A Southeast Asian country 'attracts' Vietnamese international students, the number has tripled, why?

Mr. Huynh Kim Toan, Director of VSE Study Abroad Promotion Center, advises students about opportunities to study abroad in Malaysia.

Competitive cost

Speaking to Thanh Nien on the sidelines of the Malaysia Festival held on June 15 in Ho Chi Minh City, Dr. Azriey Mazlan, Education Consul, Consulate General of Malaysia in Ho Chi Minh City, said that in the context of "hot" countries such as Canada and Australia tightening student visas, Malaysia with 170,000 international students by 2023 and many international branches of foreign universities can become a "stopover" for Vietnamese students.

"That's because most of the training programs in Malaysia, both public and private, are taught in English, with students coming from 150 countries and territories. This helps you experience an international environment just 1-2 hours flight from Vietnam, while improving your English skills. In addition, Malaysian universities also have many joint training programs in countries that are 'tightening' study abroad with affordable costs," said Mr. Azriey.

Specifically, the average tuition fees of Malaysian universities range from 5,000-8,000 USD/year (127-203 million VND), much lower than those of the US (43,000 USD, 1 billion VND), the UK (30,000 USD, 763 million VND) or Australia (26,000 USD, 661 million VND). Not to mention, the total cost of living and renting is about 3,000 USD/year (76.3 million VND), also much lower than other English-speaking study abroad countries.

In terms of education quality, Malaysia has many public universities in the world's top 200 in the 2025 QS rankings, such as Universiti Malaya (ranked 60), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (138), Universiti Putra Malaysia (148)... Meanwhile, private universities established by Malaysian multinational corporations such as Sunway, Berjaya..., create opportunities for Vietnamese international students to do internships while studying, according to Mr. Azriey.

Competitive tuition fees are the advantage of international education in Malaysia, according to Dr Azriey Mazlan

"The Malaysian government allows international students to work up to 20 hours a week. Malaysian universities also have international offices that help international students find jobs at multinational companies after graduation or during their internships. In general, you can live and work in Malaysia easily even if you don't know the local language. Vietnam and Malaysia also have many cultural similarities," Dr. Azriey said.

Two factors "attracting" Vietnamese international students

Mr. Firdauz Othman, Consul General of Malaysia in Ho Chi Minh City, said that more and more Vietnamese students have come to Malaysia in recent times. In 2023 alone, the country recorded 740 applications, an increase of more than 3 times compared to 2022. "As of May 2024, we have received 225 student visa applications from Vietnamese people," Mr. Firdauz shared.

The Malaysian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City added that the country is offering a government scholarship program for postgraduate studies (MIS) for international students in a number of countries, including Vietnam. To apply, you need to have a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0/4.0 or higher and an IELTS score of 6.0 or higher. The application deadline for this year's scholarship will be extended until the end of June, with a value of 100% of tuition fees and a monthly allowance.

According to Malaysian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Firdauz Othman, Vietnamese students are increasingly curious about Malaysia.

According to Mr. Huynh Kim Toan, Director of the VSE Study Abroad Promotion Center, two factors that make Vietnamese students increasingly interested in Malaysia are cost and job opportunities. Specifically, some Vietnamese students choose to study in Malaysia under the 2+2 joint program or university preparation program to get acquainted with the international environment first with fees only about 1/3 compared to the US or Australia, then go to those countries to complete their degrees.

"Studying in Malaysia, Vietnamese people have a higher chance of transferring to top schools due to better recognition, while tuition fees are equivalent to many Vietnamese universities. Regarding accommodation, the school has dormitories for international students, or you can rent outside at a cost of about 5 million VND/month," Mr. Toan shared.

After graduation, according to the male director, in addition to working in multinational companies abroad, Vietnamese international students can also return to Vietnam to "join" famous Malaysian businesses such as Grab, Public Bank, Berjaya...

"Many people still do not know about Malaysia's international education system and think it is just a tourist destination. However, you should know that not only is the cost low, this country is also safe, has a diverse and rich cuisine, and the people are friendly and hospitable," said Mr. Toan.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/mot-nuoc-dong-nam-a-hut-du-hoc-sinh-viet-so-luong-tang-gap-3-vi-sao-185240616080014026.htm