Out of 2,500 student applications, the Vietnam Circus and Variety Arts College only selected 33 for their 2012-2016 intake. However half of the new students have decided to quit.

Students of  Vietnam Circus and Variety Arts College performed in Cambodia

Eleven students resigned at the start of the academic year and six more students left after beginning the course.

The Vietnam Circus and Variety Arts College is the only official school in the northern region to teach circus performance skills. Each year, the school recruit students from a maximum age of 12 to study for five years.

"At that age, the children's bones are still flexible and easier to train. However, after training, more weakness will be exposed in the bones and heart and they can't pursuit this vocation anymore." Principal Hoang Minh Khanh said. He added that although danger and risk are big part of the circus, the artists did not have appropriate support, which was one of the reasons why the school was having difficulties in recruiting students. Most of the applicants were farmers' child or from remote areas.

Every graduate is immediately recruited into the Vietnam Circus Federation, and Hanoi or HCMC Circus groups.

Students would often leave the course throughout the year. Some students quit after first year, after they learned a few basic body forms and then applied to dance schools. Others joined travelling circuses or variety groups.

But the school has never seen students leave en mass like this.

Khanh claimed that after the students received their acceptance forms they were approached by some people who spread bad rumours about school. "they were told the school would not provide the students with costumes and they would not have diploma on concluding their studies."

Khanh explained that students can only have a degree when they acquired a high school certificate. But for training reasons, students study from the age of 11 and graduate at 16 so they haven't yet taken their high school diploma.

In 2011 and 2012, staff at the school denounced the school for financial corruption. However, the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism said aside from some wrongdoings in its accounts, most of the allegations were wrong or lacked evidence.

"Preventing students from studying is unacceptable." Khanh said the school would accept any students who wanted to return.