Female student who 'feared' English conquered 8 prestigious universities.

QTO - Having always felt "frozen" whenever she met foreigners, Tran Thi Hong Khanh (born in 2006), residing in Nam Dong Ha ward, never imagined that one day she would receive scholarships from eight prestigious schools in the US, the Netherlands, and Australia. This joy is the result of a process of effort and overcoming vague fears.

Báo Quảng Trị•25/02/2026

Facing the obsession

Returning to her hometown for the holidays, instead of spending time with her family, Hong Khanh dedicated much of her time to teaching, instilling a love of English in young children. Every time she helped a child overcome their fear of English, Khanh felt as happy as if she had received a gift.

I often tell the children: "English isn't difficult; overcoming your own limitations is."

Hong Khanh still maintains the habit of documenting her experiences with English - Photo: Q.H

Hong Khanh still maintains the habit of documenting her experiences with English - Photo: QH

Taking advantage of the time before class, Hong Khanh shared with us that she deeply empathizes with the fear of learning and communicating in English that young children have. Because, in the past, Khanh herself was also apprehensive about this subject. Khanh's parents are entrepreneurs who understand the importance of English, so they guided her from an early age.

What saddened Khanh the most was that despite investing so much time and effort, she still wasn't proficient in English. The knowledge and skills she learned didn't stick in her mind for long. Gradually, a fear of English developed. Every time she met someone who spoke English fluently, she felt insecure and secretly blamed herself.

The more afraid she became, the more hesitant Khánh was to use English to communicate. Once, her father introduced her to a foreign friend. At that moment, the girl who studied English every day suddenly froze. The words she had prepared vanished in an instant. "That's when I realized that fear was taking away my opportunities. I thought I needed to confront my fears," Khánh recalled.

Beyond my wildest dreams.

After that day, Hong Khanh decided to "restart" with English. Instead of forcing herself to become proficient immediately, Khanh chose to "make peace" with her fear. She started with the slowest steps: listening and speaking every day, correcting mistakes as she went along, and persevering like a child learning to walk.

"When I took the time to reflect, I realized that English has its own unique charm and beauty. Learning this subject requires adhering to certain rules," Khanh shared.

Hong Khanh shared her story with young children who are passionate about English - Photo: Q.H

Hong Khanh shared her story with young children who are passionate about English - Photo: QH

As her English skills gradually improved, Khanh allowed herself to step outside her comfort zone. She tried her hand at English-language debate competitions organized by the school and the city. The awards she won boosted her self-confidence. She began taking on the role of bilingual MC.

Beyond her wildest dreams, English has taken Khanh further. She boldly applied for scholarships and received positive responses from two universities in the US, three in the Netherlands, and three in Australia. Ultimately, Khanh chose Monash University, a prestigious institution consistently ranked among the top 50-100 universities globally.

The desire to "pass on the torch"

At Monash University, Hong Khanh is studying two majors simultaneously: Primary Education and Economics . Khanh revealed that while she chose Economics based on her family background, Primary Education is her passion. Previously, in an effort to overcome her fear of English, Khanh applied for and became a tour leader for Amazing English Tour, one of the educational tours chosen by many parents in Quang Tri. There, Khanh used English to connect people, especially young children. The trips filled with joy that Khanh and her colleagues led helped many "young tourists" love English more.

The experiences filled with laughter helped Khanh understand the value of life and education , thus giving her a clearer perspective on her goals. This is also the reason why Khanh actively honed her knowledge, experience, and pedagogical skills during her studies in Australia. She did not allow herself to be negligent or lose her inherent meticulousness. This is what helped Khanh catch the eye of the lecturers, and she was given the opportunity to teach classes after only 3 months of entering university.

As a habit, in Australia, Khanh often carefully records and documents her experiences and learnings. Instead of keeping it to herself, she hopes to share her accumulated knowledge with others, especially young people in Quang Tri . That's also why, whenever she returns to her hometown, Khanh immerses herself in educational programs and projects.

Quang Hiep

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/xa-hoi/202602/nu-sinh-so-tieng-anh-chinh-phuc-8-ngoi-truong-danh-tieng-5c2464e/