Hanoi student wins offers from China's top three universities

Nguyen Ngoc Thao Nguyen, 18, received a conditional offer from Peking University last week. That follows admissions she secured from Tsinghua University and Fudan University in May, during her final year at Hanoi's Newton Secondary and High School.

Tsinghua and Peking rank among the world's most prestigious schools. In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, Tsinghua placed 12th globally, Peking 13th. Fudan came in at 36th. In the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings, Tsinghua climbed to sixth place, ahead of Yale and Columbia. Peking and Fudan ranked 19th and 49th.

"I'm very happy because these were all major goals I had set for myself a long time ago," Nguyen said.

Her focus on Chinese universities started in 10th grade. After traveling abroad with her family, she shifted toward comparing legal systems. "I realized that every country operates differently," she said. "A stable legal system provides the foundation for economic and social development, so I wanted to learn more about this field."

She chose China for its competitive academic environment. Her preparation followed a structured plan. In her first two high school years, she emphasized extracurricular activities. By senior year, she earned the HSK Chinese-language certificate, the IELTS English test, and the CSCA aptitude assessment. Nguyen studied English and Chinese simultaneously, using cross-language subtitles. She spent time on practice exams and reviewed her mistakes.

To manage pressure, she turned to music and dance. She competes in dancesport and plays the piano, violin, and guzheng.

Her personal statement, about two A4 pages, focused on personal growth, leadership, and motivation for law. She served as head of finance for her school's media and arts clubs. In 2024, she founded the "Mid-Autumn of Love" charity program. The project supported roughly 100 children in Hanoi's My Duc District affected by Typhoon Yagi. Over three weeks, it raised more than VND50 million (US$1,890) plus books and supplies.

"It was the first time I had launched a project myself, so it was quite stressful," she recalled. "But I learned how to bring people together, delegate tasks, and take responsibility for a team."

Interviews with Tsinghua and Fudan involved questions in both English and Chinese and complex math problems. Peking University required formal exams in math, English, and Chinese, followed by debates on random discussion topics. "The process was very long and demanded broad thinking, strong critical reasoning, and the ability to perform under pressure," Nguyen said.

Her homeroom teacher, Nguyen Tien Hau, described her as self-motivated and proactive. Nguyen is awaiting scholarship decisions to decide between Tsinghua and Peking. She hopes to specialize in economic law.