Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) is in the 251-300 group of the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2021.

Besides Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU-Hanoi), two other Vietnamese higher education institutions are also included in the THE Asia Rankings 2021: Hanoi University of Science and Technology, ranked in the 351-400 group, and Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), ranked in the 401+ group.

Continuing its leading position in Vietnam for the second consecutive year in the THE Asian University Rankings 2021, with the highest overall score among the three Vietnamese higher education institutions (26.9–29.6), Vietnam National University, Hanoi also achieved the highest scores in 4 out of 5 ranking criteria (Teaching, Research, Citations, and International Outlook), while Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City had the highest score in the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Income criterion.

Continuing its leading position in Vietnam for the second consecutive year in the THE Asian University Rankings 2021, with the highest overall score among the three Vietnamese higher education institutions (26.9–29.6), Vietnam National University, Hanoi also achieved the highest scores in 4 out of 5 ranking criteria (Teaching, Research, Citations, and International Outlook), while Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City had the highest score in the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Income criterion.

Compared to the 2020 ranking results, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) improved its scores in all criteria of the THE Asia ranking. The strongest increase was in the Citations criterion (8%), followed by Research (up 7.4%), while the remaining three criteria – Teaching, Income from Knowledge and Technology Transfer, and International Outlook – saw slight increases of 1.6%, 1.6%, and 0.6%, respectively.

To compile and publish the 2021 Asian University Rankings, Times Higher Education used a set of 13 indicators across five groups: Teaching (30%), Research (30%), Citation Index (30%), Income from Knowledge and Technology Transfer (7.5%), and International Outlook (7.5%). With this evaluation method, higher education institutions that are not research universities or do not have a strong research focus are unlikely to be included in this ranking.

In 2021, 551 educational institutions from 30 countries/territories in the Asian region were ranked by THE, compared to only 500 in 2020, with Vietnam continuing to have three institutions in this ranking.

According to the 2021 rankings, the top 5 universities are Tsinghua University (China), Peking University (China) in second place, National University of Singapore in third, University of Hong Kong in fourth place (same as the 2020 rankings), and Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) in fifth place (sixth in 2020, replacing the Hong Kong University of Technology).

In Southeast Asia, Singapore has two universities participating in the ranking, both in top positions: the National University of Singapore ranked 3rd and Nanyang Technological University ranked 5th. Thailand has 17 universities in the THE Asia Ranking 2021 (an increase of 1 compared to 2020); Mahidol University remains the top university in Thailand at 130th in Asia (122nd in 2020). Malaysia also has two more universities ranked this year, bringing the total to 15, with the University of Malaya ranking first in Malaysia at 49th in Asia (43rd in 2020). Indonesia has 9 universities ranked this year (an increase of 3 compared to 2020). The Philippines has two universities participating in the ranking, with the University of the Philippines ranking first in the Philippines and 84th in Asia (65th in 2020).

Previously, in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) was in the 801-1000 group globally. Furthermore, in three consecutive rankings (2019-2021) of the QS World University Rankings, VNU consistently maintained its position in the 801-1000 group. Furthermore, for the first time, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) achieved a ranking of 101–150 in the QS Top 50 Under 50 ranking for the 2021 academic year. In terms of subject rankings, VNU currently has five fields ranked by QS: Computer Science and Information Systems (ranked 601–650 globally), Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace and Manufacturing (451–500), Mathematics (401–450), Physics and Astronomy (501–550), and Business and Management Studies (501–550). In the THE rankings, VNU's fields are ranked as follows: Computer Science (501–600 globally), Physical Sciences (601–800), and Engineering & Technology (401–500).