A preschool enrolment file usually contains an application form, a copy of your child's birth certificate or passport, the parents' identity documents, recent photos, a vaccination record, a health and allergy questionnaire, emergency contacts, a list of people authorised to collect your child, consent forms for photos and data, and the signed enrolment agreement. Each part has a purpose, and most of them are about keeping your child safe and making sure the teachers know what they need to know from the first day.
The file is also the first real exchange of information between your family and the people who will care for your child for many hours a day. Families who fill it in carefully tend to find the first weeks smoother, because teachers start with an accurate picture rather than learning by trial and error. Exact requirements vary by school and change over time, so always ask Global Star School admissions for the current checklist in writing before you start. This guide explains what each part of a typical file is for and how to fill in the sections that matter most, particularly health, pickup and consent, which are the ones families most often rush. Papers specific to children arriving from abroad, such as translations of foreign records, are covered in our section on moving to Ho Chi Minh City with young children.
A typical checklist, and why each item is there
Use this as a guide to what you are likely to be asked for, not as the school's official list. Gathering copies in advance, both on paper and as clear phone scans, saves a second trip.
| Item | Why the school needs it | Practical tip |
|---|---|---|
| Application form | Basic details: name, date of birth, address, languages, parents' contacts | Use your child's name exactly as on the passport or birth certificate |
| Birth certificate or passport copy | Confirms identity and age, which decides class placement | Bring the original for checking if asked |
| Parents' identity documents | Confirms who has parental responsibility and who signs | Foreign parents usually provide passport copies |
| Recent photos | Student records and, at some schools, pickup cards | Ask the size required before printing |
| Vaccination record | Health planning and protecting other children | Bring the original record from your home country |
| Health and allergy questionnaire | Kitchen, teachers and first aid need accurate information | Attach a doctor's note for serious allergies |
| Emergency contacts | Someone must always be reachable | Give at least two people who answer quickly |
| Pickup authorisation | Only named adults may collect your child | Include anyone who may collect, even occasionally |
| Photo and data consent | The school needs your permission to take and use images | Read what each option covers |
| Enrolment agreement | Sets out fees, terms and withdrawal rules | Read at home before signing |
If anything on the school's list is unclear, ask why it is needed. A good admissions team will explain, and the answer usually helps you fill the form in properly.
The health and allergy questionnaire: be complete, not brief
This is the form that most deserves your time. The kitchen plans meals from it, teachers use it during the day, and whoever gives first aid relies on it in an emergency. A vague answer such as "some allergies" is almost useless; a precise one can prevent a serious reaction.
For any allergy, write the specific food or substance, what reaction your child has had, how quickly it came on, and what to do. If your child has been prescribed emergency medication such as an adrenaline auto-injector, say so, ask how the school stores and handles it, and provide your doctor's written instructions. For intolerances and dietary choices, explain the difference clearly so the kitchen understands which ones are about safety and which are about preference. Vietnamese school meals often include fish sauce, shrimp, peanuts, soy and egg in forms that are not always obvious, so it helps to list ingredients by name.
Include ongoing conditions such as asthma, eczema, febrile seizures or reflux, any medicines your child takes regularly, and anything about development the teachers should know. None of this should affect whether your child is welcome; it affects how well the school can care for them. Where you are unsure how to describe something, ask your child's doctor to write a short note. The school should not diagnose, and you should not have to guess.
Finally, ask how the information is shared with the people who need it. The homeroom teacher, the co-teacher, the kitchen and anyone who covers the class should all know about a serious allergy, not only the office.
Pickup authorisation and emergency contacts
Preschools hand children only to adults who are named in the file. This is a safety rule, and a good school will apply it strictly, even to a grandparent visiting from abroad whom the teacher has never seen before. Expect to be asked for the names and identity details of every person who may collect your child, and sometimes a photo of each.
Think beyond your normal week. Include a nanny or driver if they ever collect, a grandparent who might help when you travel, and a friend who could step in if you are stuck in traffic in the rainy season. Adding names later is usually possible, but the moment you need it is rarely the moment the office is free. Ask how one-off changes work: some schools accept a message through the parent app, others require a call or a signed note.
Emergency contacts are a separate list. These are people the school will call if your child is unwell or hurt and you cannot be reached. Give at least two, make sure at least one is in Ho Chi Minh City, and tell them they are on the list. For international families, it helps to include one contact who speaks Vietnamese, since the person calling from the school office may be more comfortable in Vietnamese in an urgent moment.
Update both lists whenever something changes: a new phone number, a nanny who leaves, a parent who travels for several weeks.
Photo and data consent: read what you are agreeing to
Schools take many photos of children: for the daily updates in the parent app, for classroom displays, for records of children's work, and sometimes for the school's own website, social media or brochures. These are different uses, and a well-designed consent form lets you agree to some and not others. You might be happy for photos to appear privately in the parent app but prefer your child not to appear in public marketing.
