Study Abroad Scholarships for Vietnamese Students: Programs Worth Applying To

How to think about scholarship funding

Scholarships for Vietnamese students abroad fall into 3 groups: Vietnam's own government schemes, destination-country government awards, and university-funded scholarships. Each has its own eligibility rules, coverage, and deadline, often separate from the university admission deadline.

Apply for scholarships in parallel with your university applications, not after you get an offer. Most destination-government scholarships need your application months before results, and several require you to already hold or be pursuing a university offer as part of the scholarship application itself.

Vietnam Government Scholarship: Project 89 (Đề án 89)

Project 89 is Vietnam's own outbound scholarship program, aimed mainly at PhD candidates and university lecturers upgrading their qualifications abroad through partnerships with overseas universities. Coverage depends on the partner university agreement. For PhD places at partner universities in Australia, the Vietnamese government funds tuition support up to USD 25,000 a year and a monthly stipend of about USD 1,120 (2026 rate), plus return airfare and health cover, with the partner university often topping up the remaining tuition and living costs (Monash University Project 89 partnership page ).

Selection is competitive and based on academic record, research output, and a confirmed supervisor at the partner university. Apply through the Vietnam International Education Cooperation Department and mark your application as a Project 89 application when you contact your target university.

Australia Awards Scholarships

Australia Awards fund master's study in Australia for Vietnamese citizens working in government agencies, non-government organisations, and private companies, with a focus on future leaders and public sector professionals. The scholarship covers full tuition, a living allowance, travel, and Overseas Student Health Cover.

The 2026 intake (Semester 2, starting around June 2026) opened for applications from 1 February to 30 April 2025, with results announced in August 2025 (Australian Embassy Vietnam intake notice ). From 2026, Vietnam gets extra scholarship places funded through the Mekong-Australia Partnership on top of the standard allocation (Australia Awards Vietnam eligibility page ). Check the Australia Awards Vietnam site each year for the exact application window, since it shifts by a few months between intakes.

Chevening (United Kingdom)

Chevening is the UK government's global scholarship for one-year taught master's degrees, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. It covers full tuition, a monthly living stipend, and travel to and from the UK. Vietnam is a long-standing eligible country under the program.

Chevening requires at least 2 years of relevant work experience and asks for a return commitment to your home country after the award. Applications open in August each year and close a few months later, well before UK universities finalize their own admission decisions, so check the current cycle dates and eligibility criteria on the official site before applying (Chevening official site ).

MEXT (Japan)

The Japanese government's MEXT scholarship funds undergraduate, master's and PhD study in Japan, covering tuition, a monthly stipend, and airfare. Vietnamese applicants can apply through 2 routes: the embassy recommendation route, run through the Japanese Embassy in Hanoi or Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, or the university recommendation route, run directly by the Japanese university you want to attend.

Stipend and tuition coverage amounts are set annually by MEXT, so confirm the current figures and application windows on the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam site or Study in Japan portal before applying.

Fulbright Vietnamese Student Program (United States)

The Fulbright Vietnamese Student Program, run by the US Embassy in Vietnam, funds Vietnamese graduates for master's and PhD study at US universities, covering tuition, living stipend, health insurance, and travel. It targets candidates with clear plans to return to Vietnam and contribute to their field after the award (US Embassy Vietnam Fulbright program page ).

Applications typically open in early in the calendar year for study starting the following academic year. Check the US Embassy Vietnam site for the current cycle's opening date and required documents.

Other government scholarships worth checking

• DAAD (Germany): funds master's and PhD study at German universities, with country-specific calls for Vietnamese applicants and support in German or English-taught programs.

• Korean Government Scholarship Program (GKS): funds undergraduate and graduate study in South Korea, including a year of Korean language training before the degree starts for most tracks.

• Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC): funds study at Chinese universities across degree levels, applied for through the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi or directly through partner universities.

University scholarships

Beyond government awards, most universities in Australia, the UK, the US and elsewhere run their own merit scholarships for international students, ranging from partial tuition waivers to full-ride packages for top applicants. Check the scholarships or financial aid page of every university on your shortlist. Many require no separate application and get awarded automatically based on your admission application and grades.

How to choose which to apply for

Apply to more than one scholarship where eligibility allows, since most are highly competitive. Build your application timeline around the earliest deadline on your list, and keep your English test scores, reference letters and transcripts ready well before any scholarship portal opens.

Building a strong application

Government scholarships weigh your statement of purpose and reference letters heavily alongside grades, since they fund people, not just transcripts. Show a clear link between your chosen field, your plan for after graduation, and how it benefits Vietnam or your sector. Panels reviewing awards like Chevening, Australia Awards and Fulbright look for concrete plans, not general statements about wanting to study abroad.

Start reference letter requests early. Lecturers and employers in Vietnam often need 4-6 weeks to write a strong, specific letter, especially if you give them your CV and a short note on what the scholarship values. A generic letter written in a rush weakens an otherwise strong application.