Vietnam Education Market Outlook to 2035

The report titled “Vietnam Education Market Outlook to 2035 – By Education Level, By Institution Type, By Delivery Mode, By Curriculum & Affiliation, and By Region” provides a comprehensive analysis of the education sector in Vietnam. The report covers an overview and genesis of the market, overall market size in terms of value, detailed market segmentation; trends and developments, regulatory and policy landscape, student- and parent-level demand profiling, key issues and challenges, and the competitive landscape including competition scenario, cross-comparison, opportunities and bottlenecks, and profiling of major public and private education providers operating in Vietnam.

The report concludes with future market projections based on demographic trends, urbanization, income growth, government education reforms, digital learning adoption, private investment inflows, regional demand drivers, cause-and-effect relationships, and case-based illustrations highlighting the major opportunities and cautions shaping the Vietnam education market through 2035.

Vietnam Education Market Overview and Size

The Vietnam education market is valued at approximately ~USD ~ billion, representing expenditure across formal and informal education services, including early childhood education, K–12 schooling, higher education, vocational and technical training, test preparation, tutoring, and digital learning platforms. The market encompasses public and private institutions, international schools, vocational colleges, universities, and a growing ecosystem of edtech providers delivering blended and fully online learning solutions.

Vietnam’s education market is anchored by a young population profile, high cultural emphasis on education, rising household incomes, and strong government commitment to human capital development as a pillar of long-term economic growth. With consistent public spending on education and a clear policy push toward skills development, STEM education, and workforce readiness, education continues to be one of the most resilient and structurally important sectors in the country.

At the foundational level, Vietnam maintains high enrollment and literacy rates supported by an extensive public school network. However, quality differentiation, exam competitiveness, and aspiration for global exposure have driven increasing demand for private tutoring, supplementary education, bilingual schools, and international curricula. At the post-secondary level, demand is expanding for university education, applied sciences, vocational training, and industry-linked programs aligned with manufacturing, electronics, IT, logistics, healthcare, and services sectors.

Regionally, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi represent the largest and most sophisticated education market, driven by higher disposable incomes, concentration of private and international schools, universities, and edtech adoption. Secondary urban centers such as Da Nang, Hai Phong, Binh Duong, and Dong Nai are emerging as fast-growing education hubs due to industrialization, inward migration, and expansion of middle-income households. Rural regions continue to rely predominantly on public education infrastructure, with gradual penetration of digital and distance learning models improving access and quality.

What Factors are Leading to the Growth of the Vietnam Education Market:

Demographic momentum and rising middle-class aspirations strengthen long-term education demand: Vietnam’s population structure continues to support sustained demand for education across all age groups, with a large base of school-age children and young adults entering higher education and the workforce. Alongside this demographic tailwind, rapid income growth and urbanization are reshaping parental expectations, with increasing willingness to spend on quality schooling, English-language education, international curricula, and enrichment programs. Education is viewed not only as a social necessity but as a critical investment for upward mobility, reinforcing steady demand even during periods of macroeconomic uncertainty.

Government reforms and policy focus on skills, quality, and international integration accelerate sector evolution: The Vietnamese government has prioritized education reform to support productivity growth and global competitiveness. Key policy initiatives emphasize curriculum modernization, digital transformation in education, STEM and ICT skill development, and stronger linkages between education and industry needs. Regulatory openness toward private investment, particularly in higher education, vocational training, and international collaboration—has encouraged domestic and foreign players to expand institutional capacity, launch joint programs, and introduce globally benchmarked teaching standards.

Expansion of private, international, and vocational education addresses quality and employability gaps: While public education remains the backbone of the system, capacity constraints and quality differentiation have created space for private schools, international schools, and vocational institutions to scale. International curricula such as Cambridge, IB, and bilingual programs are gaining traction among urban households, while vocational and technical education is increasingly aligned with employer needs in manufacturing, electronics, IT services, hospitality, and healthcare. This diversification of education pathways supports both academic and job-oriented outcomes, broadening the overall addressable market.

Which Industry Challenges Have Impacted the Growth of the Vietnam Education Market:

Quality disparity between public and private institutions impacts learning outcomes and trust: While Vietnam has achieved high enrollment rates and broad access to basic education through its public system, there remains a noticeable gap in learning quality, teaching methodologies, infrastructure, and exposure to global standards between public and private institutions. Overcrowded classrooms, limited teacher bandwidth, and exam-centric pedagogy in public schools have driven demand toward private tutoring and alternative education models. However, uneven quality standards across private providers—particularly in smaller cities—can create trust deficits among parents and students, slowing enrollment decisions and increasing reliance on brand reputation rather than measurable outcomes.

Teacher talent availability and capability constraints affect scalability and consistency: The education sector faces persistent challenges in recruiting, retaining, and upskilling qualified teachers, especially for English language instruction, STEM subjects, and internationally benchmarked curricula. Wage competition from international schools, overseas opportunities, and private tutoring platforms has intensified talent shortages. In vocational and higher education, the gap between academic teaching and industry-relevant skills further constrains program effectiveness. These constraints limit institutional scalability, affect student experience consistency, and increase operating costs for private and international education providers.

