Close to 22,000 International Students Studying in Vietnam

Vietnam has seen the highest number of international students in the past nine years, data from the Ministry of Education and Training reveal.

According to the ministry, approximately 22,000 international students are pursuing degrees in Vietnam, Erudera.com reports.

“The universities are actively attracting and providing the best learning conditions for international students. The exchange of students promotes cultural exchange, academic collaboration, and contributes to strengthening friendly solidarity with other countries and international integration,” the ministry's statement reads.

Out of 22,000 international students, about 4,000 are studying under agreements between Vietnam and their home countries whereas the remaining are self-financed students or individuals enrolled at institutions through bilateral agreements, the Vietnamese online newspaper VnExpress reported.

Vietnam has seen an increase in international student enrollment within the past few years as well, specifically between 2016 and 2019, from 17,500 to 21,000 students. Then in 2020 and 2021, the country’s education institutions reported a decrease in international enrollment, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of students dropped to 18,500 in 2020 and to 16,000 in 2021. Then in 2022, it went up to 21,000 again. Data reveal the number of international students in the country increased by 25 percent between 2016 and 2023.

Vietnam is also one of the biggest source countries for international students abroad, with over 140,000 Vietnamese students studying abroad. Korea, Japan, and Australia are the top three study destinations for Vietnamese students. Taiwan, China, the United States, and other countries follow these.

Data from the Korean Immigration Service show that 73,000 students from Vietnam study in Korea, surpassing 67,450 Chinese who attended Korean institutions last year.

According to market specialists Instead, Japan is the second most popular study destination for Vietnamese students, hosting 49,000 in 2021, followed by Australia, with a total of about 33,000 enrolled last year.

The Open Doors 2023 report released by the US State Department and the Institute of International Education (IIE) revealed that 21,900 Vietnamese students studied at American universities and colleges in the 2022/23 academic year, remaining the fifth largest group of international students in the US.

Vietnamese students account for 2.1 percent of the total number of international students and boost the US economy with $816 million.

Of these students, 65.3 percent were enrolled in undergraduate programs, 17.2 percent were graduate students, 15 percent were enrolled in Optional Practical Training (OPT), and the remaining 2.6 percent were pursuing non-degree programs.

The most popular courses among Vietnamese students at American colleges are science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and business and management.

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