Vietnam stands out as key growth market for UK transnational education in East Asia

According to the UK TNE in East Asia report released by the British Council in May, enrollment in UK TNE programs in East Asia reached about 212,600 students in 2024-25, including distance learning formats.

This represents a 5.6-percent increase from the previous year and a 36-percent rise compared with the 2019-20 academic year, underscoring a strong post-pandemic acceleration in cross-border higher education demand.

UK TNE is defined as programs delivered by UK-based education providers outside the UK through models such as overseas branch campuses, articulation pathways, and distance learning, allowing students to earn UK qualifications without relocating.

The report found that demand for UK education programs in East Asia has continued to grow following the COVID-19 pandemic, with Vietnam standing out as one of the most dynamic markets in the region.

In the 2024-25 academic year, Vietnam recorded 13,285 students enrolled in UK TNE programs, ranking fifth in East Asia behind China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

The report said Vietnamese enrollment has more than tripled since the post-pandemic period, making Vietnam an outlier in a region where growth trends have been uneven.

Vietnam added 785 students compared with the previous academic year, while Hong Kong recorded a decline of nearly 2,000 students, or about 10 percent, over the same period.

The report suggested that Vietnam could surpass Hong Kong in the coming years to become the fourth-largest UK TNE market in East Asia.

Currently, the five largest markets, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Vietnam, account for nearly 95 percent of all UK TNE students in East Asia.

China remains the dominant market with 94,700 students, representing more than 44 percent of the regional total, followed by Malaysia with 46,415, Singapore with 29,605, and Hong Kong with 16,875.

The report also noted changes in enrollment trends in TNE and full-degree study in the UK.

Since the 2019-20 academic year, UK TNE enrollment in East Asia has increased by 36 percent, while the number of East Asian students pursuing full degrees in the UK has declined by 3.3 percent.

In 2024-25, the number of students enrolled in UK TNE programs in East Asia nearly matched those pursuing full degrees in the UK for the first time, signaling a broader structural shift in international higher education pathways.

In Vietnam, the report noted that for every student who studies in the UK, about 3.57 students choose UK TNE programs within the country.

This compares with ratios of 3.97 in Malaysia and 3.93 in Singapore.

Experts cited in the report said these figures reflect growing demand in Vietnam and parts of Southeast Asia for internationally recognized qualifications delivered locally or through blended models.

They added that rising tuition costs, visa requirements, and financial constraints have made overseas study less accessible for many families, further strengthening the appeal of TNE in markets such as Vietnam.