Vietnamese Students Fuelling Growth, Stability, and Opportunity for ‘Big Four’ Destinations

During a time of destination policy changes and shifts in student mobility from major populations, Vietnam has steadily become a leading source country for education markets around the world. Larger student populations like India and China often dominate headlines, yet Vietnam consistently ranks among the top ten source countries for institutions across many ‘Big Four’ destinations. With a strong culture of academic achievement, rising middle-class wealth, and a keen interest in global opportunities, Vietnamese students are playing an increasingly important role in shaping the international education landscape.

Let’s dive into the trends driving Vietnamese student mobility. How many Vietnamese students are heading abroad? Which destinations are most popular, and what can institutions and recruitment partners do to attract and support this dynamic and motivated student group? Read on to discover how Vietnam is poised to help stabilize sustainable growth for international education for years to come.

Factors Driving Vietnam’s Stability and Growth as a Major Student Population

Since the mid 2010s, Vietnamese students have become some of the largest international student populations around the world. Estimates put over 150,000 Vietnamese students studying for higher education abroad in 2024, with that figure projected to rise over the next five years. Vietnamese families often view education as the most important path to career growth and economic mobility. International education is also sometimes seen as a reliable alternative to the highly competitive university entrance exams rooted in Vietnam’s domestic education system.

Alongside this cultural emphasis on education, Vietnam’s rapidly developing economy is driving strong student demand. Recent reports estimate that more than half of Vietnam’s population will enter the global middle class by 2035, allowing a growing number of families to support overseas education. Although Vietnam’s government has invested in improving domestic post-secondary education, longstanding waves of migration from Vietnam to popular study abroad destinations also means many students have family connections overseas. With support networks already in place, these students are better prepared to handle cultural and financial challenges and stay focused on their education.

As of 2023, an estimated 2.3 million people in the US identified as Vietnamese and nearly 300,000 Vietnamese-born people were living in Australia. Similarly, over 275,000 Vietnamese people were living in Canada in 2021.

South Korea, China, and Japan are the top three destinations for Vietnamese students looking to study abroad, allowing these students to attain an international qualification while remaining relatively close to home. However, Vietnamese students benefit from a robust English-language education through most of their domestic schooling, making them highly competitive for top programs and institutions across the ‘Big Four’.

US F-1 Visas for Vietnamese Students Reach Record Highs in FY2024, Projected to Remain Stable in FY2025

Among the ‘Big Four’ English-language destinations, the US is the top destination for new Vietnamese post-secondary students. In each of the two fiscal years preceding the pandemic, over 16,000 new Vietnamese students received F-1 student visas. And, while this student cohort was slower to recover post-pandemic, the 2024 fiscal year set a new high-water mark for F-1 visas issued to Vietnamese students:

Nearly 18,500 F-1 visas went to students from Vietnam in FY2024, a 27% increase from FY2023 and an 8% rise from their pre-pandemic high. Thanks to this recovered demand, Vietnam was the sixth most common source country for all international students in the US in FY2024,⁵ and the fourth largest student population by F-1 visas issued.

That main demand among Vietnamese heading to the US? Undergraduate studies. Institute of International Education (IIE) Open Doors data shows that, for the past decade, at least 63% of Vietnamese students were enrolled in undergraduate programs. This was the highest rate among the top ten international student populations in the US in most years, a trend that should continue in the years to come.

Overall, we expect Vietnamese student flows toward the US to remain stable and resilient over the next few years. Based on October 2024 to May 2025 F-1 visa data, we project that F-1 visa issuance to Vietnamese students will climb marginally in FY2025, reflecting a sustainable growth trajectory. Recruiting from this high-demand population may help US institutions weather any potential softening student enrollment from other key populations due to geopolitical shifts.

Vietnamese Student Populations in Australia Grow, But Declines Expected Amid ‘Soft Cap’

While the US is the top destination among new Vietnamese students, Australia leads based on total post-secondary enrolment. The US hosted almost 32,000 Vietnamese post-secondary students in 2024, while Australia recorded 35,000 Vietnamese student enrolments across higher ed and VET institutions.⁶

This growing population of students from Vietnam in Australia is largely driven by strong post-pandemic demand:

In 2022 and 2023, Australia experienced a significant influx of new Vietnamese students. In fact, nearly as many student visas were issued to Vietnamese students in FY2023 than in the prior three years combined. This large influx was likely due to pent-up demand given that Australia’s borders were closed to students for two years after the pandemic. Once borders re-opened, this caused a ‘double cohort’ of student enrolments. This renewed demand persisted into FY 2024, with both years seeing over 10,000 new student visas granted.

While we expect Vietnamese demand for studying in Australia to remain strong in FY2025, the ebbing of the ‘double cohort’ effect and Australia’s ‘soft caps’ have already dampened student flows. Based on July 2024 to May 2025 data, we estimate that around 7,000 new study visas will be granted to Vietnamese students in FY2025, a 30% drop year-over-year. However, much of this decline was driven by significant cap limitations on VET enrollments, and we anticipate this decline to represent a return to more stable and gradual growth, as seen pre-pandemic. Australia’s proximity and high-quality education will remain a strong draw for Vietnamese students, especially toward Australian universities.