Affordability pressures and income disparity limit market penetration beyond major cities: Despite rising incomes, education affordability remains a constraint for a significant portion of Vietnam’s population. Premium private schools, international curricula, and overseas-linked university programs are largely concentrated in major urban centers and remain inaccessible to middle- and lower-income households. This income-linked segmentation restricts addressable demand outside Tier-1 cities and slows the expansion of high-quality private education models into secondary and rural markets, even where aspiration levels are high.

What are the Regulations and Initiatives which have Governed the Market:

Government education reform policies emphasizing quality, skills, and international alignment: Vietnam’s education system is governed by national education laws and reform programs focused on curriculum modernization, competency-based learning, digital transformation, and workforce alignment. Policy initiatives encourage improvements in teaching quality, school autonomy, assessment methods, and STEM adoption, while also promoting lifelong learning and vocational education. These reforms shape institutional structures, curriculum design, and investment priorities across both public and private education providers.

Regulatory frameworks governing private and foreign participation in education: Private and foreign-invested education institutions operate under licensing, accreditation, and ownership regulations set by central and provincial authorities. These frameworks define permissible education levels, capital requirements, curriculum approvals, teacher qualification standards, and governance structures. While Vietnam has progressively opened the sector to foreign collaboration—particularly in higher education and international schools—regulatory approval timelines, compliance requirements, and periodic policy revisions continue to influence market entry strategies and expansion speed.

Standards and accreditation requirements shaping curriculum delivery and institutional credibility: National curriculum standards, qualification frameworks, and accreditation processes govern program recognition, degree validity, and transferability. For international and bilingual institutions, alignment with both Vietnamese education requirements and foreign accreditation bodies is critical. Compliance with inspection protocols, reporting obligations, and quality audits influences operational complexity and cost structures, particularly for multi-campus and cross-border education providers.

Vietnam Education Market Segmentation

By Education Level: The K–12 education segment holds dominance. This is because primary and secondary education represent the largest enrolled student base in Vietnam and are supported by compulsory education policies, high parental prioritization, and sustained public funding. Demand is further amplified by strong competition for high-performing schools, entrance examinations, and progression into top-tier universities. While higher education and vocational training are expanding steadily, especially in urban and industrial regions, the K–12 segment continues to benefit from volume-driven enrollment, recurring annual demand, and rising private and supplementary education penetration.

Early Childhood Education (Pre-school & Kindergarten)  ~20 %
K–12 Education (Primary, Lower Secondary, Upper Secondary)  ~45 %
Higher Education (Universities & Colleges)  ~20 %
Vocational & Technical Training  ~10 %
Test Preparation, Tutoring & Lifelong Learning  ~5 %

By Institution Type: Public institutions dominate the Vietnam education market by enrollment share, driven by widespread geographic coverage, affordability, and government-backed infrastructure. However, private institutions are steadily gaining share in urban areas due to perceived quality advantages, smaller class sizes, bilingual instruction, and international affiliations. International schools and foreign-linked institutions remain niche by volume but command high value per student and strong aspirational demand among upper-income households.

Public Institutions  ~60 %
Private Domestic Institutions  ~25 %
International & Foreign-Linked Institutions  ~10 %
Informal & Supplementary Education Providers  ~5 %

Competitive Landscape in Vietnam Education Market

The Vietnam education market exhibits high fragmentation, characterized by a large public education base alongside a rapidly expanding private and international education ecosystem. Market competition is shaped by brand reputation, academic outcomes, curriculum differentiation, teacher quality, geographic presence, and regulatory compliance. Public institutions dominate volume, while private and international players compete on quality, global exposure, English proficiency, and employability outcomes. In supplementary and digital education, competition is intense, with scale, content quality, and platform engagement serving as key differentiators.

Key Education Providers and Groups in Vietnam

Some of the Recent Competitor Trends and Key Information About Competitors Include:

Vinschool (Vingroup): Vinschool has emerged as one of the largest private K–12 education systems in Vietnam, leveraging the Vingroup ecosystem, large-scale campus development, and standardized quality frameworks. Its competitive strength lies in nationwide presence, integration of modern facilities, and a curriculum blending Vietnamese standards with international pedagogical approaches. The brand benefits from strong parent trust and scale-driven operational efficiency.

Nguyen Hoang Group (NHG): NHG operates a diversified education portfolio spanning K–12 schools, universities, and international programs. The group differentiates through curriculum variety, partnerships with foreign institutions, and multi-segment coverage. NHG’s positioning is particularly strong in urban centers, where demand for bilingual and international education pathways continues to rise.

