US - Viet Nam Relations

The event brought together representatives from 60 accredited U.S. universities and colleges, including top research institutions, liberal arts colleges, and community colleges. These institutions will also participate in fairs in Ho Chi Minh City on September 26 and Da Nang on September 27, offering information on hundreds of undergraduate and graduate programs across diverse fields of study.

U.S. Ambassador Marc E. Knapper (center) poses with Vietnamese students and EducationUSA staff at the U.S. Higher Education Fair - Fall 2025 in Hanoi.

U.S. colleges and universities provide a world-class education, making the United States a top destination for outstanding students worldwide, including from Vietnam. Vietnam is the sixth-largest source of international students in the United States and the largest from ASEAN. With rising English proficiency and improvements in K-12 education, Vietnamese students are increasingly competitive applicants to U.S. institutions.

According to the 2024 Open Doors Report, during the 2023–2024 academic year, 22,066 Vietnamese students studied in the United States, nearly half of them in STEM fields-advancing Vietnam’s workforce development goals in high-tech industries. Top receiving states include California, Texas, Massachusetts, Washington, and New York. Vietnamese students also contribute to stronger cultural and educational ties between the two nations and bring tangible economic benefits to U.S. communities. In 2023–2024 alone, they contributed over 1 billion U.S. dollars to the U.S. economy.

As Vietnam and the United States continue to deepen bilateral relations under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), EducationUSA hopes that returning Vietnamese students will have a lasting, positive impact on Vietnam’s workforce development, particularly in high-tech sectors, bringing with them the critical thinking, leadership, and problem-solving skills that U.S. institutions emphasize.

Speaking at the opening of the fair, U.S. Ambassador Marc E. Knapper said:

Ambassador Marc E. Knapper delivers remarks at the opening of the U.S. Higher Education Fair - Fall 2025 in Hanoi, emphasizing the strong educational ties between the United States and Vietnam.

Through its EducationUSA office, the U.S. Mission to Vietnam provides free, accurate, and comprehensive information about opportunities to study at accredited U.S. institutions. For students and parents seeking details about the U.S. visa process, the official website travel.state.gov provides the most current and reliable information. The Vietnamese-language version of the U.S. Embassy’s website also offers updates in Vietnamese: Các Dịch vụ Thị thực Hoa Kỳ - Đại sứ quán và Tổng Lãnh sự quán Hoa Kỳ tại Việt Nam. EducationUSA strongly cautions against relying on unverified education consultancies that falsely claim to guarantee U.S. student visas.

Since the upgrade of U.S.-Vietnam relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the U.S. Mission has launched several initiatives to strengthen educational cooperation. As part of this year’s International Academic Partnership Program and the commemoration of 30 years of bilateral relations, the U.S. Embassy hosted 40 senior academic leaders from 22 U.S. institutions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (March 31-April 4). These leaders met with senior Vietnamese officials, universities, and private-sector representatives to expand institutional collaboration. Building on this foundation, the Embassy has awarded seed grants for joint STEM-related projects between U.S. and Vietnamese universities, several of which have already resulted in new academic partnerships and student exchanges.

The United States also remains committed to the Fulbright Program, which provides opportunities for educational and cultural exchange. In 2025, the Fulbright Program in Vietnam includes 47 Vietnamese fellows in the United States and 48 American fellows in Vietnam, advancing mutual understanding and academic cooperation.