This study investigated listening strategies used by students in different listening tasks and situations in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context. Thirty EFL students in a university in Vietnam were recruited for the study. The study aimed to explore what listening strategies EFL Vietnamese learners at university level used and why and how they used those listening strategies. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study collected data from a listening strategy questionnaire and from individual interviews. The results indicated that social/affective strategies were used more frequently than metacognitive and cognitive strategies. The study further found that the students struggled to flexibly use strategies in orchestration. The results are discussed in light of the cultural characteristics and teaching and learning approach of the Vietnamese context. Implications for teachers and curriculum developers are given with the aim of enhancing the quality of listening instruction.