FPT Education: Backed by FPT Corporation, FPT Education focuses on technology-driven education models across higher education, vocational training, and digital learning. Its programs are closely aligned with IT, software, and engineering employment outcomes, giving it a strong edge in employability-focused education. Industry linkage and curriculum relevance are key competitive strengths.

RMIT University Vietnam: RMIT represents the premium end of the higher education segment, offering internationally recognized degrees with strong global mobility and corporate acceptance. While enrollment volumes are limited by pricing, the institution commands high brand equity, strong graduate outcomes, and sustained demand from affluent urban households seeking international credentials within Vietnam.

Apax English and ILA Vietnam: These players dominate the private English language and supplementary education segment. Their competitiveness is driven by standardized teaching frameworks, strong marketing, scalable center networks, and alignment with global English proficiency benchmarks. However, cost sensitivity and teacher availability continue to influence expansion strategies and center-level performance.

What Lies Ahead for Vietnam Education Market?

The Vietnam education market is expected to expand steadily through 2035, supported by favorable demographics, rising household incomes, strong cultural prioritization of education, and sustained government focus on human capital development. Growth momentum will be reinforced by urbanization, expansion of the middle class, and increasing alignment of education outcomes with employability and global competitiveness. As parents, students, and employers place greater emphasis on quality, skills relevance, and international exposure, Vietnam’s education ecosystem will continue to evolve beyond access-driven growth toward outcome- and quality-led expansion.

Transition Toward Quality Differentiation and Outcome-Oriented Education Models: The future of the Vietnam education market will increasingly shift from enrollment-driven growth to quality differentiation and measurable outcomes. Institutions will be evaluated not only on infrastructure and curriculum but also on learning effectiveness, language proficiency, digital literacy, and graduate employability. Demand is rising for programs that demonstrate clear academic progression pathways, international recognition, and industry relevance. Schools, universities, and training providers that can showcase strong academic results, global benchmarks, and career outcomes will capture higher-value demand and long-term brand loyalty.

Rising Importance of Private, International, and Skills-Focused Education Pathways: While public education will remain the backbone of the system, private and international education providers will continue to gain share in urban and industrial regions. International curricula, bilingual programs, and foreign-linked universities will see sustained demand among aspirational households seeking global mobility without overseas relocation. In parallel, vocational, technical, and applied education aligned with manufacturing, electronics, IT, logistics, healthcare, and services will expand as employers prioritize job-ready skills over purely academic credentials.

Acceleration of Digital, Blended, and Lifelong Learning Models: Digitalization will play an increasingly central role in Vietnam’s education landscape through 2035. Blended learning models combining physical classrooms with digital content, assessments, and analytics will become mainstream across tutoring, test preparation, higher education, and professional upskilling. Lifelong learning, reskilling, and certification-based programs will expand as workforce requirements evolve. Education providers that effectively integrate technology to improve access, personalization, and scalability will strengthen competitiveness while reaching beyond Tier-1 cities.

Greater Alignment Between Education Providers and Industry Needs: Industry collaboration will become a defining feature of higher education and vocational training. Employers will increasingly influence curriculum design, internships, apprenticeships, and assessment frameworks to ensure workforce readiness. Institutions that embed industry partnerships, real-world projects, and placement pipelines into their programs will be better positioned to attract students and corporate support. This alignment will be particularly important in technology, engineering, digital services, and applied sciences.

Vietnam Education Market Segmentation

By Education Level

• Early Childhood Education (Pre-school & Kindergarten)
• K–12 Education (Primary, Lower Secondary, Upper Secondary)
• Higher Education (Universities & Colleges)
• Vocational & Technical Training
• Test Preparation, Tutoring & Lifelong Learning

By Institution Type

• Public Institutions
• Private Domestic Institutions
• International & Foreign-Linked Institutions
• Informal & Supplementary Education Providers

By Delivery Mode

• Offline / Classroom-Based
• Blended (Offline + Online)
• Fully Online

By Curriculum & Affiliation

• National Curriculum
• Bilingual Programs
• International Curriculum (Cambridge, IB, Others)
• Industry-Aligned & Certification Programs

By Region

• Northern Vietnam (Hanoi and surrounding provinces)
• Southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City and industrial belt)
• Central Vietnam
• Secondary Cities and Emerging Urban Centers
• Rural Regions

Players Mentioned in the Report:

• Vinschool (Vingroup)
• Nguyen Hoang Group (NHG)
• FPT Education
• RMIT University Vietnam
• British International School Vietnam / Nord Anglia Education
• Vietnam National University (Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City)
• Apax English
• ILA Vietnam
• Regional private schools, vocational institutes, universities, and edtech platforms

Key Target Audience

• Education groups and private school operators
• Universities, colleges, and vocational training institutes
• International education providers and foreign investors
• Edtech companies and digital learning platform providers
• Corporate employers and industry associations
• Government agencies and education policy bodies
• Private equity and impact investors focused on education
• Parents, students, and professional learners

Time Period:

Historical Period: 2019–2024
Base Year: 2025
Forecast Period: 2025–2035