25-year-old Tran Quang Minh is the valedictorian of Hanoi National University of Social Sciences and Humanities, with a GPA of 3.91/4.

At the graduation ceremony in late July, Minh's speech about his journey from leaving China to retake the university entrance exam in Vietnam, and his affection for his family and his late mother, moved many people.

"I am proud of what I have achieved, but I only wish I had studied earlier so my mother could have attended," the new linguistics graduate said.

Tran Quang Minh. Photo courtesy of the subject

Tran Quang Minh. Photo courtesy of the subject

Minh was a biology student at Thai Nguyen Specialized High School in Thai Nguyen province. He was interested in Chinese culture and language, so from 10th grade, he studied Chinese to prepare to study abroad. After graduating from high school in 2018, Minh received a full scholarship to Chongqing University to study law.

In 2020, Minh returned to Vietnam for Tet (Lunar New Year) but was stranded due to the Covid-19 pandemic and had to study online. His mother had been diagnosed with cancer earlier, which caused him constant worry during his time away from home. This time, he had the opportunity to take his mother traveling and take photos with her.

Minh said the pandemic interrupted his studies but also gave him more time to reflect on life. He decided not to return to China to continue his studies but to take the university entrance exam in Vietnam.

During his time in Chongqing, Minh met many friends from different regions and countries, which made him pay attention to the pronunciation and intonation of each person. He was curious and enjoyed comparing them with Vietnamese and Chinese. Therefore, Minh applied to the linguistics program at Hanoi National University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

In 2021, Minh scored over 27.5 points in the D78 exam group (literature, English, and social sciences), becoming the top entrant to the program.

Minh said he initially felt pressure from his peers and finances, but he knew he needed to be responsible for his choice, so he studied seriously. As soon as he started his studies, he set a goal to earn a scholarship so he wouldn't have to ask his family for tuition money. Minh also tutored and translated Chinese to cover his living expenses.

Studying with classmates three years younger, Minh had no difficulty integrating. He said the secret to his academic success was proactiveness and not being afraid to discuss topics he didn't fully understand with his lecturers. As a result, he received scholarships for seven out of eight semesters.

According to Minh, linguistics aims to explain and understand the principles of language. Therefore, to gain more knowledge, in addition to reading extensively, he participated in scientific research, worked on projects with professors, and followed graduate students to learn.

Minh with his father (in white) on stage receiving a certificate of merit at the bachelor's degree awarding and valedictorian honoring ceremony at Hanoi National University of Social Sciences and Humanities on 30/7. Photo courtesy of the subject

Minh with his father (in white) on stage receiving a certificate of merit at the bachelor's degree awarding and valedictorian honoring ceremony at Hanoi National University of Social Sciences and Humanities on 30/7. Photo courtesy of the subject

From his second year, Minh, along with his professor and other students, traveled to many regions to collect data and study the languages of various ethnic groups in Vietnam. The materials he gathered, along with his diligence and dedication, helped Minh win first prize in scientific research at the faculty and university levels twice, as well as second prize at the Science and Technology Award for students in 2024, organized by the Ministry of Education and Training.

In addition, Minh has also had several articles published in the journal of the Institute of Linguistics and presented at international conferences.

His research experience also helped the Thai Nguyen native excel in his graduation thesis on the tonal system in Hanoi's Vietnamese as spoken by young people, achieving a perfect score of 10.

His advisor, Doctor of Linguistics Ta Thanh Tan, a lecturer at Hanoi University of Education, said the topic arose during a field trip when the two went to Giang village (Ha Tinh) to study the Kha Phong language.

The thesis results indicate that the Vietnamese tonal system in Hanoi has changed significantly over the past 100 years. For example, in the pronunciation of young people aged 18-30 today, the high rising tone is no longer a rising tone but a level tone before rising. The dipping tone is no longer a dipping-rising tone but a gradually falling tone.

"Solid theory, well-designed research, and modern research techniques are the hallmarks of Minh's thesis," Dr. Tan commented, adding that he was most impressed by his student's versatility, talent, and dynamism.

Minh (in black) during a field research trip in Quang Tri on 6/8. Photo courtesy of the subject

Minh (in black) during a field research trip in Quang Tri on 6/8. Photo courtesy of the subject

Wanting to pursue advanced research in linguistics, while working on his thesis, Minh also applied for master's programs at two leading Chinese universities: Fudan University and Peking University. In March and April, he received acceptance letters from both.

Minh is continuing research projects with his professor before returning to China for his master's degree at Fudan University on a full scholarship. The university is currently ranked 30th in the world, according to QS 2026.

"After graduating, I hope to pursue further education and a career in teaching and linguistic research," Minh said.

Binh Minh