How many Vietnamese students are studying in the US?

As studying abroad in the US is in the spotlight with tightening visa regulations, let's take a look back at the number of Vietnamese students studying in the US in recent times.

Parents and students learn about studying abroad - Photo: TRONG NHAN

Recently, the news that the US government has ordered a temporary suspension of student visa interviews at all embassies and consulates worldwide has caused anxiety in the international student community.

This policy is expected to create a lot of instability in the application process, causing difficulties for candidates preparing to enroll in the next fall semester.

In that context, the Vietnamese student community in the US continues to be a remarkable group in terms of size.

Number of Vietnamese students studying abroad ranked 6th

According to the Open Doors 2024 report published by the Institute of InternationalEducation (IIE), the 2023-2024 school year recorded 22,066 Vietnamese students studying at universities and colleges in the US.

This figure puts Vietnam 6th in the list of countries and territories with the most international students in the US, after India, China, South Korea, Canada and Taiwan.

Detailed data from Open Doors also shows that the majority of Vietnamese international students are studying at the university level, accounting for 65.3% of the total.

In addition, 17.2% are studying in graduate programs, 15% are participating in Optional Practical Training (OPT) - a program that allows students to stay and work in the US after graduation, and 2.6% are studying non-degree programs such as academic exchange or university preparation.

In terms of major selection trends, Vietnamese students tend to focus on fields related to science and technology and high career opportunities.

According to the US Department of Commerce, 47.6% of Vietnamese international students study in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

Business and management majors account for about 24.7%, followed by mathematics and computer science, engineering, medicine and fields related to innovation. This choice reflects not only academic tastes but also shows long-term orientation towards employment and settlement after graduation.

Not only playing the role of an academic bridge between Vietnam and the US, Vietnamese international students also make clear contributions to the US economy.

In the 2022-2023 school year, the total spending of Vietnamese students in the US is estimated to reach 816 million USD, including tuition, living expenses, accommodation and consumer services.

The ranking of Vietnamese students studying in the US has changed.

Changes in the number and ranking of Vietnamese students studying in the US over the years according to an official report from the Institute of International Education (IIE), the number of Vietnamese students studying in the US has made remarkable progress over the past two decades.

In the 2004-2005 school year, Vietnam entered the top 20 countries with the most students in the US for the first time, with 6,036 students, accounting for 1% of the total number of international students. By 2006-2007, this number had more than doubled to 12,823 (1.9%).

The next notable milestone was the 2014-2015 school year, when Vietnam had 22,438 students in the US and accounted for 2.1% of the total international students.

Since then, Vietnam has maintained a rate of approximately 2% and is always in the top 10 countries sending students to the US. Notably, in the 2022-2023 school year, Vietnam rose to 5th place with 21,900 students.

However, by the 2023-2024 school year, although the number increased slightly to 22,066, Vietnam dropped to 6th place, due to a strong increase and surpassing Taiwan with 23,157 students.

This change in rankings shows the increasingly fierce competition in the Asian region, where many countries are promoting policies to encourage and support students to study abroad.

However, Vietnam still maintains a stable rate and is the Southeast Asian country with the largest number of international students in the US.

Top 10 countries and territories with the most international students studying in the US

10 countries and territories with the largest number of international students in the US (2023-2024 school year) according to the Open Doors 2024 report by the Institute of International Education (IIE):

1. India - 268,923 students

2. China - 262,992 students

3. South Korea - 43,847 students

4. Canada - 27,876 students

5. Taiwan - 23,127 students

6. Vietnam - 22,066 students

7. Nigeria - 17,640 students

8. Japan - 16,054 students

9. Nepal - 15,090 students

10. Mexico - 14,541 students

WEIGHT

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bao-nhieu-du-hoc-sinh-viet-nam-dang-du-hoc-my-20250529164848214.htm