Hanoi international school opinions
First and foremost, I want to acknowledge my privilege in asking this question. We are Vietnamese American parents with a child living in Hanoi. Our child is about to start first grade, and we are unsure about which school to send her to. I am here on an expat package, and my company is subsidizing 90% of the tuition for the top international schools.
We are planning to stay here for another 2-5 years, which means that by the time she returns to the United States, she will be starting middle school. As a parent, I am concerned about her ability to assimilate back to the United States, considering that she has lived in Vietnam longer than she has lived in the United States. I want her to focus on making friends and not feel overwhelmed or anxious because she is behind in her studies. With how social pressure are nowadays, it’s really the last thing I want her to feel anxiety over, especially at that age.
Right now, we have a few options: UNIS, Concordia, Westlink, and True North. Since Westlink and True North are relatively new, I don’t think anyone has any opinions on their cross-border curriculum.
I’m curious to know if former UNIS or Concordia students found it difficult to return to the United States. I’d also love to hear from parents of former students about their experiences with the transition and how the education aligned or misaligned with their expectations.
In particular, I’m wondering if I should start preparing my daughter for after-school tutoring now. It seems like a waste of money to pay for this kind of education when I still need to do outside tutoring for academics. I would much rather spend my money on extracurricular activities. Thanks in advanced for any help.
TLDR; if you went to an international school in Hanoi, did you have issues moving back to a school in the states?
Posted Dec 2, 2025, 5:57 PM UTC