Duong Thi Hong Nhung, 25, won the prestigious Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) with an HSK 8 certificate, just seven points short of the highest level's 390.
The lecturer at the Department of Chinese Language at Phenikaa University in Hanoi learned about the scholarship in May. She will study at Beijing Normal University (BNU), which describes itself as a "key university" directly under China’s Ministry of Education and being "among the country's leading institutions for teacher education."
Under the CSC scholarship, Nhung’s tuition, accommodation and health insurance will be fully covered, and she will receive a monthly living allowance of 3,500 yuan (US$487).
Nhung said she was not surprised by the result, as she had anticipated it following her interview with the admissions panel.
"They kept asking in depth about my research topic, which I considered a positive sign," she said.
