Study in the USA from Vietnam (2026): Costs, F-1 Visa, Funds

Quick answer

To study in the USA from Vietnam you need an admission and an I-20 from a SEVP-certified university, the SEVIS I-901 fee (USD 350), the visa application fee (USD 185) and an in-person F-1 interview at the US Embassy in Hanoi or the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. Plan for roughly USD 62,000–73,000 a year in total cost at the large public universities we checked, and more at private ones. The I-20 states the first-year amount you must be able to show.

• Still deciding between a full degree and one semester? Read studying in the USA: exchange, degree or J-1.
• Want the country overview first? See the United States guide below.

The US is not cheap, but Vietnamese students keep going: 25,584 studied there in 2024/25, making Vietnam the fifth-largest source of international students, according to the IIE Open Doors 2025 fact sheet. This guide covers the path in the order you will live it, with the fees and cost figures that decide whether the plan works.

Vietnamese students in the US: the numbers

Texas, California, Washington, Massachusetts and Florida are the top receiving states for Vietnamese students in that data. By institution type, 61.4% were at doctoral universities and 20.6% at associate’s (community) colleges.

The path, step by step

1. Choose programmes and apply. Each university sets its own deadlines and English test rules. Check them on its admissions page.
2. Receive the I-20 from the university after admission. You provide financial documents so it can be issued. Check the name, dates and amounts before you pay anything.
3. Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee (USD 350 for F-1) online, using the SEVIS ID and school code on your I-20. Pay it at least 3 days before the interview.
4. Complete the DS-160 and pay the USD 185 visa fee. In Vietnam you can pay by VietQR, cash at VNPOST or a USD Mastercard; the receipt can take a business day to activate.
5. Book and attend the interview at the Embassy in Hanoi or the Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. You apply in your country of nationality or residence.
6. Receive the visa and travel. A visa can be issued up to 365 days before the programme starts, but you may enter the US only up to 30 days before the start date on the I-20.

Allow at least 2–3 months from confirming enrolment to holding the visa, and do not buy a non-refundable ticket before it is issued. A third-party tracker estimated openings within about 15 days in Hanoi and up to a month in Ho Chi Minh City in August 2026, so check the embassy’s scheduling site for real slots. The June 2025 State Department vetting rules also ask student applicants to set social media profiles to public; make sure what is public matches your application.

Proof of funds: what the I-20 shows

There is no single official amount. The I-20 lists the university’s estimate of your first-year costs, and you must show you can pay that amount, from savings, a sponsor with income documents, or a loan. Northeastern’s international office tells applicants to bring evidence of support for one academic year that matches what they showed to get the I-20. Bring your passport (valid six months past your entry date), the signed I-20, the DS-160 confirmation and both fee receipts. The officer may also ask why you chose this university and how you will pay.

What a year costs

Averages from the College Board for 2026-27 show the range: public four-year out-of-state tuition and fees USD 32,730, private non-profit USD 46,350, public two-year (in-district rate) USD 4,210. International students usually pay the out-of-state or higher rate. Official cost-of-attendance pages for universities in our catalogue, all 2026-27:

Totals include housing, food, books and personal costs, and exclude scholarships. The UT Austin page does not say whether its non-resident figures apply to international students, so confirm with the university. Housing is a large part of the total: look at Austin, Tempe, Champaign and Pittsburgh to see how city and campus change the budget. Not sure which city fits your money? Take the 3-minute Odisea orientation test.

A cheaper start is a community college, then a transfer to a four-year university. In 2024/25, 20.6% of Vietnamese students in the US were at associate’s colleges.

Working while you study on an F-1

• On campus only, with limits. F-1 students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week while classes are in session, and full time during official holidays and vacations, as long as they stay enrolled full time.
• All jobs count together. The 20 hours cover every on-campus job combined, including assistantships; some universities set a lower cap.
• Apply for a Social Security number if you work, and ask your international office before you accept anything.
• Do not plan your budget around a job. The visa interview asks how you will pay without one.

After graduation, work authorisation through OPT is how most students gain US experience. In October 2026 DHS proposed a USD 70,000 fee per OPT student paid by colleges; it is only a proposal, so check the final rule before choosing a degree mainly for OPT.

Rules still in motion

A DHS rule replacing “duration of status” with fixed admission periods of up to four years was due to start on 15 September 2026, but a federal judge blocked it on 14 September while the lawsuit continues. Because rules are changing, confirm the current position with your university’s international office and the embassy before you pay fees.

Degree or exchange?

A full degree means applying directly, an I-20 and an F-1 visa. An exchange means your home university has an agreement with a US partner and nominates you; the visa is usually J-1 or F-1 depending on the paperwork. Non-degree students are a small but fast-growing group among Vietnamese students: 1,363 in 2024/25, double the previous year. If you can, ask your international office about exchange places first: you keep paying home fees under an agreement. For your budget, run the numbers in the Odisea cost calculator.

Where to go next

• United States country guide
• Studying in the USA: exchange, degree or J-1
• Study in the USA: costs and F-1 steps, the same process explained for another country
• Houston, Boston and Atlanta city guides
• Odisea WhatsApp groups, to meet students going to the same city (the groups are in English)

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to study in the USA from Vietnam per year?

At the large public universities we checked, the estimated total is about USD 62,000–73,000 a year including housing and food, and about USD 94,000 at Carnegie Mellon. Tuition alone averages USD 32,730 at public universities for out-of-state students and USD 46,350 at private non-profit ones (College Board, 2026-27). Scholarships change the final figure.

How much does a US student visa cost?

The visa application fee is USD 185 and the SEVIS I-901 fee is USD 350, so USD 535 in total before flights, insurance or deposits. Pay the SEVIS fee at least 3 days before your interview.

How much proof of funds do I need?

There is no fixed national amount. You must show the first-year cost listed on your I-20, with savings, sponsor documents or a loan, and the evidence should match what you gave the university.

Is it difficult to get a US student visa from Vietnam?

We found no official refusal rate for Vietnam, so we will not quote one. In practice the difficulty is paperwork and money: a correct I-20, funds that match it, a clear study plan and, since 2025, public social media profiles. Apply as soon as you have the I-20.

Can Vietnamese students work in the USA while studying?

Yes, on campus only: up to 20 hours a week during classes and full time in official breaks, while enrolled full time. Ask your university’s international office before you start any job.

Can I study in the USA for one semester only?

Yes. Exchange or non-degree study through a partnership between your university and a US one uses a J-1 or F-1 visa depending on the paperwork. See our guide to exchange, degree and J-1.