Grade 4 student achieves IELTS 8.0 on first attempt

Nguyen Hung Viet Bao, a 10-year-old student from Bac Ninh Province, achieved an IELTS Academic Overall Band Score of 8.0 on his first attempt at an IDP test center on May 28.

His scores included 8.5 in Listening, 8.0 in Speaking, 7.5 in Reading, and 7.0 in Writing.

Nguyen Hung Viet Bao, 10, from Bac Ninh Province, achieved an IELTS 8.0 score while he's still in Grade 4. Photo courtesy of Bao

According to publicly reported cases in Vietnam, Bao is among the youngest known candidates to achieve an IELTS Academic Overall Band Score of 8.0.

"When I saw the result, I felt happy," Bao said. "At the same time, I was a little disappointed because my reading score was lower than what I usually achieved during practice."

Bao's mother, Phuong Thuy, said the family did not view IELTS as a mandatory goal.

"For a child at this age, IELTS is not a necessity," she said. "We saw it as an opportunity for him to challenge himself, build confidence and gain new experiences."

According to his family, Bao maintained a regular school schedule and continued participating in hobbies and other activities while preparing for the exam. His IELTS preparation began only a few months before the test.

The family said Bao was introduced to English at an early age through books, cartoons and educational content. Over time, English became a regular part of his daily life, helping him build a foundation before focusing on the specific format and requirements of the IELTS exam.

During the speaking test, Bao said he approached the examiner as someone having a conversation rather than conducting an assessment. He relied on personal experiences and spontaneous responses instead of memorized answers.

This approach helped him communicate naturally and respond confidently to follow-up questions, contributing to his Speaking score of 8.0.

Among the four IELTS skills, Nguyen Hung Viet Bao considered writing the most difficult. Photo courtesy of Bao

Bao said writing was the most challenging section because it required not only language skills but also critical thinking, general knowledge and the ability to organize ideas within a limited time.

His family said regular reading and exploring topics of interest in English helped him gradually expand his vocabulary and knowledge base. During the exam, he relied on that foundation to develop and present his ideas.

Bao also said that while practice materials helped him become familiar with the IELTS format, much of his reading and listening ability came from daily exposure to English through books, educational videos and subjects that interested him.

His family attributed the result to a combination of language aptitude, long-term exposure to English, a strong interest in reading and learning, and consistent support without excessive academic pressure.

Viet Bao during a sightseeing trip in Germany. Photo courtesy of Bao

In addition to English, Bao uses Vietnamese and German in daily life. According to his family, switching between the three languages has become a routine part of his studies and daily activities.

While proud of the achievement, the family described it as one milestone in Bao's educational journey.

They said their long-term goal is to encourage a love of learning, curiosity and resilience rather than focusing solely on test results.