Vietnam has specific rules on personal data, including data about children. Decree 13/2023/ND-CP on personal data protection requires consent for processing children's personal data, given by a parent or guardian for young children, and more recent legislation on personal data has continued in the same direction. You do not need to know the legal detail, but it is reasonable to expect the school to explain what data it collects, why, who can see it and how long it is kept.
Useful questions are simple. Who can see the photos in the parent app: only your family, or other parents in the class? Are group photos shared with all families? Will your child ever appear on public channels, and can you say no? Can you change your mind later? If your family has particular reasons for privacy, such as a parent whose work requires discretion or a custody arrangement, tell the school directly rather than relying on a tick box.
Medicines at school: the form most families forget
Sooner or later, most young children need a medicine during the school day: a course of antibiotics prescribed for an ear infection, an inhaler for asthma, a cream for eczema. Preschools handle this carefully, and with good reason. Teachers should not give any medicine without clear written instructions from the parent, and many schools will not give medicines at all unless they are prescribed by a doctor and supplied in the original packaging with the child's name and dose.
Ask during enrolment how the school manages medicines. Is there a separate authorisation form for each course? Who gives the medicine, and how is it recorded? Where is it stored, and how is a medicine that needs refrigeration kept? What happens if your child needs a dose at a time when the usual teacher is not in the room? For children with a long-term condition, ask whether the school can keep a standing care plan on file, agreed with your doctor, so that you do not have to fill in a new form every week.
It is also worth knowing the school's rule on when a child should stay home rather than come in with medicine. That rule belongs to the school's health policy, which we cover in the section on health and safety, but it affects the paperwork: a school that sends children home with a fever will expect you to plan for that rather than send medicine in to bring the temperature down.
Papers issued in another country
International families often hold documents issued abroad: a birth certificate in another language, a vaccination booklet from a home clinic, a report from a previous nursery. Ask admissions early which of these the school can accept as they are, which need a translation, and whether any translation needs to be certified. Requirements can differ depending on whether the document is for the school's own records or for official purposes later, such as enrolment in a Vietnamese primary school.
Bring originals with you when you move, even if the school only asks for copies. It is far easier to have a document copied in Ho Chi Minh City than to request a replacement from another country. Keep digital scans as well, ideally in a shared folder both parents can reach.
The vaccination record deserves special care. Schedules differ between countries, and the names of vaccines on foreign records may not match the names used in Vietnam. A doctor in the city can help you see how your child's record lines up with the local schedule. Questions about vaccination itself, and about professional translation of documents, are covered on our sister sites that specialise in those topics; this guide only concerns what the school asks for.
Keeping the file up to date after enrolment
Health changes. A new allergy, a new diagnosis, a course of medicine or a recent hospital visit should reach the school promptly, in writing, so the record stays accurate and every adult caring for your child knows.
Contact changes. New phone numbers, a change of address or a new employer phone number matter most at exactly the moment you are hardest to reach, so update them the day they change.
Family changes. A new caregiver, a change in custody arrangements, or a parent travelling for an extended period all affect who can collect your child and who the school should call.
Moving up. When your child moves to a new class, ask whether the health and pickup information transfers automatically to the new teachers or needs confirming again.
An annual check. Once a year, ask to see what the school holds and correct anything out of date. It takes ten minutes and prevents the kind of mistake nobody notices until it matters.
Câu hỏi thường gặp
Can we start before the file is complete?
Some schools allow a short grace period for a missing document, but the health questionnaire, emergency contacts and pickup authorisation should always be complete before the first day. Ask admissions which items are essential before starting and which can follow within an agreed time.
Do foreign parents need a residence card to enrol a child?
A preschool usually asks for identity documents rather than immigration papers, but requirements can vary. Ask admissions what they need from foreign parents. Questions about visas and residence cards themselves are best answered by specialist sources, which we link from our section on moving to the city.
What if we are separated parents with shared custody?
Tell the school directly and provide any document that sets out who has parental responsibility and pickup rights. The school needs clear instructions on who may collect the child and who receives information, and it should handle this discreetly. Keep the school informed if arrangements change.
Is it safe to share health details with the school?
Accurate health information is what allows the school to care for your child safely, and the school should protect it under Vietnam's personal data rules. It is reasonable to ask who will see the information and how it is stored. Share what is needed for care and safety.
Can grandparents visiting from abroad collect our child?
Yes, if they are named on the pickup authorisation and can show identification. Add them before they arrive rather than on the day. Let the teacher know in advance when someone new will come, so the handover is calm for your child and straightforward for the staff.
How long does the school keep our child's records?
Ask the school directly. Under Vietnamese personal data rules, organisations should be able to explain the purpose and retention of the data they hold. It is also useful to ask how you can obtain copies of your child's records when you leave, especially if you are moving abroad.