Student Testimonials

I’m super happy with my experience studying Vietnamese with teachers from VLS. The staff there are very friendly, patient, and supportive. I spent a week in August 2017 studying at the District 1 branch with a few different teachers before moving to Soc Trang, a province in the Mekong Delta. I continued studying via Skype with just one teacher, cô Hằng, after that for about ten months. She organized our one-on-one classes around my schedule and tailored her lessons in order to help me meet my language learning goals. Not only that, but cô Hằng also taught me about a lot of different aspects of Vietnamese culture, including information about how Vietnamese is used in the Delta compared to other regions, which may not be immediately apparent to people who are just starting to study the language. It would’ve definitely taken me a long time to figure out a lot of those things if I had only been studying on my own. This made my meetings with cô Hằng and studying Vietnamese in general feel very personal. VLS always seems to be organizing different events that offer students, their friends, and their families opportunities to meet new people, practice what they’ve studied so far, learn some practical language, and develop that (what I think is necessary) cultural literacy. Over the past few years, I’ve always felt welcomed at VLS and that the teachers and other staff there are dedicated to helping students develop and improve their language skills. So, I highly recommend VLS to anyone interested in seriously studying Vietnamese.

I have been studying at VLS for about a year now. I’m really happy with the service and know that I have improved because of the way I am now able to communicate with my wife’s family. I am not a natural linguist but that does not matter because the lesson plans are both useful and challenging to do.I started out with doing group classes because I wanted to meet new people, but my Vietnamese improved a lot more when I took on private classes. I do highly recommend 1 on 1 classes as it has given me a lot more to gain. I have been studying for a year already, as mentioned. I then took a 2 month break and just started again. I’m pleased to see that I have not forgotten a lot; which tells me my study gains are real. Now, I plan to continue studying at VLS for another year.

It’s been an absolute delight to study at VLS for the past 5 months. I couldn’t think of a better environment to learn Vietnamese. The teachers and administrative staff are so supportive and there’s always such a happy/fun atmosphere around the classrooms. The teachers I’ve had are really experienced who can easily identify strengths/weaknesses and are dedicated to improving ones Vietnamese skills. The events organized by VLS are also fun! You’d be silly not to learn Vietnamese in Saigon if you live here mid/long term. Highly recommended!!

I was so nervous about starting to learn Vietnamese, but straight away I was made to feel relaxed and comfortable. I have had two amazing teachers, so professional and friendly. Each week I come to my lesson with well prepared and personalised resources. Everything I’m taught is relevant and I feel I am making progress. The admin staff are also great and make an effort to get to know you! Would highly recommend!

I am super satisfied with the VLS. My parents are both from Vietnam, but I was born in Germany. I could speak Vietnamese, even if it was more at elementary school level, but I couldn’t read or write at all. I’ve wanted to learn Vietnamese for a long time, but with this skill set I fall out of the box. At adult education centers, where you learn things like “Hello, my name is …”, I would not have been linguistically challenged. On the other hand, as a quasi illiterate person, I cannot simply take part in a “normal” Vietnamese course for Vietnamese people. So I’m really happy to have found the VLS. My sister and I have a tutor. (Super affordable!) The lessons take place online via Zoom and are very individually tailored to us. Thank you for this great experience.

I can’t believe it’s already been a year of studying at VLS! I started my classes when I moved to Saigon and was quickly paired with a great teacher and classmate. My teacher has been incredibly patient, compassionate, and easy to get along with and learn from. She incorporates everyday experiences of living and working in Saigon into our classes, and I’ve used my beginner Vietnamese well with colleagues, neighbors, and friends. Since COVID-19 hit, I’ve been learning online and the transition has been smooth and efficient. I highly recommend VLS for students looking for a wonderful and supportive community of enthusiastic students, teachers, and staff alike. I’m excited to continue learning with VLS!