Vietnamese students continue to make beeline for the US
Vietnam maintained its position as the top source in Southeast Asia for US university and college students with a sharp increase last year, according to the annual Open Doors report released recently by the US Department of State.
The number of Vietnamese students increased by 12.9% to 18,722 in the academic year 2014-15.
The number of Vietnamese choosing to pursue advanced degrees in the US has risen from under 1,000 in 1995 when the two countries normalized relations, and the US Mission to Vietnam sees this as a tremendous source of strength in the bilateral relationship.
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| Vietnamese students being consulted at an education fair held by Education USA. Photo credit: US Consulate General |
“Education is the best investment any country, or any family, can make, and a natural area for cooperation between the US and Vietnam,” US Consul General Rena Bitter said at an event held on November 17 at the American Center in Ho Chi Minh City to mark the release of the report.
“We are thrilled by this increase. Our goal is to keep this trend moving in the right direction.”
According to the report, the number of students from Vietnam studying in the US rose for 14 straight years.
Vietnam is ninth in the list of countries sending students to the US.
China topped with 304,926 in 2014/15 followed by India with 132,888 and the Republic of Korea with 63,710.
China topped with 304,926 in 2014/15 followed by India with 132,888 and the Republic of Korea with 63,710.