A male student specializing in Japanese achieved a perfect score of 180/180 on the JLPT N1 at the age of 17.

Tran Tien Doan, an 11th-grade student at the Foreign Language Specialized High School, achieved a perfect score of 180/180 on the JLPT N1 – a rare achievement at the high school level.

At the age of 17, while many students are still getting acquainted with international foreign language certificates, Tran Tien Doan (11th grade, Japanese specialization, High School for Foreign Languages ​​- Vietnam National University, Hanoi ) reached the pinnacle of Japanese proficiency with a perfect score of 180/180 in the JLPT N1 exam in December 2025.

JLPT N1 is the highest level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, requiring the ability to read and understand academic texts, comprehend complex conversations, and possess a broad vocabulary and extensive knowledge of kanji. According to the school's assessment, the pass rate at this level is very low each year, and achieving a perfect score is even rarer, especially for high school students.

Tran Tien Doan. (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

Overcoming the most difficult hurdle: Chinese characters and academic vocabulary.

Tien Doan said that he lived in Japan from the ages of 3 to 6 due to his father's work, so Japanese came naturally to him, as part of his living environment. Upon returning to Vietnam, his love for Japanese culture – from films and music to daily life – helped him maintain and nurture the language.

" As I got older, I realized that this wasn't just an advantage, but something I truly loved, so I decided to pursue it seriously and set a goal to conquer N1," Doan shared.

According to the male student, the biggest challenge at the N1 level is Kanji and academic compound words. " Just one mistake can lead to a misunderstanding of an entire sentence. Some words look familiar, but their pronunciation and usage are completely different in different contexts ," Đoàn said.

My learning method isn't particularly unique: I accumulate knowledge regularly every day, take notes of new words with their context, and read additional materials outside of the exam to increase my speed and ability to grasp the main ideas. Besides books, I expose myself to Japanese through YouTube, movies, and everyday life content, paying attention to how native speakers express themselves in specific situations.

"I never thought I had completely overcome the difficult part. I just got a little more used to it each day ," she said.

Not only did Tien Doan attract attention with his perfect JLPT N1 score, but he also boasts an impressive record in academic competitions: Second prize in the National Excellent Student Competition in Japanese for two consecutive years (2024-2025, 2025-2026), Second prize in the Hanoi National University Olympic Competition in Japanese (2025-2026), and Gold medal in the National Japanese Short Drama Competition (January 2026).

Teachers assessed Doan as a student with a strong foundation in foreign languages, a serious attitude towards learning, and persistent self-study abilities, particularly excelling in reading comprehension and linguistic reasoning skills.

"Don't put too much emphasis on grades."

Tien Doan said that his parents always supported his Japanese language studies, not putting too much pressure on him regarding grades, which helped him maintain a relaxed mindset and long-term motivation. The classroom environment with many talented students also created positive competition.

The person who has had the greatest influence on Doan is his older sister, who is currently studying in Japan on a MEXT government scholarship.

"In the past, my sister and I often spoke to each other in Japanese, so the language gradually became a natural part of our lives. My sister is a role model for me," Doan shared.

From the beginning, Doan had a desire to study in Japan due to her childhood connection to the country. Her N1 result boosted her confidence in her language skills and expanded her opportunities for international study. However, she stated that she is still exploring her options and hasn't yet clearly defined her future career path.

"For now, the most important thing is to continue studying well and using Japanese as a foundation for future options ," Doan said.

Tien Doan happily held his JLPT N1 certificate with a perfect score of 180/180 in his hands.

In December 2025, Tien Doan successfully achieved a perfect score of 180/180 on the JLPT N1 Japanese language proficiency test. Prior to that, the student had scored 173 points (December 2024) and 178 points (July 2025) on the test twice.

Looking back on his journey, the 11th-grade student considers himself fortunate to have been exposed to Japanese from a young age. Therefore, he especially respects those who start from scratch.

“Don’t put too much emphasis on N1, N2 milestones or scores. Remember why you started learning. The JLPT is only a small part of the language learning process. Even if you get a perfect score, you should still continue studying every day ,” Doan shared.

With a perfect score of 180/180 on the JLPT N1 test at a young age, Tran Tien Doan not only set a rare milestone for high school students but also demonstrated a persistent, natural, and passionate approach to learning a foreign language.

Le Thu

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/nam-sinh-chuyen-nhat-cham-moc-tuyet-doi-180-180-diem-jlpt-n1-o-tuoi-17-ar1002032.html