“I go to school in the morning and wash dishes for a restaurant in the afternoon. I receive 7,000 won an hour and have to pay 6,500 won in tuition. Every time the tuition payment deadline comes, I have to borrow from everywhere frantically,” wrote Tuyet Nhung, 20, a Vietnamese student in South Korea.

The female student, who is studying at Kyonggi University in Kyonggi, has a busy life and has to earn money to fund her studies. She borrows to pay tuition and cover basic needs. 

A report released in 2016 by the Ministry of Education and Training  (MOET) showed that 5,519 students were studying in 44 countries with funding from the State. These include 2,501 PhDs, 580 Mas, 63 trainees and 2,375 university students.

Many people think that Vietnamese students in South Korea are all rich. But in fact, many of them lead a hard life. Besides work and study, they have few hours to sleep. 

Nhung has washed dishes for half a year, but doesn’t intend to give up her studies.  

The 9X generation girl told Zing.vn that after finishing high school, she left for South Korea on self-funded study. She is studying International Relations for four years and one year on language. She has been there for nearly one year.

According to Nhung, she spends VND8-10 million on average on basic needs and room rent. The tuition is VND50-100 million for one semester (3 months).

Nhung said she wants to share her story with other Vietnamese students to warn them about the difficulties they may have to face and to think carefully before making decisions.

Nhat Linh, also a student in South Korea, said she has been meeting difficulties in the last half a year since she came to the country. At first, she felt excited about the new life in South Korea, but she has realized that ‘the life is not as dreamed’.

“The timetable is so tight. I feel so tired that I can sleep,” Linh said. 

“A lot of my friends owe money right and left. They feel disappointed because of unemployment. As for them, the future is dark. Some of them don’t have money to pay for air tickets to Vietnam,” Linh said.

A report released in 2016 by the Ministry of Education and Training  (MOET) showed that 5,519 students were studying in 44 countries with funding from the State. These include 2,501 PhDs, 580 Mas, 63 trainees and 2,375 university students.

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