Nguyen Le Khanh Linh, a 12th-grade physics student at Le Quy Don Specialized High School in Da Nang, was accepted into Xinya College at Tsinghua University in China in early July. Tsinghua University is currently ranked 12th globally and 1st in Asia, according to THE 2025.

Xinya College is a residential college with a liberal arts curriculum, small class sizes, and increased faculty-student interaction. After their first year, students can choose any program at Tsinghua University except for medicine and arts/design majors. Tuition is 26,000 CNY (approximately 95 million VND) per year.

In addition to the partial scholarship from Tsinghua, Linh also received a full scholarship to study electronic engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, ranked 5th in China and in the top 50 globally.

"I am very happy because it is recognition for the efforts I have put in for a long time," Linh shared.

Nguyen Le Khanh Linh emceeing a school event. Photo courtesy of the subject.

Nguyen Le Khanh Linh emceeing a school event. Photo courtesy of the subject.

Linh said she had wanted to study abroad since 10th grade, initially aiming for English-speaking countries. A chance enrollment in a Chinese language course, taken with a "just trying it out" mindset, unexpectedly opened up a new path. The more she learned, the more interested she became, and she began to explore more about China. Around the same time, her parents took her on a trip to the country.

"I was very impressed with the development and the living environment, recognizing that it could help me learn and cultivate many things," Linh said. Therefore, she shifted her focus to studying in China.

While maintaining a grade point average above 9.0, Linh enrolled in multiple consecutive Chinese language courses to increase her exposure to the language. At one point, she simultaneously prepared for the HSK levels 4 and 5 (level 6 is the highest). For HSK 6, Linh enrolled in three practice classes at the same time.

"I remember that from the time I finished the HSK 4 class to the time I started studying for HSK 6, there were only two weeks in between. As soon as I finished one class, I went to another to review again," Linh recounted, adding that she passed HSK 6 at the end of last year.

With the certificate in hand, Linh began preparing her applications for Tsinghua and Shanghai Jiao Tong, including essays, transcripts, recommendation letters, and a self-introduction video.

Linh mentioned that she couldn't find many sample essays in Chinese, so she mainly read experiences shared by American students studying abroad and used AI for suggestions. In her essay, Linh highlighted the compatibility between her personal goal of becoming a well-rounded individual and Xinya College's liberal arts education.

She is most proud of her self-introduction video. Linh talked about her passion for swimming, which began at age 5, stemming from her parents' belief that it's a survival skill for people living by the sea. She participated in the OCEANMAN Cam Ranh international open water swimming competition, completing the 2 km distance in 41 minutes and winning third place.

To swim long distances in the ocean, Linh explained she had to adjust her swimming strokes to increase efficiency and reduce injuries, train to increase muscle strength, lengthen her breath, and lower her heart rate, and prepare for any adverse situations such as encountering jellyfish, strong currents, swimming off course, or bad weather.

"This is similar to the application process for Tsinghua – it requires thorough preparation, perseverance, and discipline," Linh compared, adding that she planned her application meticulously, adhering to a strict timeline.

"Luck only comes to those who are prepared," Linh shared.

Nguyen Le Khanh Linh participating in an open water swimming competition last September. Photo courtesy of the subject.

Nguyen Le Khanh Linh participating in an open water swimming competition last September. Photo courtesy of the subject.

Linh was then called for an interview at Tsinghua University.

"The university didn't ask trick questions, but wanted to test my reflexes and true abilities," Linh observed. The interview content is confidential, as requested by the university.

Linh also approached the Shanghai Jiao Tong University interview with confidence. She attributed this to her early preparation. Even having achieved HSK 6, she continued to focus on practicing spoken Chinese and expanding her social understanding by reading newspapers and discussing current events with her teacher.

"The admissions committee was very surprised to learn that I had only been studying Chinese for over a year," Linh said.

Ms. Hoang Lan Chi, a lecturer at the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, guided Linh through the application process. She described her student as well-rounded, persistent, and highly determined.

"Linh knows what she wants, what to do, and always has a clear plan. With the right guidance, Linh will do very well," Ms. Chi said.

Khanh Linh will travel to China to begin her studies in August. She plans to focus on excelling in her strengths like math and physics, while also improving her Chinese language skills before choosing a major.

"Studying science is already difficult, and studying it in Chinese is even more challenging. I want to broaden my options and be ready to embrace any opportunity that comes my way," Linh shared.

Huyen Trang - Doan Hung