Cost of Studying in Thailand, Vietnam and China for Cambodian, Lao and Myanmar Students
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Sep 23, 2026 • Updated Sep 23, 2026 • Money & Budgeting, Study in Southeast Asia
China's CSC scholarship covers full tuition plus a monthly stipend, Vietnam has the lowest sticker price for self-funded students, and Thailand runs scholarships built specifically for Cambodian, Lao and Myanmar applicants.
💵 Vietnam public university tuition for international students runs about $400 to $1,600 a year, the lowest of the three destinations.
💵 Thailand public university tuition runs roughly ฿50,000 to ฿200,000 a year (about $1,400 to $5,700), depending on the program and city.
🎓 China's Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) covers tuition, dorm housing and a monthly stipend of CNY 2,500 to 3,500, awarded to around 30,000 international students a year.
🎓 Thailand's Greater Mekong Subregion scholarships and Royal Thai Government Scholarships target students from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam by name.
🏠 Monthly living costs run lowest in Vietnam, moderate in most Chinese cities outside Beijing and Shanghai, and highest in Bangkok.
Comparing the three destinations at a glance
| Thailand | Vietnam | China | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-funded public tuition | About ฿50,000-200,000/year ($1,400-$5,700) | About $400-$1,600/year | Varies by university, fully covered under CSC |
| Flagship scholarship for CLM students | Greater Mekong Subregion scholarships, Royal Thai Government Scholarships | Bilateral government scholarship quotas | Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) |
| Typical monthly living cost | Higher in Bangkok, lower in regional cities | Lowest of the three | Moderate, lower outside major cities |
Thailand: scholarships built for Mekong students
Thai public universities charge self-funded international undergraduates roughly ฿50,000 to ฿200,000 a year, with the lower end at regional campuses and the higher end at Bangkok flagship programs. What sets Thailand apart is scholarship money aimed directly at neighboring countries: the Royal Thai Government Scholarships , including the Greater Mekong Subregion track, prioritize applicants from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and southern China. These fully funded awards, run partly through the Asian Institute of Technology, cover tuition, a monthly stipend, accommodation allowance and often airfare for postgraduate study.
The Thailand International Postgraduate Programme (TIPP) is the master's-level channel for these awards. Apply through the Thai embassy or consulate in your home country, or directly through the host university's scholarship office, well before the announced intake deadline.
Vietnam: the lowest sticker price
Vietnam is the cheapest of the three destinations for a student paying their own way. Public university tuition for Vietnamese-taught undergraduate programs runs about VND 10 to 40 million a year (roughly $400 to $1,600), though English-taught and joint international programs cost more and top private or high-demand public programs can reach far higher figures at Vietnam's most competitive schools.
Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training also runs annual government scholarship quotas reserved for Lao and Cambodian students, a long-running part of Vietnam's bilateral education cooperation with both neighbors, covering tuition and a living allowance for successful applicants. Check current quota numbers and subjects with your home ministry of education, since Vietnam allocates these seats government-to-government rather than through open individual application.
China: the largest scholarship program by volume
China does not publish a single cheap tuition figure the way Vietnam does, since self-funded fees vary widely by university, city and program. The number that matters for most Cambodian, Lao and Myanmar applicants is the Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) , which fully covers tuition, free dorm housing and health insurance, plus a monthly stipend of CNY 2,500 for undergraduates, CNY 3,000 for master's students and CNY 3,500 for PhD students.
China's Ministry of Education awards CSC scholarships to around 30,000 international students a year across more than 180 countries and 270-plus universities. Apply through your national ministry of education or the Chinese embassy for a Type A award, or directly to a designated Chinese university for a Type B award, since both routes lead to the same scholarship.
Living costs across the three destinations
Vietnam costs the least to live in day to day among the three. Thailand's regional cities cost noticeably less than Bangkok, where rent and food push monthly budgets well above what a student pays in a smaller provincial city. China's cost of living splits sharply between Beijing, Shanghai and the coastal megacities on one side and second-tier and inland cities, where most CSC scholars study, on the other. Build your monthly budget around the specific city your university sits in rather than a national average, since the gap between a capital city and a regional campus is large in all three countries.
Which destination fits which student
Vietnam suits a self-funded student prioritizing the lowest possible tuition and a nearby, culturally familiar destination. Thailand suits a student who qualifies for a Mekong-targeted scholarship, since the region-specific funding narrows the real cost close to zero. China suits a student aiming for a fully funded CSC award and willing to study in Mandarin or through one of the growing number of English-taught programs, given the scale of the CSC program relative to the other two.