Vocabulary acquisition is essential for EFL students, as limited vocabulary can hinder communication and comprehension. This study investigated the vocabulary acquisition strategies used by 120 English Language Education students at UIN Ar-Raniry batch 2024, identifying which strategies were most and least frequently employed. Data were collected using questionnaire covering determination, social, memory, cognitive and metacognitive strategies and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that metacognitive strategies were most frequently used (M = 3.94), followed by determination (M = 3.68) and memory strategies (M = 3.68), while social (M = 3.12) and cognitive strategies (M = 3.06) were less frequently used. At the item level, the most and least used strategies within each category were: using English-language media for exposure (M = 4.25) compared to self-testing through vocabulary quizzes (M = 3.55) in metacognitive strategies; associate the word with words that already know (M = 3.80) compared to associating words with pictures to aid recall (M = 3.43) in memory strategies; using dictionary (M = 4.10) compared to checking word forms (M = 3.34) in determination strategies; asking classmates for meanings (M = 3.85) compared to asking the teacher for synonyms/antonyms (M = 2.65) in social strategies; and verbal repetition (M = 4.01) compared to use flashcards to retrieve (M = 2.60) in cognitive strategies. These results highlight students’ preference for self-regulated and contextual strategies over teacher- dependent approaches, suggesting the need for pedagogical support to promote a more balanced use of VLS.