International students increasingly choose Vietnam

A study conducted earlier this year among 120 universities in Vietnam and over 30 experts, found that international students fall into two main categories: short-term students (for summer courses, exchanges, etc.) and long-term students (for four-year bachelor’s programs or two-year master’s programs). Each year, approximately 1,400–3,900 short-term and 4,300–5,000 long-term students are admitted.

"The number of international students declined slightly during the Covid-19 pandemic but has been rising again in the past two to three years, particularly in the self-funded category," said Pham Hiep, Director of the Institute for Research on Education and Knowledge Transfer at Thanh Do University in Hanoi.

Over the past five years, the number of long-term international students was 4,831 in 2019, which then dropped over two consecutive years to a low of 4,352, before increasing to 5,021. For short-term students, after a sharp decline in 2020, numbers have continuously risen, reaching 3,927, according to a study conducted by the Ministry of Education and Training and the British Council, presented by Hiep, a member of the research team, at a conference last week.

Nguyen Xuan Vang, former Director of the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Education and Training, evaluated these results as encouraging. He noted that, in the past, most foreign students came to Vietnam under government-sponsored scholarship agreements. Today, however, the number of self-funded or partially self-funded international students is steadily increasing.

International students come to Vietnam to study various fields, such as medicine, pharmacy, economics, business, as well as culture and languages. Students from Laos and Cambodia often choose medicine and pharmacy programs due to their high quality, which provides employment opportunities back home. Western students, on the other hand, typically enroll in exchange programs to study culture or Vietnamese studies, Vang added.

According to the study, the top five countries with the most long-term students in Vietnam are Laos, Cambodia, China, South Korea, and Singapore. The top five countries sending the most short-term students are South Korea, China, Singapore, the Philippines, and France.

One reason for this growing trend is that Vietnamese universities have joined international student mobility programs, launched advanced training courses, and increasingly use English as the language of instruction. Additionally, Asia is becoming a more popular destination for international students. Besides earning degrees, students also seek cultural experiences to broaden their employment prospects.

Vang believes that international students contribute to Vietnam’s economic growth, cultural exchange, increased political influence, and foster greater understanding of Vietnam among international communities.

Tran Thi Ly, a lecturer at Deakin University in Australia, noted that this trend also enhances the internationalization of Vietnamese higher education and improves university rankings. Domestic students benefit from developing their English skills and learning in a multicultural environment. Moreover, it provides opportunities for teachers to innovate and internationalize their curricula.

"International students will become cultural ambassadors, promoting Vietnam abroad. Additionally, their tuition revenue helps support universities," Ly said.

For decades, Vietnam has been the third-largest net exporter of students, with 129,000 Vietnamese studying abroad, far exceeding the number of foreign students studying in Vietnam. Singapore and Malaysia faced a similar situation in the early 2000s but have since moved towards balance and are now net importers, attracting large numbers of students.

To further establish Vietnam as an international education destination, Hiep suggested developing more training programs in English or other languages, improving facilities like dormitories, and offering opportunities for students to engage with associations or connection hubs. Additionally, the government should implement a more targeted strategy for internationalizing education, such as setting goals for international student enrollment, allowing foreign universities to open campuses in Vietnam, and introducing favorable visa policies.