310,000 candidates refuse to go to university: Worried about expensive tuition fees and unemployment?

(Dan Tri) - After consulting with her son, Ms. H.'s family decided not to register him for university admission, even though he had enough points to be accepted into many schools. They did not want to invest in risk.

Worrying about investing in your child's college education

The son of Ms. Nguyen Thi H., in Con Cuong commune, Nghe An, is one of more than 310,000 candidates who refused to apply for university admission this year. Although he had many opportunities to be admitted to many universities, with a score above 23 in the admission combination.

Ms. H. said that her family runs a small grocery store, and making money is increasingly difficult as people now mainly shop online on e-commerce platforms.

More than 310,000 students refused to apply for university admission in 2025 (Photo: Hoai Nam).

According to Ms. Hien, university is too expensive now when tuition fees keep increasing, and living expenses in the city such as rent, electricity, water, and food are very high.

The child is studying at university in Hanoi , which means that the monthly expenses are at least 10 million VND, and to graduate will cost hundreds of millions of VND. This cost is beyond the couple’s ability, and they can only borrow money if the child goes to school.

Meanwhile, in previous years, the couple had been “exhausted” from sending their eldest daughter to university, and had not yet paid off the loan. She had just graduated and was on probation with a salary of only 5 million VND, and her parents still had to provide additional support.

She does not want to continue borrowing money for her child's education without knowing what the future holds. In particular, her son has good academic ability but he does not know clearly what career he likes or what field he is capable of.

"The tuition is expensive and after graduation there is no guarantee that he will have a job to support himself," the mother briefly said about her child not applying to university.

Although worried about letting their child work so early, the family agreed that the child would stay home for a while to learn the language, then go to work in Germany or Korea with an acquaintance. After a few years of working hard to earn money, if he decides on a career he loves, he can go to university later.

According to information from the Ministry of Education and Training , from 2022 to 2024, each year more than 30% of high school graduates do not apply for university admission. This year, only 27% of candidates "turned their backs" on university, but the number of 310,000 candidates is not small. Not to mention that every year there are hundreds of thousands of candidates who are admitted to university but do not enroll.

On a personal level, each person has a different choice after graduating from high school. Some students go to study abroad, learn a trade, go to work right away, or go to school “play first and think later”…

Going to university is still the choice of the majority, but university is no longer a priority or the first choice for many students and families. Among them, the problem of tuition fees and employment after graduation are two issues that many people are concerned about.

Is college risky?

The August 2024 report of the International Labor Organization (ILO) of the United Nations shows that the unemployment rate of qualified young people in developing countries is 2-3 times higher than that of rich economies.

In low- and lower-middle-income countries, more than one-fifth of people under 30 with a university degree are unemployed.

A large proportion of delivery people and technology drivers in Vietnam have university or college degrees (Illustration photo: Hoai Nam).

The ILO estimates that in these countries, young university graduates are even more likely to be unemployed than workers with basic education.

In Vietnam, there have been statistics showing that, at many stages, the unemployment rate of university and college graduates is higher than that of secondary school graduates or those without training.

Statistics in 2023 from the Institute of Labor Science and Social Affairs show that 36.6% of technology delivery people (shippers) in Vietnam are highly qualified, while the figures for technology drivers and housekeepers are 20.65% and 11.36%, respectively.

While university tuition fees are constantly increasing and the cost of studying in the city has now become a problem, if not a heavy investment, for many families without a sure result.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Nhan, author of the book "Financial Exposure", shared that there is a paradox that the salary of people with degrees in Vietnam only fluctuates between 5-15 million VND.

While university tuition fees are skyrocketing, not to mention the high cost of studying in the city. So it is not difficult to understand why many young people, especially in the countryside, choose the option of "making money quickly", especially in recent years by working abroad.

According to Mr. Nguyen Trong Nhan, students can consider whether the major they pursue requires them to go to university; if they study, how to avoid the situation of "studying at university is like not studying"; consider their own conditions to suit the academic environment or need to make money...

Master Pham Thai Son, Director of Admissions at Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, frankly said that the cost of university education is now very expensive but can come with risks.

After graduation, students may be unemployed if they do not research carefully about the profession, choose a major that does not match their strengths or social needs, lack initiative in studying, have weak competitiveness, etc.

When asked whether one should start working early instead of going to university, Mr. Pham Thai Son said that in reality, there are people who are successful without going to university. However, they are usually people with sharp thinking, know how to seize opportunities and are willing to learn from reality.

Going to work early can help you earn money right away, but without a solid knowledge foundation, in the long run, you may face limitations in your personal development, income, and promotion opportunities.

Young people in a vocational study abroad consulting program (Photo: Hoai Nam).

University not only teaches specialized knowledge but also helps train logical thinking, problem-solving skills, teamwork, communication… which are important skills in the job market.

Mr. Son said that university is expensive, but if invested in the right direction and used wisely, it can bring long-term benefits.

According to Mr. Son, if you want a solid foundation and more opportunities, university is still a good choice. The most important thing is the spirit of lifelong learning. Whether you choose to go to university or not, you still need to constantly improve your knowledge and skills to develop.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/310000-thi-sinh-tu-choi-vao-dai-hoc-lo-hoc-phi-dat-do-roi-that-nghiep-20250806083808245.htm