Hanoi students pay over $30,000 to study with UK college, only to find diploma invalid in Vietnam

The crisis stems from an alleged unlicensed joint training program with the U.K.'s Liverpool John Moores University. The Ministry of Education and Training has officially confirmed that the program was never licensed for delivery in Vietnam.

Former student Tu Quyen, 25, is one of the victims. She first completed a three-year college-level program at LCDF, paying approximately VND600 million (US$22,806) in tuition, and received a college diploma issued by Pearson Education U.K. in 2022.

Quyen was then encouraged by LCDF management to enroll in a nine-month top-up bachelor’s program in Fashion: Design and Communication, paying nearly VND300 million ($11,400) more.

"The school [LCDF Hanoi] guaranteed that [the] bachelor degree would be recognized worldwide," Quyen recalled.

After receiving her LJMU degree in July 2025, Quyen submitted her documents to the Vietnam's education ministry for the required verification process to apply for a domestic master's program. In October, she was "stunned" to receive a response stating the linkage program "had not been licensed by the ministry for delivery in Vietnam."

"That essentially means I don't have a university degree, which is required in order to pursue further studies and apply for jobs," Quyen said.

A student holds the translated version of a bachelor's degree awarded by Liverpool John Moores University in line with a linkage program provided by LCDF-Hanoi. Photo by Ngoc Trang

Ngoc Minh, 30, a Graphic Design alumna from LCDF's 2022 graduating cohort, received the same invalidation response from Vietnamese ministry when she submitted her verification request.

The former students allege that LCDF's Hanoi branch began partnering with Liverpool John Moores University to provide the top-up degree in 2021. Over four years, more than 40 students have enrolled in this joint program, resulting in financial losses amounting to billions of dong per student.

Compounding the problem, students are now raising concerns about LCDF's overall operational legitimacy. Frustrated alumni have filed a complaint accusing the college of fraudulent practices.

While LCDF was established in 2014 under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, its website uses the name London College for Design & Fashion – Hanoi and claims to have been founded a decade earlier, in 2004.

It advertises to offer training programs in Fashion, Graphic Design, Interior Design & Architecture and Photography, with courses "designed and based on the quality teaching and learning standards of the U.K. and are applicable to the Vietnamese market."

It also guarantees to give graduates "the confidence to seek good employment opportunities in a wide variety of directions, or the opportunity to top-up to degree level at universities in the U.K."

A student surfs the website of the London College for Design & Fashion - Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Hang

On Friday, the Ministry of Education and Training confirmed with VnExpress its response to Quyen, affirming that the bachelor's degree issued through the linkage program does not meet requirements for recognition.

Crucially, the ministry affirmed that LCDF – Hanoi has not been granted approval to conduct any foreign joint training programs in Vietnam. Furthermore, the ministry noted that the college may be in violation of the 2014 Law on Vocational Education, as the Department of Vocational Education and Continuing Education has not received an application for an operating license from LCDF – Hanoi since 2015.

Alumni are now urgently calling on authorities to clarify the full legality of LCDF's training programs and to ensure proper compensation for their financial and emotional losses.

The college has not yet commented on the matter.