Vietnamese Students Remain Interested in Studying in Canada Despite Caps

Before the pandemic, Vietnam was among Canada’s top ten international student populations based on new study permits issued. In 2019, nearly 8,000 new study permits were issued to Vietnamese students, marking an all-time high. Yet, unlike with Australia and the US, new Vietnamese student flows toward Canada have shown more gradual recovery since 2021:

Over 6,000 Vietnamese students were issued a Canadian student visa in 2024, representing a near 25% increase from 2023. And, based on early 2025 data, we anticipate that this figure will climb even higher in 2025, rising another 6% to 6,500 study permits issued. This projected year-over-year increase makes Vietnam a significant outlier from other international student populations under Canada’s caps.

In 2024, Vietnamese students who used ApplyBoard to apply to study in Canada had an 85% study permit approval rate. By comparison, IRCC approved 64% of all Vietnamese study permit applications in 2024.

Notably, Vietnam’s recovery and relative stability for Canadian institutions is not concentrated at the university level. Instead, nearly half of all study permits issued to Vietnamese students over the past three years have gone to primary and secondary students. This suggests that Vietnamese students already in Canada can play an equally pivotal role in supporting enrolment as those recruited directly from Vietnam.

Vietnamese Students a High Potential Opportunity for UK Institutions

Compared to Australia, Canada, and the US, the UK is a less popular destination for Vietnamese students. In fact, Vietnam was only the 27th most common source country for new UK post-secondary students in 2024.⁷ However, while the population of Vietnamese students in the UK hasn’t grown in recent years, it has remained relatively stable:

In every non-pandemic year since 2008, between 2,000 and 3,500 UK student visas have been issued to Vietnamese students. This consistency even continued post-pandemic, although recent years have seen minor year-over-year declines. Based on early 2025 figures, we anticipate that 2,100 visas will be issued to Vietnamese students this year, in line with these historical averages.

This relative stability shows that Vietnam could be a key opportunity for UK institutions. With the impacts of student caps and shifting rhetoric set to encourage Vietnamese students to consider alternative study abroad destinations, institutions in the UK have a timely opportunity to capture rising interest from Vietnamese students.

More Vietnamese Students Expected to Study Abroad Over the Next Decade

Collectively, nearly 40,000 Vietnamese students were issued a student visa to a ‘Big Four’ English destination in 2024. This is around the same number of Vietnamese students who enrolled at Korean institutions last year, but it still represents 20% growth over 2019. And, with economic mobility on the rise in Vietnam, student mobility from this Southeast Asian country has the potential to rise sharply over the next five years.

According to a report by the British Council, resolutions recently passed by the Vietnamese government means the Southeast Asian country could emerge as a major education hub in the coming years.

What can institutions do now to attract more Vietnamese student interest? First and foremost, because Vietnamese students often prioritize return on investment when choosing an overseas destination, emphasize strong career outcomes in outreach materials. Outline internship and co-op programs that build job readiness, and actively share alumni success stories, tapping into your alumni network as brand ambassadors. Additionally, ensure you provide easy access to information about scholarships and cost-effective programs with strong job outcomes.

Although Vietnam is a relatively mature market for many ‘Big Four’ institutions, now is a critical time to reevaluate recruitment networks across the country. By working closely with ApplyBoard, institutions can benefit from our established network of trained and vetted recruitment partners on the ground in Vietnam. Institutions in the UK, Canada, Australia, and the US can also take advantage of ApplyBoard’s access and expertise throughout Southeast Asia to help your institution attract highly talented students and build on-campus diversity.

For data-backed guidance on how you can expand your diversification efforts in Vietnam or across Southeast Asia, please contact your Account Director. Or, you can reach out to ApplyBoard’s Commercial Partnerships team at schoolpartnerships@applyboard.com to start a conversation.

About the ApplyInsights Team

FOOTNOTES:

1. All US student visa data courtesy of the U.S. Department of State. The US fiscal year runs from October of a given year to September of the next year. For example, fiscal year 2023 would range from October 2022 to September 2023.

2. As F-1 student visas are the most common visa status used by international students in the US, we’re confining our analysis to that specific visa type. For reference, the US government has three student visas: F Student visas are academic (for study at an accredited K-12 school, college, or university, or studying English at an English language institute; the study must lead to a degree, diploma, or certificate); J Exchange visas are for participants in an exchange program either at the secondary school or university level; and M Student visas are for non-academic study (not including language programs), or vocational study or training.

3. All Australia student visa data courtesy of the Australian Department of Home Affairs (ADHA). The data used for this article includes visas granted to primary applicants outside Australia only. Australian fiscal years span July of a given year to June of the next year.

4. All Canadian study permit data courtesy of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The terms student visa and study permit are generally used interchangeably for Canadian international students. Rather than student visas, Canada provides accepted international students with study permits, which allow those students to enrol in classes at Canadian institutions. When a student is accepted for a study permit, they are also usually provided with a visitor visa, which allows that student to enter Canada for their studies..

5. According to the SEVIS by the Numbers 2024 Report.

6. Based on the SEVIS by the Numbers 2024 report (31,924) and Australian Department of Education enrolment figures for the 2024 calendar year (34,969). Australian enrolment data may count some students more than once, if they enrolled in more than one eligible program during the same time period.

7. UK student visa data courtesy of the UK Home Office.