Laos is a less common study-abroad destination in Southeast Asia, but it offers a distinctive setting for students interested in the region’s history, culture, and natural landscapes. The country’s recorded history is often traced to the kingdom of Lan Xang, founded in 1353. Laos became fully independent from France in 1953 as the Kingdom of Laos, and today it is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. Much of the country is mountainous and forested, making it appealing to students who enjoy a quieter pace of life and outdoor exploration. Do you want to study in Laos? Here are some affordable schools in the country that international students may want to research further.
Affordable Schools in Laos for International Students
1. Rattana Business Administration College
Rattana Business Administration College, now presented by the institution as the Rattana Institute of Business Administration, was founded in 1974 as Rattana Commercial School. Mr. Somphet Rattanasim was the founder, and the school was established in accordance with Ministry of Education requirements. In 1994, it was promoted to college status, and in 2002, it was accredited to teach a BBA program. Today, the institution offers business-focused higher education, including a four-year BBA pathway and graduate study options. Prospective international students should contact the institution directly to confirm current program availability, tuition, and admission requirements.
2. Savannakhet University
Savannakhet University was established to support higher education and human-resource development in central Laos, especially in Savannakhet, Khammouane, and Bolikhamxay provinces. The university was founded on March 27, 2009, after a Prime Minister’s decree authorized its establishment. Savannakhet University is one of the public universities under Laos’s higher education system and focuses on regional development needs linked to the East-West Economic Corridor. The university currently lists eight faculties, including Agriculture and Environment, Business Administration, Linguistics and Humanities, Food Science, Education, Natural Sciences, Information Technology, and Engineering. It also states that it offers master’s programs and one English-taught international program. Applicants should check the university’s current admissions and tuition pages before applying.
3. National University of Laos
Founded on November 5, 1996, the National University of Laos is the country’s first comprehensive public university. It was created through the amalgamation of several existing higher education institutions that had previously operated under different ministries. The university has five campuses, with its main campus at Dong Dok Village in Vientiane, and it comprises 13 faculties. These include faculties in agriculture, water resources, law and political sciences, engineering, natural sciences, sport sciences, forestry, environmental sciences, social sciences, economics and business management, education, architecture, and language education. The National University of Laos also lists international curriculum options and foreign-student information on its admissions pages, so international applicants should confirm current requirements directly with the university.
4. Souphanouvong University
Established in 2003, Souphanouvong University is a public university in Luang Prabang. It was named after Prince Souphanouvong, the first president of the Lao PDR. The university has two campuses, with the main campus in Ban Donmay and another campus for the Faculty of Education in Ban Nasang-Veuy. Souphanouvong University hosts six faculties and offers more than 20 bachelor’s degree programs across fields such as education, languages, engineering, architecture, agriculture and forest resources, economics, and tourism. Students interested in engineering, tourism, business, agriculture, or education should confirm current program lists and admission requirements with the university before applying.
5. Lao-Korean College
Lao-Korean College is a private college in Vientiane. Publicly available institutional profiles list the college as having departments in English, Korean, accounting, and IT, but a current official website with updated program and admissions information was not available during this review. Prospective students should therefore contact the college directly to confirm its current departments, tuition, admission requirements, and whether it accepts international applicants.
6. University of Health Sciences Laos
The University of Health Sciences Laos traces its roots to medical training in 1958, while the current university was established in 2007 from earlier medical training institutions. It is Laos’s dedicated higher education institution for health sciences and plays a central role in training health professionals in the country. The university lists faculties and academic units in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing sciences, medical technology, public health, and research and educational development. Its website also reports more than 5,000 current students and more than 800 staff and faculty members. Prospective students should check the university’s current admissions information directly.
We hope that this article on affordable universities in Laos was helpful. If you are interested in studying abroad, make sure to check out the Available Programs for International Students!
