Experts suggest that a psychological attraction to following the crowd, the fear of missing out, and a desire for a modern educational environment are driving families to invest in sending their children abroad for studies.
Experts suggest that a psychological attraction to following the crowd, the fear of missing out, and a desire for a modern educational environment are driving families to invest in sending their children abroad for studies.
Vietnamese families are increasingly prioritizing and encouraging their children to pursue education abroad, marking a shift towards earlier and more assertive efforts. However, the process often proves to be more challenging than anticipated, posing financial and academic hurdles for many.
Kim Chi, 21, revealed that she allocates VND1 billion (approximately $41,327) annually for her living and studying expenses in Australia. This expenditure is nearly 20 times higher than Vietnam’s average per capita income, which stood at $2,317 in 2022, according to the General Statistics Office.
“I’ve tried looking for a part-time job here [in Melbourne], but I couldn’t find one, so I’ve been relying on my parents,” Chi said.
She added that before her family committed to her studying abroad, they took careful measures to ensure they were financially capable of supporting her education.
However, not all students come from affluent backgrounds like Chi. For those without sufficient financial support, living abroad can pose significant challenges.
Fear of missing out
Experts suggest that a psychological attraction to following the crowd, the fear of missing out, and a desire for a modern educational environment are driving families to invest in sending their children abroad for studies.
Pham Quang Hung, director of the Ministry of Education and Training’s International Cooperation Department, disclosed that approximately 40,000 Vietnamese individuals go abroad to pursue their studies annually. This marks a 2.5-fold increase compared to the period before 2013. Hung noted that the inclination of Vietnamese families to send their children abroad for education is steadily increasing.
A 2018 survey conducted by HSBC unveiled that spending on education constituted a significant portion, comprising 47% of total family expenditures in Vietnam.
Sending Vietnamese children earlier
Nguyen Phuong Hao, founder of SG Education Vietnam center based in Hanoi, specializing in study abroad consulting services, remarked that Vietnamese families are now making preparations to send their children overseas much earlier compared to a decade ago.
Hao highlighted that students applying to study at overseas high schools constituted 35-40% of all clients at his company before the pandemic. However, this figure has risen to 50% in the current year.
Expectation against reality
Xuan Thu Trang, a lecturer at Swinburne Vietnam, which is an alliance program between Swinburne University of Technology in Australia and Vietnam’s FPT University, emphasized that to succeed in studying abroad, students “should avoid illusion, never cease thriving, and build as many relationships as they can.”
Trang advises that students aspiring to study abroad should cultivate realistic attitudes rather than unrealistic expectations.
Despite the challenges, Trang noted that young people today can adapt quickly, and many students excel abroad by thoroughly preparing themselves through participation in exchange programs and online courses. Trang sees this as a crucial way to maximize the benefits of being an international student.
She added that numerous students who pursued studies in Europe have successfully built careers in the countries where they studied, with some even obtaining naturalization in their adopted nations after graduation.
Japan and Vietnam partnership
Recently, Vietnam’s Education Minister Nguyễn Kim Sơn has expressed strong interest in learning from Japan’s education system and urged bilateral cooperation in a meeting with Moriyama Masahito, who helms Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT).
Sơn encouraged the expansion of scholarship programs initiated by the Japanese Government and MEXT. He also asked Japan to provide further support to Vietnam on ongoing projects and explore avenues to enhance cooperation between their respective higher education institutions in the areas of training, research, and student and lecturer exchanges. He also called for Japan to extend its short-term training courses to Vietnamese public servants.
