Havana: Cuba will maintain its tradition of educational cooperation with Vietnam by offering 15 full scholarships to Vietnamese students for the 2026-2027 academic year, the Cuban Government has announced. Speaking at a press conference, Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Rogelio Polanco Fuentes stated that the scholarships comprise eight places in medicine and seven in other fields under the Ministry of Higher Education, including economics, journalism, natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Successful applicants will receive full financial support from the Cuban Government, covering tuition, accommodation, meals, and health insurance for the entire five- to six-year course, including a preparatory year in Spanish.

According to Vietnam News Agency, the initiative to educate Vietnamese students in Cuba was launched by Fidel Castro in 1961. Since the first cohort of 23 students, approximately 1,300 Vietnamese have graduated from Cuban institutions, many of whom have later assumed important roles in Vietnam’s political and diplomatic spheres.