In the 2020/21 academic year, 914,095 international students pursued studies at U.S. colleges and universities. Photo: Giao Duc Plus

In the 2020/21 academic year, 21,631 Vietnamese students pursued studies at U.S. colleges and universities, a decrease of 9% from the previous academic year, the Institute of International Education (IIE) reported on Nov.15.

IIE announced the US welcomed 914,095 international students enrolled at the undergraduate, graduate, OPT and non-degree levels from more than 200 places of origin.

Vietnam ranked 6th in the list of leading countries in the number of international students studying in the US.

The report shared that 70.6% of Vietnam students are undergraduate students, 15.6% are in graduate programs, and 12.1% participated in an optional internship program (OPT). The remaining 1.6% attend non-degree programs.

Vietnam ranked 6th in the leading places of origin of international students in the US, 2020/21. Photo: IIE

In addition, Vietnam continues to rank 2nd in the number of international students enrolled at American community colleges, equivalent to 11%.

The report notes that Vietnamese students in the US continue to show interest in majors in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and business administration. These are among the most popular majors for international students.

46% of Vietnamese students in the US are in STEM majors. Photo: AMVNX

Specifically, 46% of Vietnamese students in the US take courses in STEM majors and 26.9% in business/administration majors.

Students from Vietnam accounted for 44.55% of South East Asia students in the US, ranked 1st in the region and 4th in the continent. China continues to rank 1st with more than 395,000 students from this country currently studying in American higher education institutions.

The Covid-19 global pandemic primarily impacted international students studying at a U.S. university for the first time, or new international students. This segment declined by 46% while international students already enrolled at U.S. universities, or continuing students, largely remained committed to their U.S. education experience. The total number of continuing students at U.S. universities decreased by just 3%. Another reason is the remaining effects of the Trump administration.

Many international students have to begin their studies in person or online in the United States or from abroad.

This is the second continuous year the number of Vietnamese pursuing higher education in the US decreased. The 2019/20 academic year, however, only witnessed a decrease of 2.5%.

The sharp fall in this academic suggests that while studying in U.S. colleges and universities remains a high desire for students and parents, they are not ready to commit 3 to 4 years abroad like they used to. Online school also doesn't satisfy the expectation, another reason to not enroll in foreign institutions during this time, cited from Thanh Nien Online.

US University and College Fair in Vietnam. Photo: Thanh Nien Online

For those who still wish to go, their academic profiles and especially language proficiency need to stand out. The record of not only their study but also extracurricular activities will be considered, so Vietnamese students have a disadvantage due to several lockdowns and restrictions.

Foreign language teaching faces many challenges in the implementation of a new foreign language program. It needs much improvement but the short-staffed facility of Vietnam's public education system, especially skilled and native-speaking teachers prevents schools to do so. The number of students who can follow a new foreign language program is still low, in certain localities and provinces.

Meet the Vietnamese Community of Suriname On the occasion of working in the Republic of Suriname, Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil and Suriname Pham Thi Kim Hoa met the Vietnamese community living ...

Vietnamese Researcher Honored in Australia For Protecting Buildings From Bushfires Nguyen Thuy Quynh is honored for a project on manufacturing fireproof materials to help protect buildings and construction from being destroyed by forest fires.

Overseas Vietnamese Professor Researches Antarctica's Icy Wonders Professor Phan Van Ngan, a famous researcher in oceanography, is well-known among the Vietnamese community in Brazil.