From nearly being advised to leave a Chinese class to securing offers from three of China’s most prestigious universities, Phung Minh Phuong, a graduate of the Foreign Language Specialised School (FLSS), VNU University of Languages and International Studies, has turned an uncertain start into an impressive academic journey.
In late August, 18-year-old Phung Minh Phuong, a former student of the Chinese specialised programme at the Foreign Language Specialised School (FLSS), VNU University of Languages and International Studies (VNU-ULIS), enrolled at Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management with a scholarship covering half of her tuition fees.
Her achievement is particularly remarkable as she also received admission offers from Peking University and Fudan University, but ultimately chose Tsinghua.
According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, the three institutions are among the highest-ranked universities in mainland China, with Tsinghua University ranked 12th globally, Peking University 13th, and Fudan University 36th.
“I applied just to test myself, so when the results came, I was both surprised and happy,” Phuong said. “I think I was lucky, but I’m also proud that the effort paid off.”
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From a struggling beginner to a Chinese specialised student
Phuong began learning Chinese in Grade 6 at her parents’ encouragement. At the time, however, she did not see the language as a long-term academic pursuit and studied it only casually.
That changed at the beginning of Grade 9, when she decided to prepare for the entrance examination to a Chinese specialised class.
Her starting point was far from promising. In her first lessons with Nguyen Thi Hong Nhan, a university lecturer in Chinese, Phuong could not read a single Chinese character. She struggled with grammar exercises and frequently mispronounced even the words she knew.
Concerned about her progress, Nhan discussed with Phuong’s family whether she should continue studying Chinese. Phuong’s mother asked that she be given another three months before considering other options.
Unaware of these concerns, Phuong continued attending class with confidence.
“What I was lucky about is that my mother never passed on the teacher’s worries, or the family’s, so I just thought I was a little behind my classmates and kept going to class carefree and confident,” she recalled.
Gradually, the mistakes became fewer and her pronunciation improved. By the end of the trial period, she had made enough progress to continue pursuing the language.
In the summer of 2023, Phuong successfully gained admission to the Chinese specialised programme at FLSS, VNU-ULIS, scoring nearly 8.5 out of 10 in the specialised subject examination.
The highly competitive environment at FLSS marked a turning point in her learning journey. She worked intensively with past examination papers, practised speaking, expanded her vocabulary and made listening to Chinese podcasts part of her daily routine.
Her efforts soon produced impressive results. In Grade 10, Phuong passed HSK 6, the highest level under the standard six-level Chinese proficiency testing system. By Grade 12, she had won Second Prize in the National Excellent Student Competition in Chinese.
The achievements of senior FLSS students also encouraged her to look beyond Vietnam.
“Seeing older students at my school get into top Chinese universities, I decided to try. I thought I would fail, so I was reluctant for people to know and applied quietly,” she said.
From FLSS to three of China’s leading universities
In her university application essay, Phuong wrote about observing her father run the family business in gemstones and feng shui stones. During visits to the shop, he introduced her to product marketing and the importance of maintaining customers’ trust. Those experiences gradually shaped her interest in business, economics and finance.
The application process brought a new set of challenges. International applicants were also required to take the China Scholastic Competency Assessment, a standardised entrance examination introduced in 2025. Mathematics is compulsory for all candidates, including humanities applicants, and an HSK certificate cannot substitute for it.
Phuong initially found the new requirement daunting. After studying the test structure, however, she realised she could prepare independently using online resources.
The preparation coincided with an especially demanding period: she was studying for the national Chinese competition, completing her end-of-term examinations and preparing for a separate entrance examination at Peking University. Each required a different approach, forcing her to constantly adjust her study methods and manage her time carefully.
At Peking University, Phuong’s interview took the form of a debate, with groups of five candidates required to defend a position while demonstrating their command of Chinese. The format left little room for memorised responses; candidates needed a strong vocabulary, quick thinking and the ability to react naturally.
At Tsinghua University, examiners questioned her directly on topics extending well beyond the finance programme for which she had applied. Although nervous at first, Phuong regained her composure by breaking each question into smaller parts and responding point by point.
Phuong believes that her three years of experience working as a teaching assistant and Chinese tutor during high school helped her develop the communication skills and composure needed for both interviews.
Bui Quynh Van, a lecturer in the Chinese Department at Hanoi University who had advised Phuong since Grade 10, described her Chinese proficiency and mathematics ability as exceptional. According to Van, the most challenging period was Phuong’s simultaneous preparation for the Tsinghua interview and Peking University entrance examination because of the sheer volume of material she had to cover.
From a student who once could not read a single Chinese character to receiving offers from Tsinghua University, Peking University and Fudan University, Phuong’s journey reflects the value of persistence, self-belief and the courage to challenge one’s own limits.
“What you do may work out or it may not, but if you don’t try, there definitely won’t be a result,” Phuong said.
