Vietnamese teen boy scores perfect in Cambridge English test, ranked top worldwide

An 11th-grade student from Hanoi has earned a perfect score of 150/150 in the Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second Language (ESL) exam, securing a top global ranking and excelling in multiple other subjects, including Math and Science.

Tran Ngoc Bao, 16, a student at Nguyen Sieu Secondary and High School in Hanoi, has been named "Top in the World" in ESL for the Cambridge IGCSE exam.

Receiving his results earlier this month, Bao was both surprised and proud to find out that he was among the highest-scoring students globally in ESL. According to Cambridge Assessment International Education, Bao also achieved an A* (the highest level) in Mathematics, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry.

"This result exceeded my expectations," Bao said.

Tran Ngoc Bao, an 11th grader at Nguyen Sieu Secondary and High School in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Duong Tam

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is an internationally recognized high school certification, widely accepted around the world. Students can select five subjects based on their interests and academic preferences.

Bao’s homeroom teacher, Bui Quyet Thang, noted that this was the first time a student from their school had achieved such a remarkable result.

"While we were confident Bao would achieve 'Top in Vietnam', the 'Top in the World' result was something we never imagined," said Thang.

Since sixth grade, Bao has followed a dual diploma program, studying both the Cambridge curriculum and the Vietnamese national curriculum. By the ninth grade, when choosing his IGCSE subjects, Bao opted for four science subjects along with English as a second language.

Bao shared that his parents have always encouraged him to focus on learning English from a young age. Whether reading information or working on school projects, Bao always seeks out materials in both English and Vietnamese. During his free time, he also prefers watching videos in English. Thanks to the dual diploma program and daily interactions with foreign teachers, Bao has been regularly exposed to the language.

"I don’t see English as just another subject I need to study for high marks. I see it as a normal part of life," Bao said.

In the IGCSE exam, the English test covers four skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. Each skill’s exam includes multiple-choice and essay questions on a range of topics, from science to social issues and current events.

Listening and Reading were the two skills Bao felt most confident in. While preparing for both the IGCSE and SAT exams, Bao found that studying for both exams complemented each other, helping to boost his confidence in these areas.

For Speaking and Writing, Bao had more concerns, as the content is unpredictable, and part of the score depends on the examiner’s perception. To prepare, Bao regularly practiced writing during class time and sought feedback from his teachers. He believes that without their evaluations, it would be difficult for students to identify errors or areas for improvement.

Bao improved his speaking skills by having regular conversations with his parents at home. He credited his father, a lecturer at the University of Science, Hanoi National University, with reinforcing his foundational knowledge.

"One of the exam questions asked about the impact of weather on people's moods. Thanks to my conversations with my father, I had enough material to answer," Bao shared.

To achieve a perfect score in the IGCSE, Bao believes students need a solid knowledge base, as well as the ability to extend, link, and solve problems. The dual diploma program allowed him to reinforce his knowledge, as many topics were repeated in both curricula. Bao also emphasized the importance of self-discipline, as his teachers often moved quickly through lessons, and the content was dense.

"If I didn’t study on my own, I would have found it difficult to perform well," Bao said.

Currently, Bao maintains an average score of 9.5/10 in his Vietnamese curriculum subjects and A/A* (80/100 or higher) in his Cambridge subjects. He also scored 1520/1600 on the SAT in June. His homeroom teacher, Thang, praised Bao’s academic achievements, noting that his results are among the highest in the class.

"Bao is smart, always focused, and has an excellent ability to plan his studies," Thang said. "He also has strong organizational skills, which allow him to participate in extracurricular activities and sports while managing his academic responsibilities without stress."

With these impressive achievements, Bao hopes to win a scholarship to study in the United States next year, with a focus on Biology.