priority will be given to the worstaffected by drought and saltwater in the delta.

Studentscan find and submit application forms online at //ou.edu.vn/hocbong untilMay 5. The scholarships will cover the second semester.

NguyenNgoc Anh, head of the students affairs division at the university, said: “Weare all facing severe a crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The universitywants to share the difficulties faced by disadvantaged students.” 

TheHCM City University of Law will dip into its fund for supporting students toaward scholarships to disadvantaged students.

FPTUniversity has drawn more than 80 billion VND (3.4 million USD) from itsdevelopment and investment fund to offer a 20 percent reduction in tuition feesto all students from May to August.

Studentsof its joint training programmes will get a 10 percent reduction in fees.  

Incase a student’s family turns down the offer, the money will be donated to theNational Fund for Prevention and Control of COVID-19.

TheVietnam National University-HCM City (VNU-HCM)’s University of Information Technologyhas created a scholarship fund for students whose families have been affectedby the pandemic. Students requiring assistance can fill an application at //forms.gle/1AkS2vssNATzmafZ6.

Theuniversity will reduce second semester fees by 7 percent for all regularstudents and also defer the deadline for payment for those facing financialdifficulties.

VNU-HCM’sother member universities will reduce their fees by 10 percent.

HongBang International University will reduce second semester fees by 20 percentfor all students.

VanLang University will reduce second semester fees by 20 percent for onlinelessons and 10 percent for students attending classes.

Forthe moment all universities remain closed and lecturers are providingcompulsory online lessons.

Manysuch as the Industrial University of HCM City, University of Economics andFinance and Banking University are closed until the end of this month./.