Why Australians Are Choosing to Study in Vietnam
Vietnam's higher education sector has undergone a remarkable transformation in the past two decades. From a system once characterised by limited international engagement and underfunded infrastructure, Vietnamese universities have emerged as genuinely competitive institutions attracting students from across Asia and beyond. For Australians considering international study, Vietnam now offers a compelling combination of academic quality, affordability, cultural immersion and strategic career positioning that few other destinations can match.
The financial case is stark. Annual tuition fees at Vietnamese universities typically range from AUD $1,500 to $6,000 for international students, compared to AUD $20,000 to $45,000 at Australian universities. Accommodation in Vietnamese cities costs a fraction of Sydney or Melbourne equivalents. A comfortable student life in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi — including rent, food, transport and entertainment — can be sustained on AUD $800 to $1,200 per month. The same lifestyle in an Australian capital would cost three to four times as much.
Beyond cost, the appeal of Vietnamese study is deeply practical. Vietnam is one of Australia's most important trade partners and a key node in the regional supply chains that are reshaping Australian business. Graduates who have studied in Vietnam, developed genuine Vietnamese language proficiency and built local professional networks are positioned advantageously in Australia's trade, investment, education and diplomatic sectors. Vietnamese language fluency combined with in-country study experience is a genuinely rare credential in the Australian professional market.
Types of Study Programs Available to Australians
Australian students in Vietnam are not limited to a single type of program. The range of options reflects the diversity of motivations that bring international students to Vietnamese campuses:
Intensive Vietnamese Language Programs
The most accessible entry point for most Australian students is an intensive Vietnamese language program — typically a full-time course of three to twelve months focused entirely on Vietnamese language acquisition. These programs are offered by most major Vietnamese universities through their dedicated language centres, and they accept students at any level from absolute beginner upwards.
An intensive language program in Vietnam is among the most effective ways to develop Vietnamese proficiency available to Australian learners. Six months of full-time study combined with constant immersion in a Vietnamese-speaking environment produces language gains that would take several years to achieve through part-time study in Australia. For Australians preparing for the NAATI CCL test, HSC Vietnamese, or professional use of Vietnamese, an intensive language study period in Vietnam can be a transformative investment.
Exchange Semesters and Academic Years
Many Australian universities have exchange agreements with Vietnamese partner institutions, allowing enrolled students to spend one or two semesters studying in Vietnam with credit recognition at their home institution. Exchange programs are available at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and cover a range of academic disciplines. Students on exchange programs typically take a mix of courses in English and Vietnamese, building language skills alongside academic study in their chosen field.
Full Degree Programs
A growing number of Australian students choose to complete full undergraduate or postgraduate degrees at Vietnamese universities. This option provides the deepest immersion and the most comprehensive credential but requires the longest commitment. Full degrees are available in both English-medium and Vietnamese-medium programs, with English-medium programs in business, technology, engineering and social sciences being particularly well-developed at the major national universities.
RMIT Vietnam
RMIT Vietnam — with campuses in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi — offers Australian degrees delivered in Vietnam. Students graduate with an RMIT Australia qualification while living and studying in Vietnam, building language skills and regional networks. For Australian students who want the security of an Australian qualification framework combined with genuine Vietnam immersion, RMIT Vietnam is a uniquely positioned option.
Vietnam's Top Universities for International Students
Scholarships and Financial Support
Several scholarship programs are available specifically to support Australian students pursuing study in Vietnam:
Australia Awards Scholarships: Australia Awards are funded by the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and support students from developing countries to study in Australia — but reciprocal and regional programs exist. Check the Australia Awards website for current Vietnam-specific scholarship opportunities.
Vietnamese Government Scholarships: The Vietnamese Government offers scholarships to international students through bilateral agreements with partner countries. Australia has an active scholarship relationship with Vietnam. These scholarships typically cover tuition, accommodation and a living allowance for the duration of study. Applications are administered through Vietnamese embassies and consulates.
University-Specific Scholarships: Most major Vietnamese universities offer partial or full tuition scholarships to high-achieving international students. These are competitive and require strong academic records. Contact the international office of your target university directly to inquire about current scholarship availability.
Australia-Vietnam Exchange Scholarships: The New Colombo Plan, funded by the Australian Government, supports Australian undergraduate students to live, study and undertake internships in the Indo-Pacific region, including Vietnam. New Colombo Plan funding is available through Australian universities and has supported hundreds of Australian students to study in Vietnam.
If you are an Australian undergraduate student interested in studying in Vietnam, the New Colombo Plan is the most accessible funding source. Ask your Australian university's international office about their New Colombo Plan mobility grant programs. Grants typically range from $3,000 to $10,000 and can be combined with university exchange programs.
Student Visas for Vietnam
Australian citizens require a visa to study in Vietnam for periods longer than the standard tourist visa allows. The process is straightforward but must be completed correctly to ensure your enrolment and legal status are aligned.
For programs longer than 90 days, you will typically need a student visa (ký hiệu DH on Vietnamese visa documentation) or a long-stay visa that covers the duration of your program. Your Vietnamese university or language school will issue an enrollment confirmation letter (thư xác nhận nhập học) that supports your visa application. Visas are obtained at Vietnamese embassies and consulates in Australia before departure, or through the Vietnamese immigration authority once you have arrived on a short-term visa and confirmed your enrollment.
A Temporary Residence Card (Thẻ tạm trú) is available for long-term students and provides a more streamlined arrangement for stays of one to two years. Your university's international office will guide you through this process — do not navigate Vietnamese immigration requirements alone, particularly for your first visa transition.
Student Life in Vietnam: What to Expect
Life as an Australian student in Vietnam is genuinely different from any domestic study experience — and for most students, it is one of the most formative periods of their lives. Several practical realities shape the day-to-day experience:
Language immersion is constant. Even students enrolled in English-medium programs are surrounded by Vietnamese outside the classroom. The street, the market, the taxi, the café, the landlord, the neighbours — all Vietnamese. This immersion is the single greatest advantage of in-country study for language development, and it works whether or not you actively exploit it. Students who deliberately seek Vietnamese-speaking contexts accelerate their language development dramatically compared to those who retreat into expat social circles.
Cost of living is very low. Budget accommodation in a well-located district of Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi runs AUD $200–400 per month. Excellent food is available at street stall prices. Transport by Grab or motorbike taxi is cheap. The financial freedom this affords — to travel, to experience the country, to take risks — is itself an educational resource.
Academic culture differs from Australia. Vietnamese university culture is more formal and hierarchical than Australian university culture. Professors are addressed with high respect. Classroom participation norms may differ. Group-based assessment is common. Understanding these cultural norms and adapting to them is itself a valuable cross-cultural learning experience.
Students who thrive in Vietnam are those who approach the experience with genuine curiosity, cultural humility and a willingness to be uncomfortable. The discomfort of navigating a new language and culture in daily life — the moments of confusion, the communication failures, the gradual breakthroughs — are precisely what makes the experience so enduringly valuable.