The top student in Oriental Studies said, "Strive for your passion."

Pursue your dreams.

Born and raised in Binh Xuyen, Vinh Phuc – a region with a strong tradition of learning – Tran Ngoc Anh inherited the essence of that tradition early on and became a diligent and academically excellent student. In junior high school, Ngoc Anh passed the entrance exam to the district's specialized high school and participated in many major district and provincial exams. Continuing her high school education, Ngoc Anh attended Vinh Phuc Specialized High School – a school that attracts the "bright stars" of the districts. For all three years, Ngoc Anh was selected to participate in the provincial-level excellent student competition and won third prize in the national Literature competition in 12th grade.

Becoming a humanities student was Ngoc Anh's dream since she was a high school student. She was determined to apply to the Oriental Studies department because of her interest and curiosity. Ngoc Anh shared:While researching the humanities faculties, I was very impressed with the Oriental Studies department. As an extrovert, I wanted to explore the cultures of different countries around the world. Furthermore, I enjoy watching Korean movies and listening to Korean music, so I decided to apply to the Oriental Studies department and strive for high scores in the first semester of my first year to fulfill my dream of majoring in Korean Studies."

Ngoc Anh's most memorable experience at the Faculty of Humanities was singing in the choir at the Oriental Night – an event held every two years:At that moment, I felt incredibly emotional. My love for the department and the university welled up inside me. More than anything, I felt proud to be a student of the Department of Oriental Studies. I told myself to strive for my passion.”, Ngoc Anh confided.

The principal awarded the bachelor's degree to Tran Ngoc Anh.

Impressive achievement

As a pretty, academically gifted, and confident student, Ngoc Anh has achieved many high accomplishments in her studies and personal development. During her four years of study, Ngoc Anh was honored to receive the Lotte Scholarship three times and a Korean Bank Scholarship once. For four consecutive years, she received the university's regular scholarship, along with certificates of merit and commendations from the Rector and Vietnam National University, Hanoi, and the title of Outstanding Young Person at the university level. In her third year, through her utmost efforts, Ngoc Anh became one of two students selected to go to South Korea for a week-long exchange program with students from Seoul National University (SNU). Ngoc Anh shared:Although the trip wasn't long, it gave me a profound experience of Korean life, people, and culture. Things I had only seen on TV, in books, and newspapers now appeared vividly before my eyes. I listened to lectures about Korean society, visited royal palaces, shopping malls, and museums... An interesting part was getting to know Russian students who were also there for an exchange program with SNU. After the trip, I gained a lot of knowledge and expanded my network."At the end of her fourth year, Ngoc Anh excelled, becoming the valedictorian of the Oriental Studies major with a total score of 3.71."

In her studies, Ngoc Anh was equally proactive. While a second-year student, she joined the Thang Long Cultural and Historical Propaganda Club of her university, organized by the Hanoi Youth Union. With her extensive knowledge and strong foreign language skills, Ngoc Anh confidently presented herself to both domestic and international guests.By joining the club, I not only gained a deeper understanding of my country's culture and history, but also improved my foreign language skills, pursued my passion, and affirmed myself."Ngoc Anh expressed.

Effective learning methods

To achieve such success, Ngoc Anh also has her own methods. According to her, first and foremost, we must know how to allocate time wisely, balancing studying and working so as not to affect academic results. For students, self-study is extremely important. Sharing her secret to learning a foreign language, Ngoc Anh openly said:In my opinion, when learning a foreign language, you should focus on listening and speaking first. When learning vocabulary, you should learn phrases and put them into context. To improve my communication skills, I often create opportunities to interact with native speakers. Watching movies and listening to music are also good ways to learn. With foreign languages, diligence and hard work are crucial. You should dedicate at least an hour each day to studying to learn faster."

During her student years, to effectively learn Korean, Ngoc Anh started working part-time very early on. She tutored Vietnamese for Koreans and interned at Korean-owned organizations.

Understanding the country's increasingly strong integration into the global community, Ngoc Anh realized that having another foreign language was essential. She strived wholeheartedly to achieve the success she has today.