Exploring Vietnamese student experiences of transitioning from high school into a transnational university

Transnational education (TNE) - a form of education where learners study in a different country to the awarding institution has been increasingly prevalent globally. Vietnam is not an exception. This article explores university transition experiences of TNE students in Vietnam. Thematic analysis of 20 in-depth interviews with TNE students identified eight inter-related transition challenges associated with new learning environments and academic requirements, including English oral communication, freedom, career uncertainty, peer relationships, technology, self-directed learning, time as well as study workload management, and writing skills. Findings also revealed that students used different strategies to cope with transition challenges. Specifically, they applied a self-directed approach to adapt to the new environment and sought support from peers, lecturers, advisors, and the library to overcome transition difficulties. Employing a TNE student transition theoretical framework, this article discusses the role of students' relationship capital, resilience, and confidence in coping with the transition to university, and proposes transition support across three stages of the student journey: commencement, middle years, and senior years. The paper carries theoretical, policy, and practical implications for enhancing student transition experiences critical to TNE higher education.