Many high school students are excusing themselves from arduous domestic university entrance exams by opting to study abroad.

Many consider overseas study an ideal means to avoid being overloaded by academic work at home

A way to avoid domestic study

In recent few years, the number of Vietnamese students studying in the US, UK, Japan, Singapore and China has been on the rise.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, over 100,000 Vietnamese students are studying abroad in 49 countries and territories.

Of the total, around 90% of students pursued overseas training programmes based on their own funding, a 10-fold increase compared to a decade ago.

However, it is not excellent students that are choosing overseas studies, it’s also an ideal way for those who failed domestic university entrance exams to continue their learning.

Due to increased incomes and more open policies for overseas students, many children of well-to-do families consider overseas study an ideal way to avoid Vietnamese academic practices.

Some parents feel very proud of having children studied abroad.

Pham Manh Loc from Hanoi’s Ba Dinh District said, “We have only one child who is not very good at studying and may not pass domestic university entrance exams. We’ve decided to send him to China to study. He may have better employment opportunities after graduation.”

Tu, Loc’s son, is very happy with the idea. “My friends are busy preparing for the approaching university entrance exam. I’m lucky not to have to follow suit thanks to the overseas study plan. I’m not sure I could cope with the workload dumped on us in the domestic school system,”  he shared.

Unexpected consequences

It’s easy for many well-to-do families to send their children abroad to study. However, many students have failed to acclimatize to their new social environment and academic work. Many have skipped school and even been expelled.

Many Vietnamese young people consider overseas study as an ideal opportunity to travel, but have sometimes faced disciplinary problems or expulsions without even finishing their first term.

Nguyen Ngoc Tung, from Hanoi’s Dong Da District, went to study in New Zealand. He was expelled from school after just a few months after starting school due to his poor English and focus on his social life.

After his return to home, Tung’s parents decided to send him to Australia for study. However, after seven years of study abroad he has failed to complete his school leaving qualifications..

Due to high tuition fees and living costs abroad, many families have fallen into financial troubles after financing their children’s overseas for years.

Some others think that their children can earn some money by doing a part-time job, but it’s not easy.

In the US, a student’s living costs in the north-west may reach around USD1,000 per month. International students are allowed to work for 20 hours per week as maximum and can earn around USD560.

Those who want to earn more are compelled to hard work, which will greatly affect their health and time for study.