Research has indicated that self-study is a constructivist learning approach that promotes student engagement within tertiary education. However, teaching at higher education institutions is largely based on traditional lecture mode and thus, students are likely become passive in their learning process. Moreover, little research has been conducted to look into this constructivist approach perceived by students in English as a foreign language (EFL) classes. This paper therefore examines the difficulties of self-study in reading comprehension classes in high quality program at a university in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Data collected in this study included questionnaire and interview. The participants in this study were 75 juniors in English languages and culture studies. The findings from this study indicate that student-related factors such as time, learning environment, and subject-specific vocabulary could hinder them from reading learning. Pedagogical implications and recommendations for students and teachers are provided.