As the number of international students and technical intern trainees has increased, opportunities to encounter Vietnamese educational backgrounds have grown. Japanese people often say that even when they look at a Vietnamese person’s academic record, they cannot quite grasp how strong it really is. This article explains what educational background means for Vietnamese people.

Vietnam Today Is an Academic Credential Society

In Vietnam today, there is a strong tendency to pursue higher education in order to find better jobs and secure higher-paying work.

Many Children Attend Cram Schools from Elementary School

Education-minded Vietnamese parents often send their children to cram schools from elementary school age. One well-known cram school in Vietnam is “KUMON”—the same Kumon familiar in Japan. On weekend evenings, you often see children carrying KUMON bags. With many foreign teachers on staff, it tends to be used as an English school.

Many Children Also Attend Japanese Language Schools

Many children also begin studying Japanese from elementary or junior high school, and cases of studying Japanese alongside English are common. Reasons vary widely: a love of Japanese anime, aiming to enter a Japanese studies track in high school, or parents working in Japan-related jobs. From high school onward, many students begin studying of their own will, but before that, parents’ wishes strongly influence the decision.

The Reality That Economic Disparity Equals Educational Disparity

Once in high school, it is not unusual for busy Vietnamese students to take tutoring in the five core subjects five days a week. One reason is that science and math subjects are especially difficult, so a large volume of study is required to enter a top university. Even so, the actual university enrollment rate is only around 30%. It is important to keep in mind that economic disparity also fuels educational disparity.

What Counts as a Strong Academic Background in Vietnam?

In Vietnam, there are multiple paths to a strong academic background, but the ultimate goal of any of them is to land a high-paying job.

Through High School, Private Schools Offer Higher Educational Quality

For Vietnamese people, the starting point of a strong academic background is entering a junior high or high school regarded as “prestigious.” Public school teachers hold a respected position, but their pay is low, so they are not necessarily passionate about teaching. As a result, children from families with financial means tend to attend private elementary, junior high, and high schools with richer curricula.

At the University Level, National and Public Universities Represent Higher Prestige

Vietnamese universities fall into three types—national, public, and private—but unlike Japan, there are not many private universities. Prestigious universities are basically national or public, and most are concentrated in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. From the standpoint of employability, engineering and IT are popular in the sciences, while trade and economics are popular in the humanities.

Some Study in Japan After Graduating from University

There are several paths to enrolling in a Japanese university. Students can enter a Japanese university directly after graduating from a Vietnamese high school, but the difficulty level means this is limited to students with outstanding academic records. For that reason, many people intensively study Japanese while enrolled in or after graduating from a Vietnamese university, aiming to enter a Japanese university after graduation.

Vietnamese Educational Background and Employment

Vietnamese people tend to place importance on educational background, but academic credentials do not necessarily remain a strength throughout one’s career.

After Hiring, Experience Matters More Than Education

Vietnamese people aim to enter prestigious high schools and universities in order to secure high-paying jobs. It is true that such credentials are advantageous in job hunting. However, educational background is not valued forever. Vietnam is a merit-based society, so experience and skills are emphasized. For that reason, from the second job change onward, work history is valued more highly than academic background.

Aiming for a Turnaround Through Japanese Language Ability

Some students have invested heavily in education but, for reasons such as not being strong at exam preparation, cannot expect to enter a prestigious university. In such cases, they may give up on advancing within Vietnam and instead pursue long-term study at a Japanese language school with the goal of entering a Japanese university. Graduating from a Japanese university raises the chance of a dramatic turnaround even if prior academic performance was not strong.

The 20s Are a Period for Building Skills

For Vietnamese people, their 20s are a period for gaining experience. To advance their careers, they may make bold choices such as quitting a job to attend a Japanese language school, enter a vocational school, or enroll in university. Even with a weaker academic background, if they can upgrade their skills, they can find better employment conditions. The large number of Vietnamese people who study in Japan or work as technical intern trainees in their late 20s can also be seen as part of this skill-building.

Conclusion

Quite a few Vietnamese technical intern trainees aim to gain experience at Japanese companies and then secure higher-paying work in Vietnam. Studying or working in Japan is one means of a dramatic turnaround in Vietnam’s academic credential society. For that reason, when considering hiring Vietnamese talent, placing more weight on motivation than on educational background increases the likelihood of finding stronger candidates.

FAQ on University Advancement and Hiring in Vietnam

What kinds of people go on to university in Vietnam? University advancement is not uniform; it depends on multiple factors such as the individual’s grades, household finances, region, and career aspirations. In hiring, it is important not to judge ability by university credentials alone, but to confirm major, work history, practical skills, and Japanese language ability against the job requirements.