Why we're becoming Fairmont - and what it means for your child

We're becoming Fairmont International School Vietnam! Same heart, bigger opportunities - here's what this exciting new chapter means for your child.

Big news for our school community - starting in August 2026, Hanoi Toronto School is becoming Fairmont International School Vietnam (FISV). We're joining the Fairmont family as its sixth campus, and we get to be the first school in Southeast Asia to carry the Fairmont name.

But this isn't just a new sign out front. It's the next step in something we've been working toward for a while now - raising the bar academically and giving our students a real shot at opportunities well beyond Hanoi.

So, why Fairmont?

Fairmont Schools got its start in Orange County, California, back in 1953. That's more than 70 years of figuring out what actually works when it comes to helping kids learn and grow - and the track record speaks for itself:

• Named Best Private School in Orange County for 12 years running
• Students there average a 1490/1600 on the SAT - right up with the top U.S. universities
• 94% of graduates get into a top 100 U.S. university
• $9.8 million in merit scholarships earned by just the last five graduating classes
• Consistently strong results in Math and Science, year after year

Honestly, that's the kind of track record that made this partnership feel like an easy yes for us.

What does this actually mean for your child?

Here's what we're most excited about bringing to Hanoi:

Learning that's closer to the U.S. standard. FISV will follow a U.S. Common Core–aligned framework, which brings our academics closer in line with how top American schools teach. And if you'd rather your child continue on Vietnam's national curriculum, that option stays open too - we want families to pick what genuinely fits, not force everyone down one path.

A clearer road to university abroad. Between the Common Core–aligned diploma and the chance to earn AP credits, your child will walk into university applications - whether that's the U.S., Europe, or Australia - much better prepared than before.

A much bigger world to learn in. We're now part of International Schools Partnership - ISP, a network of over 120 schools in more than 25 countries. That opens the door to real connections with students overseas - exchanges, joint projects, that kind of thing - not just talk about being "global."

Teaching that actually looks at the individual kid. Every child learns differently, and we mean that beyond the marketing line. FISV puts real weight behind helping students build confidence, think for themselves, and develop as leaders - in ways that fit who they are, not a generic mold.

What's not changing

New name, new opportunities - but the heart of it stays exactly the same. Everything we do still starts with your child. That's really the whole idea behind Fairmont's "One School, Two Homes" philosophy - building a real, lasting bridge between our students here in Hanoi and the wider Fairmont community back in the U.S.

We'll be sharing a lot more over the coming weeks - programs, pathways, all the details you'd expect. For now, just know this - we're just as excited as you are, and we think this is going to be a great chapter for our students.