Trang Thu Nguyen

Navigating Multifaceted Precarities: Vietnamese International Students in the UK

Name: Trang Thu Nguyen
Primary Supervisor: Dr Ruth Cheung Judge
Year: 3
Discipline: Human Geography
Presentation type: Oral
Project Title: Navigating Multifaceted Precarities: Vietnamese International Students in the UK

Abstract:

The UK government's approach to international students (IS) is paradoxical, treating them as privileged economic contributors while simultaneously subjecting them to stringent visa regulations under a restrictive immigration policy. Despite certain privileges of global
mobility and access to higher education, international students' experiences are deeply marked by various forms of precarity. Vietnam has a growing international student market, with 14,000 Vietnamese students studying in the UK by April 2020 (MOET). This paper
examines the multifaceted precarities experienced by Vietnamese international students in the UK, contributing to the growing body of literature that challenges the view of international students as uniformly privileged. Drawing on multi-sited ethnographic research conducted in the UK and Vietnam, this study explores how precarity is embodied, felt, and navigated across various stages of the student migration journey. My research reveals that precarity permeates multiple aspects of students' lives, manifesting in border and visa control, housing insecurity, labour market experiences, and financial difficulties. The findings also demonstrate how Vietnamese IS negotiate or exhibit resilience to precarities.