Student life in Hanoi
Enrolling at university is one of the most exciting parts of a persons life. For many students, this involves leaving home and learning to fend for oneself. The whirlwind of emotions can send in for the student and their family; mixing with others, partying, and learning to budget properly all come into play. Thankfully, student life in Hanoi is comfortable and offers plenty of extracurricular activities. The city is well connected in terms of transportation, and a host of student discounts can be enjoyed throughout Hanois many restaurants, bars and entertainment complexes.
Important:
Following your university on social media is one of the easiest ways of staying up to date with any new discounts or local opportunities.
After paying your tuition fees, which are likely to range between $1,000 and $3,000 per year, you will need to determine how you are going to live. There are options in Hanoi to suit every budget when it comes to finding an apartment. But what other benefits are there of being a student in Hanoi?
Student discounts in Hanoi
The first thing you should do is obtain an International Student Identity Card (ISIC). This is practically a currency in its own right here, and it will save you heaps of money in the long run. Everything from flights to tights will be cheaper as this card will get you discounts on transportation, cosmetics, groceries; even entrance fees will be subject to a reduction.
Hanoi is loaded with cinemas, bowling alleys, sports centres and other public attractions, and your ISIC card will come in handy more often than you might expect, so be sure to keep it in your wallet at all times.
The Vincom Centre is one of Hanoi’s hotspots for shopping and entertainment, and there are close to a dozen located around the city. Alternatively, crossing the river into Long Bien district will bring you to the recently opened Aeon Mall, a stylish and modern complex with plenty for young people to enjoy.
Networking as a student in Hanoi
A great way of networking is by volunteering with one of the local NGOs like the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation. This will give you the opportunity to meet new people and travel to other parts of the country during your holiday periods. You will gain invaluable knowledge of the local area and give your CV a serious boost in the process. If you wish to obtain more information about local charities, Vietnam Online will most likely have the answers.
Student accommodation in Hanoi
If you are looking to secure accommodation in your university halls of residence, waste no time in applying as they tend to fill up quickly. Typical costs range from 7 million VND (235 GBP) to 35 million VND (1180 GBP) per semester. This simply depends on what you are looking for, furnished or unfurnished, location, quality, campus or non-campus based, etc.
As a student, you are probably looking for the cheapest way of commuting between your accommodation and classes too. If you are living on the university campus, you will be within walking range anyway. If you need to travel across time, the most inexpensive method of commuting is by bus and tickets will likely never be above 10,000 VND. Food in Hanoi is also on the super cheap side, with a meal on the street costing as little as 20,000 VND.
Important:
Remember that your university will be able to give you even more information on the living costs in Hanoi, or you can check out our other articles right here at Expat.com.
