In recent years, Vietnam has emerged as a key market for K-12 international education, following up with the rise of the middle-class population over the last decade. Rapid economic growth, especially in the top cities, namely Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Noi, led to a thriving demand for education in the U.S. private secondary schools.
Understanding this dynamic shift is critical for private schools aiming to expand their global reach and attract motivated, well-prepared Vietnamese students.
Vietnam is known to be one of the countries where education is always highlighted by families. The household spending on private education in Vietnam’s major cities, such as Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Noi, accounts for up to 47% of total expenditures.
According to the Vietnam Briefing, Vietnam’s middle-class is expected to account for 26% of the population by 2026, up from just 13% (approximately 13 million people) in 2023. On the other hand, private education expenditure has experienced a 7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during the period of 2017-2021. These indicators reflect a tremendous desire for high-quality education pathways.
This growing financial capacity implies a trend that families are increasingly willing to invest in international education experiences, even at an earlier stage.
In the past decade, the domestic private education sector in Vietnam has seen impressive expansion, especially among international and bilingual schools. However, the domestic private market still faces limitations regarding institution credibility, faculty stability, and infrastructure quality, etc.
Many Vietnamese parents remain concerned about the long-term sustainability and global competitiveness of domestic options, leading them to seek boarding or day schools abroad for more secure and prestigious educational paths.
ITA (International Trade Administration) indicated that more Vietnamese families now believe that studying 2–3 years at a U.S. high school will better prepare their child for success in college. As a result, parent increasingly see early international education as an essential investment, rather than a luxury.
Historically, Vietnamese families showed interest in both day schools and boarding schools as they sought transnational education options. For a long time, a prominent preference for day schools has been observed.
However, post-COVID-19 pandemic, concerns about safety, health protocols, and holistic supervision have led to a surge of interest in boarding schools which seem to offer a safe and competitive environment. In Figure 1, the chart shows a drastic change in the number of secondary students from Vietnam after the pandemic, indicating that safety is a big issue for parents who send kids overseas for schools.
Figure 1 - Vietnamese student enrollment in US education level during 2016-2024
For schools aiming to attract Vietnamese students, it is essential to clearly communicate the advantages of their boarding environment – emphasizing not only academics but also health support, pastoral care, and campus safety and security.
Several key motivations drive Vietnamese families toward U.S. private secondary schools:
Safe and Supportive Environments: Families prioritize environments with structured support for social, emotional, and academic development.
Academic Excellence: U.S. private schools are known to offer rigorous programs, preparing students for college success.
University Admissions Success: Early adaptation to the American education system improves students’ chances of being admitted into top universities. This particularly makes sense for students who plan for a long journey in the U.S.
For schools who seek to respond to this potential, to better position yourselves in this increasingly competitive market, U.S. private schools may consider the following strategies:
Leveraging digital platforms: With the advantage from localized content, Ed-Tech platforms like FindingSchool have the potential to help build credibility and brand awareness for sustainable growth.
Developing accessible and targeted communication towards Vietnamese families, by emphasizing academic capability, safety, neighborhood, and transparent financial aid policies, etc.
Increase virtual outreach activities (e.g., webinars, virtual school tours, tailored content marketing campaigns) targeted specifically at the Vietnamese market to engage both students and parents early in their research journey.
Vietnam is no longer a market for undergraduate education alone. It is a fast-growing hub of motivated families seeking quality secondary education abroad. For private U.S. schools willing to invest in understanding and engaging Vietnamese families, the rewards will be promising in both the near and long term.
Stay tuned for our next blog post!
