VNU vs HANU for learning Vietnamese – which would you choose? ⭐
Hi everyone,
I'm planning to study Vietnamese full-time in Hanoi starting this September, and I'm trying to decide between VNU (University of Languages and International Studies – Vietnam National University) and HANU (Hanoi University).
My main goal is not just to get a student visa, but to become genuinely fluent in Vietnamese – especially speaking, listening and understanding everyday spoken Vietnamese, while also learning to read and write well.
From what I've learned so far:
VNU
- around 45 million VND / 3 months
- approximately 10 students per class
- much more expensive
- I imagine the teacher can spend more time correcting pronunciation and giving individual feedback.
HANU
- around 15 million VND / 3 months
- classes of up to 30–35 students
- much cheaper
- however, I'm worried that with such large classes it may be difficult for the teacher to give everyone enough speaking practice and pronunciation feedback.
For me, the price is definitely important, but I'm willing to pay more if the quality of teaching is genuinely much better.
Does anyone here have personal experience with either university or know someone who studied there? Even better if you attended one of their full-time weekday Vietnamese courses (Monday–Friday, around 3–4 hours a day).
Which university would you recommend, and why?
What are the biggest strengths and weaknesses of each program?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!