Ho Chi Minh City Arrival Information

Check Your Spam Folder

We’ll be sending you class reports, updates, and useful info throughout your program. Sometimes these emails end up in spam so please whitelist us now to make sure nothing important gets missed.

Either click “Not Spam” on any of our emails, or add these addresses to your contacts:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]

Registration Form

Before you arrive, please fill out our Registration Form. This is how we organise your classes, accommodation, and everything else, so the sooner you do it, the better.

Once we have your details, we’ll get straight to work. You can typically expect your class schedule and accommodation information around one to two weeks before your start date.

Heads up: If the registration form isn’t filled out on time, we can only arrange things based on availability rather than what’s best for you. Don’t let that happen!

Course Prep Meeting

Before classes begin, all students meet with our Director of Studies for a one-to-one Orientation Meeting. It’s a great chance to talk through your goals, ask questions, and make sure your program is set up perfectly.

Jot down any questions you have beforehand, you’ll get the most out of it that way.

Your Student Information Portal

As an LTL student you’ll get access to your own Student Information Portal, a personalised hub where you can:

• View your class schedule and past lessons
• Access language study resources and city guides
• See upcoming social events
• Submit feedback to our team

Your personalised link is in the “Welcome to LTL” email we sent you. Bookmark it! If you can’t find it, just ask your Student Advisor.

We genuinely love hearing from students, so please use the portal to share feedback, suggestions, or anything you think we could improve.

Start Dates

We have monthly start dates when more is happening at the school! During these times we also run a Welcome Breakfast and Orientation for new students, so please feel free to join.

Check the “Start Dates” entry in your Student Portal for full details and upcoming dates.

Before you arrive

Read our Complete Must-Pack Preparation Guide before you travel, it covers everything you need for a smooth arrival.

Onward Ticket Requirement

Some airlines ask for proof of an onward journey before boarding. If needed, you can reserve (without paying) a flight on Ctrip or a similar site and print the confirmation.

Flight Delays or Missed Flights

If you have an Airport Pickup or Survival Kit booked and your flight is delayed or you miss it, please let the Director of Studies know by email and phone as soon as possible (or ask a friend or relative to do so on your behalf). Our driver will wait up to two hours after your original arrival time. We also monitor arrival times via the airport website. If we can’t reschedule in time, get in touch and we’ll arrange a new pickup.

Check-in and Check-out Flight Times

Please review the Check-In / Check-Out Flight Times information before you travel.

Arriving at Tan Son Nhat Airport // Driver ???

You will be arriving at Tan Son Nhat Airport.

Once landed, please go straight through immigration and luggage pick-up as quickly as the queues allow. Airports in Viet Nam is very crowd so you will need to quickly in every steps. First time in Ho Chi Minh city, we recommend you catch a taxi instead of taking a bus or a motorbike because you will carry a lot of luggage at that time, you can use these applications to book : Grab, Bee, Gojek,

Can’t find the driver? He may be using the toilet or you may have just missed the sign. If your flight arrived early or you can’t locate him, please wait at the nearby Dicos Restaurant and he will find you there.

Please note that very few local people speak English. LTL encourages its students to use Mandarin whenever possible, your driver, apartment manager, and homestay family are all professionals who will take good care of you. If a problem arises and you need English-speaking assistance, please borrow a phone and call one of the LTL staff listed below.

Money, SIM and internet at the airport

Money tips

Increase your maximum ATM withdrawal limit before you leave home to keep international bank fees down. Most bank and credit cards are accepted in Vietnam, but it’s wise to bring a backup card. You’ll typically get the best exchange rate by withdrawing cash from ATMs in Vietnam rather than exchanging before you leave.

Outstanding fees: If you have not yet paid in full, please do so within three days of arrival.

Finding the School

Directions: Take a taxi or bus to the area of RT-Mart (大润发). Make sure to go to the OLD RT-Mart, not the new one in the New City. Facing the RT-Mart entrance, walk to its left side and you will see a lift next to a Milk Tea shop. Take the lift to the 5th floor and walk along the hallway until you reach a veranda-like area. You will see Lex waiting for you at the school entrance!

Meet Your Ho Chi Minh City Team

These are the people you’ll be working with most closely. Don’t hesitate to reach out before or after you arrive!

Margot Tran

SCHOOL MANAGER

Margot is Vietnamese and a beach lover. She is also very enthusiastic about languages and finds it very beautiful. Fun fact: Margot is a licensed engineer in Vietnam.

• +84 704701175
• [email protected]
• Zalo ID: +84 704701175

John Nguyen

PROGRAM COORDINATOR

John loves languages, movies and music especially My Tam (one of the most famous singers in Vietnam). He’s also a big fan of local cuisines. 

•  +84 986209742
• [email protected]
• Zalo ID:  +84 986209742

Andreas Laimboeck

STUDENT SUPPORT

Andreas is the Student Support Coordinator of LTL Saigon. He is in charge of Student Support, Payments and Social Events.

• +86 139 1005 2771
• [email protected]
• WhatsApp ID: +86 139 1005 2771

Ha Nguyen

FLEXI CLASSES ADMINISTRATOR

Ha is a native of Vietnam and leads the Flexi Classes Online study platform. She enjoys trekking, reading, and outdoor activities like horse riding and camping.

• +84 369 087 886
• [email protected]
• Zalo ID: +84 369 087 886

Calling note: Do not dial the +84 country code when calling from within Vietnam.

Apps to Download Before You Arrive

Zalo: Vietnam’s default communication app. Pretty much everyone uses it for everything here. Set up your account before you fly. Download Zalo⬇️

Maps.me: Download Ho Chi Minh City’s map for offline use before you fly. A lifesaver if you don’t have data when you first arrive. Get Maps.me ⬇️

Accommodations

If you are staying in one of our homestays, please bear in mind that these are basic, student-grade rooms, and not a hotel. You will need to bring your own towels, and along with your flat mates you will need to help keep the apartment clean and tidy. As a rule of thumb, local university students will wait for you as a foreigner to make the first move when you arrive in the flat. Try to communicate with them by asking them for help finding the supermarket, or help with your homework, and you will quickly break the ice.

SIM Cards

Buying a SIM cards is quite easy in Vietnam. yYou can purchase it at the airport or any local phone shop. The most popular type will be Mobifone SIM, with different packages, some limited by time while others by data. If you want to continue using it after the limited package, you can top it up at local convenience stores such as Ministop, Circle K, GS25.

If you have a Survival Kit, our team will take you to set up a SIM card for you. Your SIM card will automatically have data in it. If you are a heavy internet user, please let us know if you wish to increase the data package to a higher level. We will then put your money into the data bank, which will then be charged every month based on the package price.

If your phone has an eSIM slot, you can also use Airalo for data-only connectivity across 200+ countries. Please note: Airalo does not support voice calls.

Phone unlock: Make sure your handset is unlocked for use with foreign SIM cards before you leave home. Contact your network provider if you are unsure. An unlocked phone is essential for staying connected in Vietnam.

Join the LTL Community

Connect with other students, past and present, and stay in the loop with everything LTL. Join the student Zalo group now, say hello and let everyone know when you’re arriving!