For families arriving from abroad
New country, new language, and a small person who has to feel at home by Monday. Here is what we can tell you before you even visit.
The four things parents ask us first
No forms to fill in to find these out.
Can you enrol my child at all?
Yes. We welcome children from any country. Like every school in Vietnam we will need to see your child's passport and their current visa or residence card. If your paperwork is still in progress, come and talk to us anyway — tell us your situation and we will tell you exactly what we need and when.
My child speaks no Vietnamese and no English
That is how most children start, wherever they come from. Nothing is taught by translation here — children learn a language the way they learned their first one, through songs, play, routine and repetition, surrounded by children doing the same. Your child will not be the only one beginning from nothing.
What language will you speak to me?
English, in person and in writing. Message the office on Telegram, WhatsApp, Zalo or Messenger — every one of them reaches the same number — and most questions are answered the same day.
Can we try before we commit?
Yes, and we would rather you did. Your child spends a trial morning in a real class while you walk the school and ask everything you want to ask. Children join us at any point in the year, not only in September.
Our children come from all over
- Ukraine
- Russia
- Korea
- USA
- France
- and more
Our teachers work in Vietnamese and English, so an English-speaking child is understood from the first morning. And the Russian-speaking children are doing fine without a single adult here who speaks Russian — we say so plainly, because it is the honest answer to what you are really asking.
It works for the same reason it works for every child here. Nothing depends on a shared adult language: the day has a shape your child learns by living it, the other children explain more than any teacher could, and English arrives through songs, play and repetition rather than translation. Your child will not be the first to walk in understanding nothing.
Two ways into TopMind
Which one suits your family depends on your child's age and how long you plan to stay in Vietnam.
da Vinci — our international class
Ages 3 to 6, entirely in English, with a foreign teacher. Mixed ages in one room, so a younger child learns from an older one. This is where most foreign families start, and the natural choice if your child already has some English or if your stay in Vietnam is for a few years rather than for good.
See a day in da VinciThe bilingual classes
Ages 1 to 6, grouped by age, with English every single day alongside Vietnamese. The right home for a child under three, and for families who are settling in Vietnam and want their child to grow up speaking both languages properly rather than one of them politely.
See all six classesWhat we will not pretend
This page is in your language so that you can understand us and reach us easily. The school itself is not. TopMind teaches in Vietnamese and English, our teachers speak Vietnamese and English, and the reports and photo updates that go home each month are written in Vietnamese and English.
We would rather tell you that now than have you discover it in October. Families who choose us knowing exactly how we work are the families who stay with us for years.
This site in your language, so you can understand us. English with us, so your child can grow with us.
What to bring, and what not to worry about
Bring what you already have. We will tell you the rest in person — nothing needs to be perfect before you come and look around.
Passport and visa or residence card
Your child's, and one parent's. A photo on your phone is fine for a first visit; we only need copies when you decide to enrol.
Vaccination record, if you have it
Whatever your home country gave you, in whatever language. If it was lost in the move, tell us and we will talk you through what to do.
Anything from the last school
A report, a photo, a note from a teacher. Not required — but it helps us understand your child faster, which means a gentler first week.
And your child
The visit is really for them. They spend a trial morning in a real class while you look around and ask us everything.
No appointment is turned away for missing paperwork. Come first, sort the documents after — that order works better for everyone.
Questions from families like yours
Do you accept children who are not Vietnamese citizens?
Yes. Children of any nationality are welcome. We will ask to see your child's passport and their current visa or temporary residence card, which is what any school in Vietnam is required to check. If yours is still being processed, come and see us anyway and we will tell you what is needed.
We are only staying in Vietnam for a year or two. Is that a problem?
Not at all, and it is worth saying so when you visit. It usually points towards the da Vinci class, where everything happens in English, so your child keeps building a language they will carry on using after you leave.
Can my child start in the middle of the school year?
Yes. Children join us throughout the year. The school year begins at the end of August, but families arrive in Nha Trang in every month and we are used to settling a new child into a class that is already running.
How will I know what my child did all day if I do not read Vietnamese?
Every family gets a monthly report with photos, written in Vietnamese and English. Day to day, you can message the office on Telegram, WhatsApp, Zalo or Messenger and ask — it is the same number for all of them.
What if my child cries and does not settle?
Some children take a morning and some take three weeks, and both are normal. We keep you closely in touch during the first days, and we would far rather you called us for reassurance than sat at home worrying.
How much is it?
Fees depend on your child's age and the payment plan you choose, so we send a personal fee schedule rather than a price list. Call or message us and we will send it, along with an invitation to visit — there is no charge for the tour or the trial morning.
Is there a school bus?
Tell us where you are living and we will tell you honestly what the options are. Many families near the school walk or ride in; if you are further out, ask us before you assume.
Come and see the place
Bring your child, bring your questions, bring whatever paperwork you happen to have. An hour here will tell you more than any website can.