Do Nguyen Nhat Hieu is a third-year student majoring in Hydrometeorology at the University of Natural Resources and Environment. Three years ago, during the university entrance exam, the male student from Hue registered to study Hydrometeorology. This was Hieu's first and only choice.
Born and raised in Hue, Hieu witnessed his family, relatives and people struggling with floods since he was a child.
During the 2020 flood, Hieu read a news story about a pregnant woman in labor during the flood, who was taken by her family to the hospital by boat. Due to the strong floodwaters, the boat capsized, and the husband cried helplessly as he watched his wife and child being swept away by the floodwaters.
“That image haunted my mind. I was determined to study Hydrometeorology so that I could contribute to disaster forecasting and help people minimize losses and damages,” Hieu confided.
However, Hieu is one of the few students who chose Meteorology and Hydrology because he had a passion for the subject from the beginning. For many years, this subject has been in the group of difficult to recruit students.
People in Dak Lak province had to remove tiled roofs to escape during the historic flood (Photo: Quoc Trieu).
According to Dr. Tran Van Tinh, Head of the Department of Hydrometeorology, Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment, the academic-sounding name of the major is one of the reasons why this major is difficult to reach students.
"Besides, basic science majors are generally difficult to recruit due to incomplete social perception," Mr. Tinh said.
Another reason why the industry that trains weather experts has not attracted students is due to prejudices about the job market.
Dr. Tran Van Tinh commented that many people still think that studying hydrometeorology means working in state agencies with a meager salary. In fact, although it is a basic science, the demand for human resources in hydrometeorology in weather forecasting, storms, irrigation management, energy and aviation is increasing rapidly.
Meteorology students can work at many domestic and foreign businesses and organizations, including airports, airlines, energy corporations such as hydroelectricity, wind power, solar power, etc.
“If accepted to work at the airport, the starting income of new meteorological graduates is very good,” said Dr. Tran Van Tinh.
Sharing the same view, Ms. Nguyen Thanh Binh, chief forecaster of the Remote Sensing Numerical Forecast Department, National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, analyzed: Not only the system of units under the Department of Hydro-Meteorology but also many units such as aviation, air force, and navy all have meteorological forecasting departments.
Private businesses in meteorological forecasting are also growing, typically Weather Plus. Meteorology graduates can also work in press agencies as weather reporters. Job opportunities are very open to students in this field.
"I always tell students, the problem is not whether you can find a job, but whether you can do the work assigned to you," Dr. Tran Van Tinh emphasized.
Currently, the country has 5 large public universities that train "weather experts" to forecast rain, wind, storms and floods, including: the University of Water Resources, 2 Universities of Natural Sciences under 2 National Universities, and 2 Universities of Natural Resources and Environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Schools offer many different minor majors. Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment offers three majors including Meteorology and Climatology, Hydrology, and Climate Change and Sustainable Development.
The University of Science - Vietnam National University, Hanoi also opens 3 majors: Meteorology and Climatology, Oceanography, Water Resources and Environment.
Thuyloi University has a major in Water Resources and Environment under Hydrology.
Graduates of these majors can work in departments that forecast weather, storms, and floods.
Tuition fees for the 2025-2026 school year and 2025 benchmark scores for Hydrometeorology at universities.
In 2025, the entrance score for the Meteorology and Hydrology major will be at an average level, ranging from 15-22.8 points, the highest at Hanoi University of Science.
Regarding tuition fees, the University of Natural Sciences in Ho Chi Minh City has the highest fee of 28.4 million VND/year. However, this is the course with the cheapest tuition fee at this school.
The remaining schools charge tuition fees from 12-15 million VND/year.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/luong-cao-hoc-phi-thap-nganh-du-bao-mua-lu-van-kho-tuyen-sinh-20251128190338756.htm
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