South Korea and Vietnam reshape international student destinations amid shifting demand

Vietnamese students are increasingly choosing nearby Asian destinations such as South Korea and Japan over traditional Western hubs. A March market report noted that over 137,000 Vietnamese students study abroad, with the United States, Australia and Canada still popular but a growing share heading to Japan and South Korea because of lower costs, proximity and better post‑study employment prospects.

South Korea, confronting a shrinking domestic labour force, is revising its higher‑education strategy to turn international graduates into permanent workers. The Ministry of Education announced its first competition rewarding universities that help foreign students find jobs, launch startups and settle in regional communities. Winners included Kyung Hee University and Jeonju Vision College, which reported foreign graduate employment rates of roughly 34 % overall and higher placement in local industries, aiming to alleviate regional labour shortages.