Life happens outside
People eat, meet and work on the street. A plastic stool on a pavement is a normal place to have dinner.
🇻🇳 Vietnam
Study in Vietnam, close to home and quick to start.
Vietnam is the easiest place on this list to begin. Tuition and living costs are low, several universities teach in English, and the student visa process is short compared with Japan or the United States. It suits students who want an international degree without a long or expensive move.
Next intake
September 2027
Applications close in
291 days
Applications close: 15 Jun 2027
Why students choose Vietnam
Daily life happens outside. People eat, meet and do business on the street, and the pace is friendly rather than formal. Family matters, age matters, and a little Vietnamese goes a long way even in cities where English is common.
The lowest costs on this list
Tuition and living costs are a fraction of what the same degree would cost in North America or Europe.
Degrees taught in English
Several universities run full programmes in English, so you can start without Vietnamese.
A short visa process
The student visa takes weeks rather than months, so plans can move quickly.
What it is actually like
The parts of living abroad nobody puts in a brochure, the customs that catch people out and the ones that make it worth it.
Family and age shape everything
How you address someone depends on their age relative to yours. It is built into the language itself.
Most people ride
Motorbikes dominate. Learn the traffic rhythm before you ride one, and always wear a helmet.
Work needs a separate permit
A student visa does not include work rights. Some universities help with internships instead.
Where you could live
Where you study changes what you pay and how quickly your language improves. These are the places we place students most often.
Hanoi
North
The capital. Older, cooler in winter, and the centre of government and traditional culture.
Living cost / month
USD 4,000,000 to 9,000,000
Known for: Old quarter, lakes, street food
Ho Chi Minh City
South
The largest city and the business centre. Hotter, faster and more international.
Living cost / month
USD 5,000,000 to 11,000,000
Known for: Business, nightlife, international schools
Da Nang
Central coast
On the beach, much calmer than either big city, and popular with remote workers.
Living cost / month
USD 3,500,000 to 7,000,000
Known for: Beaches, calm pace, low costs
What nobody tells you before you go
The practical detail behind each stage, how school actually runs, where you will live, what work is really allowed and the admin that catches everyone out.
Degrees taught in English
Several universities teach full programmes in English, mostly in business and IT.
Where you will live
Dormitories are cheap, shared flats are common, and deposits are small.
What daily life costs
Street food and local markets keep this very low.
Getting the small things right
Two hands, remove your shoes, and learn the pronouns.
Studying there
1
Degrees taught in English
Several universities teach full programmes in English, mostly in business and IT.
Degrees taught in English
Several universities teach full programmes in English, mostly in business and IT.
Entry normally needs IELTS around 6.0 and your school transcripts. Class sizes are smaller than in Europe or North America, and tuition is a fraction of the cost. Check whether the degree is recognised where you eventually want to work.
Ask about accreditation before you apply, not after you graduate.
Living there
2
Where you will live
Dormitories are cheap, shared flats are common, and deposits are small.
Where you will live
Dormitories are cheap, shared flats are common, and deposits are small.
Renting is far easier than in Japan or Korea. Deposits are usually one or two months and there is no key money. University dormitories are the cheapest option, and shared apartments near campus are easy to find through student groups.
Check whether electricity is billed at the tourist rate. It is the most common overcharge.
What daily life costs
Street food and local markets keep this very low.
What daily life costs
Street food and local markets keep this very low.
Eating out at local places costs little more than cooking, which is why most students do both. Imported goods and western restaurants cost several times more, so your spending depends almost entirely on how local you live.
Working there
1
Work and internships
A student visa does not include work rights, but internships are common.
Work and internships
A student visa does not include work rights, but internships are common.
Paid work needs a separate permit, which students rarely get. Universities instead arrange internships as part of the degree, and those are a realistic route into a graduate job with an international company here.
Culture and etiquette
1
Getting the small things right
Two hands, remove your shoes, and learn the pronouns.
Getting the small things right
Two hands, remove your shoes, and learn the pronouns.
Pass things with two hands. Take your shoes off in homes and many small shops. Vietnamese pronouns change with relative age, so learning the few common ones is the fastest way to be treated warmly rather than politely.
Practical matters
1
Your first two weeks
Residence registration, a SIM card and a local bank account.
Your first two weeks
Residence registration, a SIM card and a local bank account.
Your accommodation registers your stay with the local police, so confirm they have done it. A SIM card is cheap and instant. A local bank account makes paying rent and tuition far easier and usually needs your passport and student card.
Confirm your landlord has registered your stay. It is their job but it is your problem if it is missed.
Choose your pathway
Most students take more than one of these in sequence. Pick the one you would start with.
Vietnamese language course
Best if: Beginners and anyone planning a longer stay
Study Vietnamese full time before moving on to a degree, or simply to live and work here.
- Typical duration
- 12 months
- Language requirement
- None to start
- Minimum age
- 18
- Education required
- 12 years
English taught degree
Best if: Students who want an affordable international degree
A full bachelor degree taught in English at a Vietnamese university, usually four years.
