Taking advantage of their extensive knowledge and their high level of proficiency in the English language, many young Vietnamese people prefer hunting for scholarships to study abroad rather than study in Viet Nam.

Many foreign governments are offering attractive full scholarships for Vietnamese students, under the management of their embassies in Viet Nam.  Included are the Monbusho scholarships from the Japanese government, the Evariste Galois from the French government, DAAD from the German government, and the Fulbright from the US government.

Da Nang students participating in a study abroad information session at the Duy Tan University

The Fulbright scholarships are offered for postgraduates, young newly-recruited employees, and those involved in the arts.  The scholarship recipients are able to study at the super expensive US universities for one year or more without having to worry about their tuition fees.  Meanwhile, the Japanese Monbusho scholarships 2016 include return flights, living expenses and tuition fees during their studying in Japan.

There are also short-term full scholarships such as the 6-week YSEALI scholarship to the USA, and the AusAID scholarship for potential young leaders and individuals positively influencing their local social and economic improvements.

Currently, Japan is planning to attract about 300,000 international students to study in their country by 2020.  Therefore, many Japanese educational institutes have been making every effort to attract more international students.  The Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), a member of the greater Ritsumeikan Academy, is a typical example.  The university has been actively advertising its types of scholarships to Da Nang’s senior high school pupils.  Thanks to this, the number of Vietnamese students in the university is larger than those in other Japanese educational establishments. 

However, many young students still have worries about the expense of living abroad.  Ms Vu Thi Chau Sa, who got a Fulbright scholarship to study at the Columbia University in New York several years ago, said that many Vietnamese students can do part-time jobs to earn extra money to partly cover their living expenses.  In addition, some universities in the USA also offer financial aid to help their students.

Mr Nguyen Huu Bang, who studied in Maryland State in the USA, said “Unlike other students, I became a member of a charity organisation specialising in helping homeless people.  Thanks to this, I saved a lot of money on food and drinks.  In addition, I had the opportunity to meet and exchange with many local people which helped me to significantly improve my English speaking skills”.