Excellent learning conditions come with high costs, forcing international students to work twice as hard to cover the expenses - Illustration: Getty
Many international students have to work hard to earn money to cover the high cost of living in a foreign country.
Not wanting to "show off" the hardships
Phan My Linh (27 years old, former student of Kookmin University, South Korea) shared that her family was of average means, and she wanted to study abroad to seek new opportunities. To cover the costs of her studies, her parents had to empty their savings, hoping she would work while studying and send money back home.
However, upon arriving in Korea, she was shocked to find that life there was much more expensive than in Vietnam, and it wasn't easy to find a job due to communication barriers.
With a four-day school week, Linh spends her remaining days working part-time. She says that while her schedule is manageable on weekdays, during exam season she often suffers from sleep deprivation, leading to illness and stomach problems due to juggling work and studying.
Despite all the hardships, when Linh returns home, she still can't avoid the gossip and criticism that she's living a luxurious life while her parents work hard at home. However, she says she doesn't care because as long as her family understands, that's enough.
Looking at his glamorous check-in photos and regular gym workouts, Nguyen Thien Nhan (24 years old) - currently studying at the University of Auckland (New Zealand) - is considered by those around him to be a rich kid living a luxurious life abroad.
However, few people know that Nhân only receives tuition fee support from his parents; he has to manage everything else himself. Nhân says he often works as a TA (Technical Assistant for Projects) for the school, or does odd jobs at cafes or bars to earn extra income.
He simply wanted to share positive moments on social media related to studying, having fun, and relaxing with friends. Perhaps that led people to mistakenly believe that his time abroad as a student was solely for studying and playing.
Nhan explained: "All these activities like going out, eating out, and traveling are with money I saved from working; I wanted to reward myself."
Part-time jobs at cafes help international students earn extra income - Photo: Study Australia
Students studying abroad can still work maximum hours.
Trinh Ngoc My (21 years old), who is studying evolutionary biology and individual studies at Oberlin University in the US, said that students there receive good benefits, but other expenses are very high.
Tuition at the school is $80,000 per year. Thanks to financial aid and scholarships, My only pays about $20,000 per year.
To ease the financial burden on her family, My took advantage of her limited free time outside of school to work multiple jobs. "Students are only allowed to work 20 hours a week, so I made the most of those 20 hours to do five jobs," My recounted.
Besides her main job as a teaching assistant, My also does several other jobs related to her work at the school, so the most difficult thing is arranging her class schedule so that it doesn't conflict with her part-time job schedule.
"These jobs are time-consuming but provide a high income, positively impacting my mental well-being and social relationships," My said contentedly, despite being constantly busy with work and studies every day.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/du-hoc-sinh-cat-luc-lam-them-len-mang-van-bi-gan-mac-sang-chanh-2024080122355621.htm
![[Photo] Prime Minister Le Minh Hung presides over the thematic session on promoting science and technology development and innovation.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/06/23/1782207872934_ndo_br_dsc-1724-jpg.webp)