- Typical duration
- 48 months
- Language requirement
- IELTS 6.0 or equivalent
- Minimum age
- 18
- Education required
- 12 years
Semester exchange
Best if: Students already enrolled elsewhere
One or two semesters at a partner university, with credits transferring back home.
- Typical duration
- 6 months
- Language requirement
- Varies by partner school
- Minimum age
- 18
- Education required
- 12 years
What we actually do for you
English or Vietnamese from where you are now
Reach the level your school asks for, taught here before you go.
What this means in practice
Schools want evidence, not confidence. We teach to the level your chosen school actually requires and give you the certificate to prove it, on the timeline the intake needs.
Working out which route is yours
An honest talk about your goal, your budget and your timing.
What this means in practice
We would rather tell you now that a plan does not work than let you find out at the visa stage. That conversation changes which schools we shortlist and how much you need to save.
Choosing schools and applying
A shortlist you can realistically get into, then the application itself.
What this means in practice
We shortlist schools that will accept a student at your level, in a city you can afford. Then we prepare and submit everything with you, including the personal statement, which schools read closely.
The document and funding file
Every paper checked and formatted before it goes anywhere.
What this means in practice
Most refusals are about paperwork, not the student. Bank statements in the wrong name, a sponsor letter that does not explain the relationship, a translation nobody certified. We check the file against what the school and the authorities actually want.
Student visa and residence card
We track the application and prepare you for the step that follows.
What this means in practice
This is the step everything else waits on, so we count backwards from your intake date rather than forwards from today. You always know what is outstanding and who is holding it.
Your first two weeks
Housing, registration, health cover, bank and phone, in the right order.
What this means in practice
Arrival admin unlocks in a sequence. Some things need an address, and the address needs a registration. Do it out of order and you lose weeks. We give you the order and stay reachable.
Your timeline
Every date below is calculated backwards from your intake. Choose a different intake to see how it shifts.
We do this
Legal deadline
Eligibility confirmed
We check your school record, language level and funding against what the school asks for.
We do this
School shortlist agreed
You get a short list of schools that will realistically accept you, in a city you can afford.
You
Document collection starts
Transcripts, passport, bank statements and any language certificate. Start early, some take weeks.
You
Legal deadline
All documents submitted
This is the deadline students miss most often. We send reminders a month out.
We do this
Application sent to the school
We submit and then chase the school until it is confirmed as received.
The school
Offer received
The school confirms your place. Tuition deposits are usually due at this point.
We do this
Student visa application filed
This is the step everything else waits on, so it is tracked closely.
Embassy
Legal deadline
Visa interview or approval
Bring every original document. We rehearse the questions with you beforehand.
You
Flights and housing booked
Book once the visa is in your passport, never before.
You
Arrival
You land, and we stay reachable through your first weeks.
You
Legal deadline
Local registration completed
Address registration, health cover and a bank account. They unlock in that order.
We do this
Check in after two months
We contact you to see how classes and housing are going.
What it costs
Estimates only, shown as ranges. Verify exact figures with your school.
Where will you live?
Estimated first year
USD 3,790 to 11,150
Excludes flights and visa fees. Schools set their own tuition; we confirm exact figures before you apply.
| Tuition, one year Varies widely by university and programme. | 1,200 to 4,500 |
| University dormitory The cheapest option and the easiest to arrange. | 720 to 1,800 |
| Food and daily costs Street food keeps this low. | 1,440 to 3,600 |
| Transport Most students use a motorbike or a bus pass. | 180 to 600 |
| Health insurance Required for student visa holders. | 50 to 150 |
| Setting up on arrival Deposit, bedding, phone and the first shop. | 200 to 500 |
How we help
Essential
School application and document checking, handled properly.
Contact us for pricing
- One school application
- Document checklist and review
- Visa form preparation
- Email support
Most chosen
Complete
Everything from choosing a school to your first week abroad.
Contact us for pricing
- Up to three school applications
- Full document handling
- Visa interview rehearsal
- Housing arranged before you land
- Arrival checklist and support
- Phone support throughout
Language plus
The Complete package with the language course you need to qualify.
Contact us for pricing
- Everything in Complete
- Language course to entry level
- Progress tracked against the school deadline
- Certificate issued for your application
Questions students ask
Do I need Vietnamese?
Not for an English taught degree. You will get much more out of daily life with some, and universities usually offer classes.
How much do I need per month?
Living costs are low by international standards. Use the calculator on this page to see the range for your city and housing choice.
How long does the visa take?
Weeks rather than months, once the university has issued your admission documents.
Can I stay and work afterwards?
You would need an employer to sponsor a work permit. International companies here do hire graduates, and an internship during your degree helps a lot.
Find out where you actually stand
A short set of questions about your studies, your language level and your funding. You get an honest answer, including the parts that need work before you apply.
Check if you qualify