Vietnam Education Agents

According to the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), more than 2,500 study-abroad consulting companies actively operate in Vietnam.  These agents provide counseling and student recruitment services for international markets such as the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, and other Asian countries. 

Studying abroad is a life-changing and expensive decision for Vietnamese families, and students depend heavily on the opinions and financial situations of parents. However, parents tend to seek a third party for advice, primarily due to the language barrier.  While most high-school counselors in Vietnam often support students or communicate with parents on academic matters and well-being, advising on international education programs or choosing schools for the study-abroad plan is often not a focus.  Instead, local education agents deal directly with families and provide comprehensive counseling services: starting from choosing an overseas country, education program, school, and admission to final processes such as visa application, and housing…. to ensure students have smooth transfers.  Typically, study abroad consultants offer students and families free counseling or minimal service fees.  Some agents even equip Vietnamese students with intensive language training programs before going abroad and/or assist them with post-graduation employment opportunities.

While Vietnamese families gain by having a trustworthy source of expertise for overseas study decisions, U.S. schools do benefit by having a local presence.  The education consulting companies know the market well and can be your eyes and ears in the local market.  As onshore education companies, they constantly get updated on the most productive channels to raise the school’s recognition and recruit students.  For instance, some partner with local high schools in teaching English and other value-added services, thus, can approach the students and advise them on undergraduate study opportunities.  In addition, the companies have an excellent long-term relationship with local families. They often provide detailed information and tailored advice on study abroad plans for individual needs.  By partnering with the local education agents, they can promote your school, and provide clear and adequate information on your behalf. The COVID-19 pandemic caused severe education disruptions to many international students; thus, many must return to their hometowns and pursue their education online.  Although online learning was an effective temporary method to cope with the situation back then, it has eliminated the engagement with the new culture and the opportunity to be embedded in an English learning environment.  As a result, some parents hesitate to send their child(ren) to study overseas as they see uncertainty and challenges during the pandemic. Moreover, overseas schools face stiff competition from Vietnam’s local institutions because domestic education offerings continue to improve.  Therefore, local education agents play an even more significant role than ever in making the study-abroad market vibrant again, helping U.S. schools rebuild international enrollments and raising competitive advantages.

For more information, please contact Ms. Ngan Thai – Commercial Assistant at ngan.thai@trade.gov (Hanoi) or Ms. Huong Nguyen – Commercial Assistant at huong.nguyen@trade.gov (HCM)