Le Thao Nguyen graduated as valedictorian in Southeast Asian Studies, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU-USSH) in 2022. The 24-year-old worked at a non-governmental organization before quitting her full-time job to prepare for her scholarship application to study abroad.
Thao Nguyen on her university graduation day.Thao Nguyen was accepted into two Erasmus Mundus master's programs: MAiSI (MA in Sport Ethics and Integrity) and GEMMA (MA in Women's and Gender Studies). Passionate about football, a die-hard fan of Manchester United and the German national team, and aspiring to pursue a career related to her interests, she chose MAiSI.
Speaking to a reporter from the Vietnamese Student Section of Tien Phong newspaper, Thao Nguyen said she will be studying and experiencing life in five European countries: Belgium, the Czech Republic, Spain, Germany, and Greece. In her first country, Belgium, she will be studying at KU Leuven University, which is ranked in the top 20 globally for sports-related subjects according to the QS Ranking 2024.
Even more exciting, MAiSI students will participate in a Summer School held at the University of Peloponnese (UoP) and the International Olympic Academy (IOA) in Peloponnese, southern Greece. This location is within the archaeological site of Olympia, the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games thousands of years ago.
The MAiSI program for the 2024-2026 academic year is not eligible for full Erasmus Mundus scholarships; it only offers tuition fee waivers/reductions and living expense support. Only four scholarships are awarded to students from non-EEA countries, and Thao Nguyen is one of them.
In addition to tuition fee waiver, she receives a monthly living allowance from the program. Since the MAiSI master's program opened in 2017, Thao Nguyen is the first Vietnamese student to receive this scholarship.
Thao Nguyen at the celebratory party for Vietnamese students receiving Erasmus Mundus 2024 master's scholarships, organized by the EU Delegation and representatives from member states.
Having become a Manchester United fan since the age of 12, the English club has had a significant influence on her. “Following MU helped me realize that everyone's life has its ups and downs. The important thing is never to give up and always look forward because 'form is temporary, class is permanent'.”
Currently, my favorite and most supportive player is center-back Lisandro Martínez. Licha always plays with passion, dedication, and is very reliable. Every time he stands in front of Onana's goal, I feel reassured while watching the club's match," she shared.
Driven by her personal passion, Thao Nguyen began reading numerous news articles and documents related to football in particular and the sports industry in general. She established and managed a small fan page to support her favorite team and interact with other football fans, thereby gaining more understanding and perspective on the king of sports.
This girl from Hoai Duc district, Hanoi, has dreamed of studying abroad since she first entered university. She always strives to maintain the best possible academic performance, conducts scientific research to further her knowledge, and participates in extracurricular activities and youth union movements to enhance her soft skills.
Thao Nguyen was honored to receive a Certificate of Merit for graduating as valedictorian from Prof. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan - Rector of VNU-USSH.
Although pursuing a master's degree in sports science, Thao Nguyen believes that her prior knowledge of social sciences will greatly assist her in analyzing and researching behaviors and activities related to ethics and integrity in sports. This includes issues such as doping and the darker side of sports involving gambling, inequality, and corruption.
During a "gap year"—a period of time off from work to apply for scholarships—Thảo Nguyên tutored English for young children near her home. She took the IELTS and other related certifications, and supplemented her application with courses on data analysis and scientific research methods on Coursera.
While researching studying abroad, Thao Nguyen learned about the Erasmus Mundus merit-based master's scholarship, which prioritizes applicants' academic achievements. Having been recognized as the top graduate in Hanoi, she recognized this as a significant advantage and was determined to apply.
Received the title of top graduate in Hanoi in 2022.
Thao Nguyen submitted three letters of recommendation to the admissions committee. Two were from university lecturers, Dr. Ho Thi Thanh and Dr. Nguyen Ha Phuong, from the Department of Southeast Asian Studies, Faculty of Oriental Studies (VNU-USSH). In addition, there was a letter of recommendation from her direct supervisor at a non-governmental organization focused on gender equality, someone who understood her strengths and how they aligned with the program.
The most challenging part was the essay, as Thao Nguyen had to draft and revise it at least 10 times to get the most satisfactory version. She spent a lot of time finding the right fit between what she had and what the program needed. From there, she skillfully highlighted them in a way that was both unique and impressive within the given word limit.
The MAiSI program had never had any Vietnamese students enrolled, and Thao Nguyen was applying for the first time with very little experience in international programs. The journey to securing the scholarship was not easy, but she felt fortunate to have her family, mentor, friends, and colleagues by her side.
Everyone offered comments and feedback on her essay. Sometimes, the questions from others during the revision process were invaluable insights that helped her reassess herself, evaluate her goals, and clearly define her future direction.
Thao Nguyen (right) is part of the event organizing committee sharing information about the Erasmus Mundus scholarship.
Thao Nguyen affirmed: “The most important thing is to understand yourself and the requirements that the admissions committee is looking for. From there, you can adjust yourself to become a suitable candidate. I always believe that the scholarship recipient is not the best person, but the most suitable person.”
Before each interview round, Thao Nguyen carefully reviewed the program's website and information pages, read related articles on social media and foreign discussion forums like Reddit. She contacted alumni on LinkedIn to ask for advice, experiences, and gain a deeper understanding of the program.
She researched the program's faculty to find out who they were, what subjects they taught, and what their main research areas were. Thanks to this, during her interview with the professor who was also the director of the MAiSI program, Thảo Nguyên vividly remembers the comment: "You have a very good understanding of our program and demonstrate a passion for the field. I am extremely impressed with you."
Thao Nguyen (top row, 5th from the right) and other Vietnamese students receiving Erasmus Mundus scholarships at an event in late July 2024.
Amidst the vibrant summer days of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Thao Nguyen was busy following the Olympics while also completing the necessary procedures to fly to Europe. She began making a list of stadiums to visit at famous clubs in Germany, Spain, and England, as well as learning about the operations of international sports organizations.
"Specialized knowledge about sports is still quite new to me, so my top priority remains studying. In the distant future, I hope to be able to do something to help raise awareness and understanding among young Vietnamese people about ethics and integrity in sports," Thao Nguyen said.
Vietnam Student Newspaper:Female Manchester United fan becomes valedictorian, wins European master's scholarship in sports studies.
