Vietnamese people study abroad the most in Southeast Asia

Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia are the three largest markets in Southeast Asia for student migration abroad, with Vietnam leading the way.

According to Acumen's 2024 Southeast Asia Trends Report, published on February 7th by an international education consulting organization, Vietnam has over 132,000 international students. Following closely behind are Malaysia and Indonesia, each with over 56,000 students, while Thailand has only 32,000.

This data is based on statistics from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) by Acumen.

The top two destinations for Vietnamese international students are Japan (over 44,100 people) and South Korea (nearly 25,000). Meanwhile, Indonesians, Malaysians, and Thais migrate most frequently to the UK and Australia. For the US market, Vietnamese students also lead Southeast Asia, with over 23,100 people.

Among the top five countries with the most Vietnamese students studying abroad are Australia (over 14,100) and Canada (nearly 9,000).

China is not listed in UNESCO's data but is also considered a top destination for Southeast Asian students. The Chinese government has not published international student enrollment data since 2020, but in 2019, it welcomed 28,600 Thai students, 15,000 Indonesian students, 11,300 Vietnamese students, and 9,500 Malaysian students.

According to the ICEF Monitor , a leading international education organization, the West will face increased competition from Japan, South Korea, and China. Japan is striving to increase its international student enrollment to 400,000, while South Korea aims for 300,000 by 2027. Both East Asian powerhouses promise numerous post-graduation job opportunities for foreign students.

Furthermore, Asian destinations offer students cost savings due to their geographical proximity and a host of world-class universities. According to the 2024 THE rankings, 33 Asian universities are in the top 200, an increase of 5 from the previous year. Meanwhile, the US has more top-ranked universities (56), but the cost of living is increasingly expensive.

In numerous other reports, ICEF affirms that Vietnam is among the top 10 markets in the world for student migration abroad. Vietnamese students are in the top 5 for international students in the US, top 2 in Japan, top 6 in Australia, and top 1 in Taiwan. Statistics from the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training in 2019 showed that there were more than 190,000 students studying abroad.

There are many reasons why Vietnam has become a "hot spot" for student recruitment by global educational institutions.

More than a quarter (28%) of Vietnam's population is aged between 16 and 30. The university enrollment rate has also increased from 10% in 2001 to 29% in 18 years. Furthermore, education is a top priority for Vietnamese households. According to HSBC , education spending accounts for 47% of total household spending. Vietnam's middle class is growing faster than anywhere else in Southeast Asia, meaning many families can afford to send their children abroad.

Another reason is that tuition fees at international high schools in Vietnam can reach up to $34,700 per year, equivalent to tuition fees abroad, while the quality is not commensurate. Therefore, studying abroad from the high school level is developing at the fastest rate, according to an IDP survey in 2022.

Doan Hung ( According to ICEF, Acumen )

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