Vietnam is named as a potential study abroad country alongside the US and Australia.

According to many international experts, English-speaking countries no longer dominate the choices of international students as many other countries compete for market share, including Vietnam.

International students studying at a Vietnamese university, October 2023

PHOTO: UEF

Is the era of the "Big Four" over?

At the Australian Education Conference (AIEC) 2025 held last week in Australia, Stephanie Smith, Australia's Trade and Investment Counsellor and responsible for education in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, shared that before Covid-19, the four traditional study destinations for Chinese students were the US, UK, Australia, and Canada, often referred to as the "Big 4". However, this situation has changed in recent years.

"Study abroad companies are now referring to 'the top 14 countries,' and that puts us in a much more competitive position," the Times Higher Education quoted Smith as saying.

One of the key factors influencing this shift is the cost of living, as the world is experiencing a cost-of-living crisis and China is facing a domestic economic slowdown. Therefore, destinations closer to China and offering better job and internship opportunities are attracting the attention of Chinese citizens, with Hong Kong being a prime example.

"Hong Kong can now be seen as a new competitor to Australia," Ms. Smith said.

Other countries mentioned by Ms. Smith include Vietnam, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These are destinations that "are doing a great job promoting themselves in China."

France and Germany are also considered safe and friendly destinations, with many job opportunities and low tuition fees, according to the female counselor.

Not only universities, but also colleges in Vietnam are attracting hundreds of international students to study.

PHOTO: BKC

Sharing this view, Melissa Banks, a senior partner at Lygon Consulting Group (Australia), believes that Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines are not only "building capacity" to welcome transnational training programs such as opening branch campuses in host countries, but are also gradually becoming independent study abroad destinations.

"The competition is really heating up," Ms. Bank observed.

Sharing more about the current landscape, Larissa Bezo, CEO of the Canadian Association for International Education (CBIE), stated that there are currently 15 to 20 countries ranked as "top study destinations." The world has "moved much further" than the Big 4 concept, according to Bezo, and this is a positive sign. She also emphasized that traditional destinations like Canada can choose to collaborate with these emerging destinations.

"This is an opportunity for us to become part of new study destinations instead of just seeing them as competitors," said Phil Honeywood, CEO of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA). "We currently have very strong partnerships in Malaysia, Dubai and elsewhere," Honeywood added.

Vietnam attracts international students.

Making Vietnam a leading study destination in Southeast Asia in particular, and the world in general, is a key objective of the Party and Government. Recently, Resolution 71 of the Politburo set the goal that by 2035, at least 8 higher education institutions must be among the top 200 universities in Asia, and at least 1 higher education institution must be among the top 100 universities in the world in certain fields according to reputable international rankings.

By 2035, the goal is to have at least two higher education institutions ranked among the top 100 universities in the world in certain fields according to prestigious international rankings. By 2045, Vietnam aims to be among the top 20 countries with leading education systems globally, while increasing the number of universities in the top 100 in certain fields to five.

Conversely, hundreds of Vietnamese people have chosen to study abroad in recent years, and every year numerous foreign schools come to Vietnam to meet directly with parents and students to provide advice and answer questions.

PHOTO: NGOC LONG

In fact, Vietnam has the potential to attract international students, according to a 2024 report by the Ministry of Education and Training and the British Council. This is because Vietnam has over 25 years of experience in building student centers, such as the Hoa Lac High-Tech Park, the Da Nang High-Tech Park, or the Ho Chi Minh City National University Urban Area... And as of June 2024, the country had implemented 369 joint training programs with foreign countries, providing many flexible study options.

At the local level, in 2024, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee also issued a decision on the establishment of a working group and a support group to implement the project of building Ho Chi Minh City into an international center for education and training to attract students from the region and the world. The project is implemented by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Training, the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, and other universities in the city.

Following this move, in September, the Ministry of Education and Training proposed allowing international students to work a maximum of 20 hours per week – a move similar to many other countries such as the US, Australia, and New Zealand. This is also the first time our country has addressed this issue.

In addition, the Ministry of Education and Training has proposed waiving visas and work permits for five years for foreign experts and scientists with doctoral degrees working at Vietnamese higher education institutions.

All of this aims to create a transparent and favorable environment to increase the number of international students and scholars coming to Vietnam to study, teach, and conduct research.

According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Education and Training, by the end of 2024, there will be nearly 22,000 international students studying in Vietnam. This is the highest number in the past 9 years; however, the diversity rate is not high, with 80% coming from Laos and Cambodia. This number is still modest compared to Malaysia (170,000, as of 2023), Singapore (70,800, 2023), and Thailand (53,000, 2024), but is comparable to the Philippines (22,250, 2022).

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/viet-nam-duoc-xuong-ten-la-quoc-gia-du-hoc-tiem-nang-ben-canh-my-uc-185251021165129755.htm