College Savings Calculator (VND)
Funding a child's university education is one of the largest goals a parent plans for, and the figure that catches most people off guard is not today's tuition but what it will cost when your child actually enrols. In Vietnam, tuition — especially at private and international programmes — tends to climb faster than ordinary consumer-price inflation. A course that costs 200.000.000 VND a year now becomes, at an illustrative 7% a year, 551.806.308 VND for the first year alone by the time a 3-year-old turns 18.
This calculator answers the question parents actually search for: how much do I need to put aside every month between now and the first day of college? You enter the child's current age, the age they start university, one year of tuition at today's prices, the rate tuition rises, the number of years of study, what you have saved already, and an expected investment return. The tool inflates tuition forward, adds up all 4 years, then solves backwards for the level monthly contribution you need.
In the default scenario — a 3-year-old, 15 years to go, 50.000.000 VND already saved, an assumed 9%/year return — a 4-year degree comes to 2.449.988.555 VND, and you need to save about 6.141.297 VND a month to get there. One caveat governs everything below: the 7%/year tuition rise and 9%/year return are illustrative assumptions, not guarantees. Swap in figures that fit the school you have in mind and the way you actually invest.
How the calculator sizes an education fund
Step 1 — Inflate tuition to the year each bill falls due
Each year of study is priced at the moment your child pays it, not at today's price:
Tuition for study year s = current tuition × (1 + g)^(years to college + s)
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| current tuition | One year of study at today's prices (200.000.000 VND) |
| g | Assumed tuition inflation (7% = 0.07) |
| years to college | Start age − current age (18 − 3 = 15) |
| s | Which study year, counting from 0 (0 to 3) |
Adding all 4 years gives the target cost. Because the second and third years are pricier than the first, you cannot simply multiply year-one tuition by four.
Step 2 — Credit what your existing savings will grow into
The 50.000.000 VND you already hold keeps compounding until enrolment. It grows to current savings × (1 + r)^(years to college) = 182.124.123 VND, covering roughly 7% of the target. The remaining 2.267.864.432 VND is the gap your monthly saving has to close.
Step 3 — Solve backwards for the monthly contribution
A level monthly contribution is an annuity. Set its future value (plus your grown savings) equal to the target cost and solve for the payment:
Monthly saving = (target cost − grown savings) / [((1 + r_m)^m − 1)/r_m × (1 + r_m)]
where r_m = (1 + r)^(1/12) − 1 is the effective monthly rate from the annual return r, and m = years to college × 12. Each contribution lands at the start of the month and compounds immediately (annuity-due) — exactly what the tool simulates, so every figure reconciles.
What the model leaves out
The model holds tuition inflation and the return constant for the whole period, assumes uninterrupted contributions, and ignores taxes, fund fees and any scholarships. Real tuition rises in steps, markets have down years, and your child may win aid or study abroad at a very different cost. Treat the output as a target to steer toward, not a fixed number.
Worked example: a 3-year-old, 4-year degree, 200.000.000 VND/year today
Illustrative assumptions: a constant 7%/year tuition rise and a 9%/year return, 50.000.000 VND already saved, contributions at the start of every month, and 15 years until enrolment.
| Study year | Tuition (inflated to when it is paid) |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | 551.806.308 |
| Year 2 | 590.432.750 |
| Year 3 | 631.763.042 |
| Year 4 | 675.986.455 |
| Target cost | 2.449.988.555 |
Three things stand out.
- Tuition inflation is the real adversary. Year-one tuition jumps from 200.000.000 VND today to 551.806.308 VND in 15 years — almost triple — purely from compounding 7% a year. Budgeting at today's prices would leave you badly short.
- Existing savings carry a lot, thanks to time. Your 50.000.000 VND grows to 182.124.123 VND and covers about 7% of the target; the 2.267.864.432 VND gap is what the monthly contribution must fund.
- Save 6.141.297 VND a month. Over 15 years you contribute 1.105.433.474 VND of your own money; the rest of the 2.449.988.555 VND target comes from compounding. The earlier you start, the lighter the monthly figure.
Enter the tuition for the specific school you are targeting and test a lower return to see how the monthly amount shifts. FiMo also has savings-goal and compound-interest calculators if you want to compare different ways of getting there.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I save each month for my child’s college fund?
It depends on tuition, the years remaining and your investment return. In the illustrative scenario — a 3-year-old (15 years to go), tuition of 200.000.000 VND/year rising 7%/year, 50.000.000 VND already saved, an assumed 9%/year return — a 4-year degree costs 2.449.988.555 VND and you need to save about 6.141.297 VND a month. Enter the tuition for your target school to get a figure that fits your situation.
Why is future tuition so much higher than today’s?
Because tuition inflation compounds over many years. Each year tuition rises a little, but across a decade and a half those increases stack up. At an assumed 7%/year, a course costing 200.000.000 VND today becomes 551.806.308 VND in 15 years — nearly triple. That is why you cannot plan at today's prices; you have to inflate tuition to the year each bill actually falls due.
What is the formula for an education savings goal?
Three steps. (1) Inflate tuition: each study year = current tuition × (1 + g)^(years to college + study-year index), summed across 4 years to give a 2.449.988.555 VND target. (2) Grow existing savings: 50.000.000 × (1 + r)^15 = 182.124.123 VND. (3) Solve the annuity backwards: monthly saving = (target − grown savings) / [((1 + r_m)^m − 1)/r_m × (1 + r_m)], with r_m = (1 + r)^(1/12) − 1 and m = years × 12.
How do my existing savings change the monthly amount?
Money you already hold keeps compounding until enrolment, so it shoulders a large part of the goal. In the example, 50.000.000 VND grows to 182.124.123 VND and covers about 7% of the 2.449.988.555 VND target. The remaining 2.267.864.432 VND gap is what your monthly contribution funds. The more you start with — and the earlier you begin — the lighter the monthly figure.
When should I start saving for my child’s education?
As early as possible, because time drives the result through compounding. With 15 years to go you need only 6.141.297 VND/month for the 2.449.988.555 VND target; start a few years later and the same goal demands a noticeably higher contribution, since the money has fewer years to grow and tuition has risen further. The ideal is to open an education fund while the child is young and automate a fixed monthly contribution.
Are the 9%/year and 7%/year rates guaranteed?
No. Both the 9%/year return and the 7%/year tuition rise are illustrative assumptions chosen to keep the math clear — neither a promise nor a forecast. Investment returns have negative years, and tuition rises at different rates by school. Substitute the actual fee increases of your target university and a return that fits how you invest, then stress-test a lower return to see how robust your plan is.