Cuba offers scholarships to Vietnamese students for 2026-2027 academic year

THE HANOI TIMES — The Cuban Government will grant 15 full undergraduate scholarships to Vietnam for the 2026-2027 academic year, including seven in disciplines overseen by Cuba’s Ministry of Higher Education and eight in medical fields.

Eligible applicants must be between 16 and 25 years old, have completed upper secondary education or an equivalent level, come from low-income households and lack the financial capacity to self-fund their studies. Authorities will give priority to candidates from remote and disadvantaged areas.

The Cuban Government will cover accommodation, health insurance, living arrangements and all study-related expenses for the full five to six years of training, including a preparatory year for Spanish language studies.

The embassy is coordinating with several Vietnamese universities to organize short-term Spanish courses to help selected students prepare more effectively before departure.

For its part, the Vietnamese government will support round-trip airfare, travel costs, application preparation and a monthly living allowance to ensure stable study conditions.

Applicants must submit their dossiers online or in person to the Department of International Cooperation under the Ministry of Education and Training by March 31, 2026.

Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Rogelio Polanco Fuentes said the scholarship program allows international students, including Vietnamese recipients, to pursue higher education while strengthening professional skills.

“After graduation, they return home to contribute to national development and help deepen solidarity and friendship between nations,” he said at the press conference on December 22.

He added that the program would make a concrete contribution to Vietnam’s higher education and socio-economic development goals, especially by improving the quality of human resources in the healthcare sector in the coming years.

The ambassador affirmed that Cuba would provide the most favorable conditions and a welcoming environment so the Vietnamese students feel comfortable and well supported, in line with Asian cultural values and dietary preferences.

He also praised Vietnamese students for their exceptional adaptability and resilience, noting their ability to integrate smoothly into new environments without complaint.

According to Maylem Rivero Silva, Chargé d’Affaires and Head of the Economic and Trade Office, Vietnam and Cuba share deep similarities in character, including hospitality, openness, sincerity and a strong sense of solidarity.

She said this shared spirit has led thousands of Vietnamese students over more than six decades to regard Cuba as a second home.

According to the Cuban diplomat, the distinctive strength of Cuba’s education system lies less in material conditions and more in its focus on human development. Cuban education prioritizes humanistic values and cultivates a mindset oriented toward service to the community.

In medicine, a field of national pride, students learn that healthcare is not a business. Cuban training stresses that a doctor must become part of a patient’s family and view the care of people as a sacred mission.

These professional ethics help graduates remain grounded when entering the global labor market, she said.

According to the embassy, Cuba has trained more than 84,000 international students from 175 countries over the years. Vietnam alone has had around 1,300 graduates from Cuban institutions since 1961.

The Cuban Government is currently working to establish a global alumni network for international students educated in Cuba, aiming to promote cooperation in education, training and scientific research.

In early February 2026, Cuba plans to host its first gathering of foreign alumni as part of events marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of Fidel Castro and the 50th anniversary of the Ministry of Higher Education.