Top 35 Scholarships for Vietnamese Students

Finding the right scholarships for Vietnamese students takes more than a quick search — it takes a clear plan, the right documents, and a realistic idea of which awards actually fit your level and field. This guide walks through thirty-five scholarships worth your attention, explains how to compare them, and shows what strong Vietnamese applicants usually do differently.

Start With the Right Mindset

Most successful applicants treat scholarships like a portfolio, not a lottery ticket. They apply to a mix of ambitious, mid-range, and highly likely options.

• Apply broadly: six to ten applications is a healthy target for one cycle.
• Match the level: undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral funding often come from completely different programs.
• Read the eligibility page twice: citizenship, age, and language rules eliminate more applicants than academic quality does.
• Keep a single master file: transcripts, certificates, and recommendation letters get reused constantly.
• Start early: strong essays take weeks of rewriting, not days.

Treat every application as practice for the next one — the essays you write for a rejected scholarship often win the one that matters.

The Core List: 35 Scholarships Worth Applying To

The list below combines government programs, university awards, and field-specific funding. Coverage and eligibility change, so always confirm details on the official page before you plan around them.

1. Chevening Scholarships — UK government funding for one-year master’s degrees, with leadership and networking components.
2. Fulbright Foreign Student Program — US graduate study across most disciplines, administered through the Vietnam office.
3. Australia Awards Scholarships — full master’s and short-course funding with a strong development focus.
4. MEXT Scholarship — Japanese government award covering tuition and a monthly stipend for undergraduate and graduate study.
5. Global Korea Scholarship — Korean government funding for undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs.
6. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters — EU-funded degrees delivered across two or more European universities.
7. DAAD Scholarships — German academic exchange funding for master’s, doctoral, and short research stays.
8. Chinese Government Scholarship — broad coverage of tuition, housing, and stipend at Chinese universities.
9. New Zealand Scholarships — full funding for postgraduate study with a Pacific and development orientation.
10. Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships — doctoral funding for high-achieving international researchers.
11. SINGA (Singapore International Graduate Award) — doctoral funding in science and engineering at Singaporean research institutes.
12. Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships — research and doctoral funding at Swiss universities.
13. Swedish Institute Scholarships — master’s funding tied to sustainability and leadership goals.
14. Holland Scholarship — smaller but useful awards for first-year bachelor’s and master’s students in the Netherlands.
15. Taiwan ICDF Scholarships — full funding for master’s and doctoral study in Taiwan.
16. Stipendium Hungaricum — Hungarian government funding across many English-taught programs.
17. Türkiye Bursları — Turkish government award covering tuition, accommodation, and monthly allowance.
18. Italian Government Scholarships — funding for master’s, doctoral, and language courses in Italy.
19. Russian Government Scholarships — quota-based funding for Vietnamese students at Russian universities.
20. Brunei Darussalam Government Scholarship — full funding for study in Brunei at several levels.
21. Knight-Hennessy Scholars (Stanford) — graduate funding built around a leadership development community.
22. MIT and Harvard need-based aid — generous aid packages driven by family income rather than merit alone.
23. Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship (University of Toronto) — undergraduate award for exceptional international students.
24. UBC International Scholars Program — need-and-merit undergraduate funding at the University of British Columbia.
25. NYU Abu Dhabi Global Network Scholarships — full funding with travel and research support.
26. Rhodes Scholarship — postgraduate study at Oxford with a well-known selection process.
27. Gates Cambridge Scholarship — full funding for postgraduate study at Cambridge.
28. Reach Oxford Scholarship — undergraduate funding aimed at students facing financial barriers.
29. KAIST Scholarships — tuition support and stipends for science and engineering students in Korea.
30. NUS Global Merit Scholarship — undergraduate funding at the National University of Singapore.
31. Nanyang Scholarship (NTU) — undergraduate award covering tuition and a living allowance in Singapore.
32. Monash International Merit Scholarship — tuition reduction for strong international students in Australia.
33. Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships — fee waivers and stipends for research degrees in Australia.
34. Aalto University Scholarships — tuition support for master’s students in Finland.
35. VinUniversity Scholarships — merit and need-based awards at a Vietnamese university with international partnerships.

Government Programs Versus University Awards

These two families of funding behave very differently, and understanding the difference saves months of confusion.

• Government programs usually require a separate national selection step before you even apply to a university.
• University awards are decided by the institution, so you apply alongside your admission file.
• Government programs often cover tuition, stipend, insurance, and travel together.
• University awards may only reduce tuition, which means you still need living costs covered.
• Government deadlines tend to be fixed and unforgiving; university deadlines often follow admission rounds.

Read the fine print about what happens after graduation — some government programs expect you to return home.

Comparing Coverage: A Practical Table

Field-Specific Options You Should Not Ignore

Subject-focused funding is often less competitive than general programs because the applicant pool is smaller.

