This study investigates the impact of university autonomy on the academic performance of students at several universities in Vietnam. Using a mixed-methods research approach, the study examines various aspects of autonomy, including administrative autonomy, academic autonomy, and financial autonomy, and their relationship with student academic performance. The results show that increasing autonomy in universities has a positive impact on student academic performance, particularly through improvements in teaching quality, flexibility in curricula, and resource allocation. These findings highlight the potential benefits of enhancing autonomy in higher education institutions and provide valuable insights for policymakers and educational administrators to improve academic performance within Vietnam’s university system.