Studying Abroad: Vietnam!

Studying in Vietnam
Vietnam is a fascinating country in South East Asia with green rice fields, beautiful mountain landscapes and idyllic beaches. It is a country that is developing rapidly. With a new development every day and a huge economic growth, this country is perfect for developmental studies.

Vietnamese Studies

The main language at the universities is English and the educational institutes pay attention to globalisation and internationalisation. This also counts for the RMIT University in Vietnam. A study in Vietnam offers you a great time and memories for the rest of your life.

Population

Roughly 90 million people live in Vietnam. The population of Vietnam is very helpful and friendly. Despite a growing welfare, over a quarter of the Vietnamese population lives below the poverty line. The population is 85% ethnic Vietnamese people and the remaining 15% consist of various minorities, Cambodians and Chinese.

Food

The Vietnamese kitchen is not only a joy for tasting, but also for viewing. The meals are served beautifully and are very reasonably priced. Many dishes include rice, soya- and fishsauce and the flavours are mostly salty and seasoned. You are probably familiar with the Vietnamese spring rolls, but there are more than 500 traditional Vietnamese dishes. Plenty to explore!

Restaurants are open for the largest portion of the day, and in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi many food carts are available on the street with an abundance of cheap, yet delicious snacks.

Climate

Vietnam is positioned along 1,400 kilometers of coastline on the Indochinese island. The climate is (sub)tropical and varies per location. The south of Vietnam has a tropical climate with an average temperature of 32 degrees Celsius. From June to September the rain season starts in Ho Chi Minh and surrounding regions with heavy rain throughout the afternoon. During the other months it is quite dry and from March to May the temperature can climb up to 38 degrees and be very humid.

Hanoi in the north has four different seasons. The winter is from December to February with temperatures around freezing point. The spring is from March to May and the weather is pleasant. The summer is from June to August and can be very warm and humid with temperatures ranging in the 30s. Autumn, another pleasant time in Hanoi, is from September to November. Precipitation is present throughout the entire year and in the summer months heavy rainfall is common. 

Communication

Postal offices are usually open extra long, from 6 AM to 8PM including weekends and holidays. Express mail service is available in the larger cities. Long distance domestic and international phone calls are possible at postal offices, but also through mobile services and prepaid cellphone cards. Additionally, each city has a general information number (call 1080) where you can ask any questions you have, ranging from telephone numbers to train and flight information. Internet is available in postal offices and internet cafés.

Transportation

The public transportation in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi consists of busses. The local inhabitants prefer using a moped or scooter. Taxis are cheap for the first two kilometres at roughly 12000 Vietnamese Dong (less than 1 USD) and scooter taxi’s are even cheaper, roughly half that. From safety perspective the wearing of a helmet on a scooter or moped is legally enforced. Students often rent or buy a moped or scooter, whilst others rather use (scooter)taxis.

Medical options

There is a broad selection of dental and (international) medical options available in Vietnam. On the Ho Chi Minh campus the medical service is open from 8AM to 5PM, where a doctor and nurse is present.

History, safety and hygiene

If you haven’t been to Vietnam before, it is worth it to dive into the country and its history. Some parents of international students know Vietnam as the country that was in war for 30 years and question its safety. The current Vietnam is very different though. It’s booming, with construction all over the place, mountain trails are being hardened and life is becoming much easier and more luxurious.

In the cities the traffic can be quite hectic, so you should be prepared. And just like on many other (sub)tropical destinations, there is the necessity of preventive car, such as vaccines and general hygiene regulations. Pay careful attention to what you purchase at food carts on the streets to prevent becoming sick.

Facts and digits

Capital city: Hanoi

State form: People’s republic

Timezone: UTC +7

Currency: Vietnamese Dong VND