Vietnam hosts 22,000 international students, highest in 9 years

Among these students, nearly 4,000 are enrolled under agreements between Vietnam and other countries, while the rest are self-funded or enrolled through bilateral agreements at the institutional and local levels.

From 2016 to 2019, the number of international students in Vietnam steadily increased from 17,500 to 21,000. However, in 2020-2021, this number dropped to 18,500 and 16,000, respectively, due to the impact of Covid-19. Following the pandemic, the number of foreign students coming to Vietnam has risen again.

“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 stated.

However, the ministry noted that the number of international students in Vietnam remains limited, with 80% coming from Laos and Cambodia. The recruitment and training of international students have not been a priority for many universities. Additionally, certain mechanisms and policies regarding health insurance, visas, and other factors have not been sufficiently attractive to international students.

The preferred destinations for international students are usually universities specializing in language, culture, and theoretical studies, such as Hanoi University, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, and the Academy of Journalism and Communication.

Recently, some technical and economic universities have also gradually attracted international students, including Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Foreign Trade University, and the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi, also known as Vietnam-France University.

Previously, according to the higher education network plan for 2020, around 3% of the total number of university students (66,000) were expected to be foreigners.