Ho Chi Minh City’s vocational schools attract growing number of SE Asian students

According to Hoang Van Phuc, principal of Bach Khoa Saigon College, internationalization has been a key focus of the school’s development in recent years.

The college currently hosts around 500 international students from Myanmar, Cuba, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, with Japanese, Korean, IT, and tourism among the most popular majors.

Phuc said the college not only provides training but also works with foreign consulates and professional associations to connect graduates with job opportunities.

Among the school’s students are Moe Moe Thazin and Htet Htet Wai from Myanmar, both pursuing Japanese studies at the college.

Thazin, who had already achieved level N4 of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) before arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, joined a one-year program combining study in Vietnam with an internship in Japan.

She chose Vietnam for its affordable living costs, safety, and opportunities to improve her Japanese in an international environment.

She recently passed an interview with a Japanese employer in the childcare sector and is expected to begin her internship before the coming Lunar New Year.

Her schoolmate, Htet Htet Wai, who hopes to pursue a career in hospitality, said she is studying toward level N2 of the JLPT to enhance her job prospects.

“Opportunities for young people are limited in Myanmar,” she said. “Studying in Vietnam gives me more options. I could even stay and work here later.”

Tran Lam Tuan Kiet, a lecturer at the college, said international students, particularly those from Myanmar, tend to be highly disciplined and self-motivated.

“They come with clear goals of working abroad and make full use of their time in Vietnam to strengthen their knowledge and skills,” he said, adding that many also explore local culture to better understand the country.

At Nguyen Tat Thanh College, international cooperation has also expanded.

The school recently welcomed two groups of about 50 students each from Chenla University in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for short-term beauty and personal care training programs.

Most participants were nursing majors seeking to meet the growing demand for spa and massage services in Cambodian hospitals and clinics.

Dr. Hoang Quoc Long, the college’s principal, said another group of Laotian students is expected in early 2026 for similar training, adding that the school also plans to offer scholarships to promote exchange and cooperation.

As the programs are still new, administrative hurdles remain, so most courses are kept under 30 days to simplify visa procedures.

“We hope to develop this model into a broader channel to attract more international students to Vietnam’s vocational training system,” Long said.

Another institution attracting international learners is Bach Viet Polytechnic College, which enrolled about 30 students from Myanmar in 2024 for its Japanese commercial translation program.

College principal Tran Manh Thanh described this as a positive sign, noting that foreign students in Vietnam previously tended to study only the Vietnamese language.

He said the growing interest in vocational and business programs shows that Vietnam — and Ho Chi Minh City in particular — is emerging as a recognized destination for practical, career-oriented education.