This study examined the degree of teacher autonomy that Vietnamese university English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers have in selecting their own courses, as well as their perceptions of their freedom, or lack thereof, in course selection and course allocation. Using self-determination theory as a theoretical framework, this study found that Vietnamese EFL teachers had little say in what courses were allocated to them to teach. Rather, the courses were assigned to them by their leaders or course coordinators. The analysis of participating teachers' (N=20) responses in semi-structured interviews revealed that participants were ambivalent in relation to the course allocation process. Some teachers preferred their leaders to assign courses to them, while others were not happy with the course allocation but chose to compromise; there was also a group of teachers who were disappointed with the course allocation process and would prefer to select their own courses. The study concludes that teachers' need for autonomy varies between individuals. The findings also support the application of self-determination theory in investigating teacher autonomy.