• STEM and engineering: research assistantships, lab-funded positions, and national science grants.
• Public health: development-focused awards that value community work in Vietnam.
• Education and teaching: fellowships that combine study with classroom placement.
• Environmental and climate studies: sustainability-linked scholarships with fieldwork budgets.
• Business and economics: university merit awards and corporate-sponsored programs.
• Arts and design: portfolio-based grants and residency-funded study.
• Women in STEM: dedicated awards that specifically encourage female applicants.

How to Build a Realistic Application Timeline

A calm timeline beats a rushed one every time. Work backwards from the deadline and give yourself buffer weeks.

• Months ahead: shortlist programs, check eligibility, and note every deadline in one calendar.
• Several weeks ahead: request recommendation letters and give writers your CV and personal statement draft.
• Weeks ahead: draft the essays, then rewrite them at least three times.
• Days ahead: verify transcripts, translations, and certified copies.
• Final week: proofread everything, test upload formats, and submit before the server gets busy.

Documents Vietnamese Applicants Often Overlook

Missing paperwork is the most common avoidable reason an application stalls.

• Certified English translations of transcripts and degree certificates.
• An explanation of grading scales, so committees understand what a given score means.
• English test scores sent directly by the testing body, not uploaded by you.
• A one-page CV rather than a multi-page academic resume, unless research output demands more.
• A clear study plan that connects your past, your proposed program, and your future work.
• Proof of extracurricular impact, with numbers, roles, and outcomes rather than adjectives.

Common Mistakes That Cost Strong Candidates

Most rejected applicants are qualified. They simply present themselves poorly or miss a rule.

• Recycling one essay for every program without adjusting the fit paragraph.
• Choosing referees by title instead of by how well they know your work.
• Ignoring word limits and formatting instructions.
• Applying only to the most famous awards and skipping realistic matches.
• Waiting until the last day, when support offices are overwhelmed.

Fix these habits and your odds improve noticeably, even against applicants from larger applicant pools.

Conclusion

There is no single best scholarship — only the best match for your level, field, and goals. Build a shortlist from the thirty-five options above, prepare your documents once, and tailor each essay to the specific program. Start early, apply to a realistic spread of awards, and treat each rejection as feedback rather than a verdict. With steady effort, the right funding is usually within reach.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many scholarships should a Vietnamese student apply for each cycle?

Aim for six to ten well-prepared applications rather than twenty rushed ones. Split them into ambitious, mid-range, and highly likely options, and make sure at least two do not depend on a single selection committee. Quality of fit matters more than the number of submissions.

Do I need an admission offer before applying for scholarships?

It depends on the program. Government awards often require you to apply for the scholarship first and choose universities later, while university awards usually run alongside admission. Check the official instructions carefully, because submitting in the wrong order can disqualify you.

Can I apply for a scholarship without taking IELTS or TOEFL?

Some programs accept a medium-of-instruction certificate or an internal English assessment, but most competitive awards require a standardised test. If your target program lists a minimum band, plan to sit the test well before the deadline so you have time for a retake.

Are scholarships available for Vietnamese students at the undergraduate level?

Yes, though full funding is harder to find than at graduate level. Need-based aid at wealthy universities, national government programs, and university merit awards are the strongest routes. Combining a partial tuition award with a separate living-cost grant is often realistic.

How important is work experience for master’s scholarships?

Very important for leadership-oriented programs, less so for purely academic ones. Two to three years of relevant experience, with clear achievements and measurable results, tends to strengthen an application far more than an extra certificate.

What should a scholarship essay focus on?

Focus on the link between your past, the specific program, and the impact you intend to make afterwards. Avoid generic statements about passion. Use concrete stories with numbers, decisions, and outcomes, and show why this particular program is the right next step.

Can I hold two scholarships at the same time?

Sometimes, but rules vary widely. Many full awards prohibit stacking with other major funding, while partial tuition awards often allow it. Always declare other funding honestly, since hiding it can lead to withdrawal of an offer after enrolment.

Do scholarships cover living costs as well as tuition?

Full scholarships usually include tuition, a monthly stipend, health insurance, and sometimes airfare. Partial awards may cover only tuition, leaving you responsible for housing, food, and books. Calculate the true total cost before accepting any offer.

How do I ask for a strong recommendation letter?

Ask a referee who has supervised your work closely, and give them at least three weeks. Provide your CV, transcript, personal statement, and a short note listing specific projects, results, and qualities you hope they highlight. A specific letter from a professor who knows you beats a generic one from a famous name.

What if I am rejected by every scholarship I apply to?

Rejection is common and rarely permanent. Ask for feedback where available, strengthen the weakest part of your profile, and reapply the following cycle. Many successful applicants were rejected at least once before winning funding.