Despite abundant opportunities to study abroad, many gifted students from Vietnam’s prestigious specialized high schools are choosing to enroll in international universities within the country—thanks to substantial scholarships worth billions of dongs.
At a recent Scholarship Award Ceremony, British University Vietnam (BUV) granted 150 scholarships valued at tens of billions of Vietnamese dongs (VND10 billion ≈ US$385,170) to outstanding students from top schools such as HUS High School for Gifted Students, HNUE High School for Gifted Students, Chu Van An High School, and Kim Lien High School.
BUV’s scholarship recipients were selected not only for their exceptional academic achievements but also for their leadership, dynamism, and ability to inspire peers, according to a university representative.
Kieu Le Khanh An from Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School in Nghe An Province secured the prestigious “The Founders” scholarship. An, who boasts an IELTS score of 8.0 and several provincial and national English competition awards, chose to study finance at BUV rather than abroad. She cited her desire to stay close to family and deepen her understanding of Vietnam’s financial market as key reasons. An aspires to become a risk manager contributing to sustainable economic growth and hopes to launch a nonprofit supporting preterm infants, inspired by her own early health challenges.
Similarly, Nguyen Khoa Dang from Bac Ninh Specialized High School, recipient of “The British Ambassador” scholarship, praised BUV’s alignment with UK academic standards and its international-grade facilities. He views the university as an ideal environment to pursue his global academic ambitions without leaving Vietnam.
Nguyen Khanh Linh, awarded the “Tech Queens” scholarship for women in technology, also shared her enthusiasm for studying in a dynamic, international environment close to family. Her mother, Thuy Linh, initially considered overseas education but, after researching BUV, recognized it as an institution offering international-quality academics and strong student support.
This growing trend of top specialized school students pursuing study abroad programs domestically reflects increased trust in BUV’s globally recognized education and signals a shift in student and parent perspectives. High-quality international learning no longer requires leaving Vietnam—families now prefer academic environments that combine global standards with cultural familiarity and financial practicality.
British University Vietnam is the country’s first QS 5-star university and the first in Vietnam and ASEAN accredited by the UK’s Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). BUV’s programs stay closely aligned with industry trends, combining theory and practice to ensure that 100% of graduates find employment or pursue further studies within three months.
