PV: Congratulations to Thao Nguyen on winning a full scholarship to pursue a master's degree in Europe. What's your secret to securing this prestigious scholarship?
Le Thao Nguyen:I will soon be participating in the MA Sports Ethics and Integrity program for two years in five European countries: Belgium, Czech Republic, Spain, Germany, and Greece. This scholarship covers 100% of my tuition fees and monthly living expenses throughout the program. This year, only four scholarships were awarded to non-EU applicants worldwide for this program, with Vietnam receiving the only one.
Ever since my school days, I've harbored the dream of pursuing a master's degree abroad because I wanted to enhance my knowledge, hone my life skills and soft skills, and have the opportunity to interact and make friends from all over the world.
After setting my goals, I always strived to maintain the best possible GPA. In addition, I participated in student union activities at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities to improve my soft skills, and engaged in student research activities to deepen my understanding of the knowledge and issues taught in the classroom.
Although my upcoming master's program is in sports, I have always believed that the social science knowledge I gained during my studies at VNU-USSH will greatly assist me, such as analyzing and deeply understanding behaviors and activities related to ethics and integrity in sports (doping, the dark side of sports related to gambling, inequality, and corruption...).
Besides that, as a long-time die-hard Manchester United fan, I also follow, research, and read a lot of news related to the club. With my love for football, I have a small fan page to support and express my affection. In addition, I see this as an opportunity to make friends and interact with other football fans in Vietnam, thereby gaining more knowledge about this sport.
PV: What skills and experience have you prepared for applying for the master's scholarship?
Le Thao Nguyen:In 2023, after gaining experience working at a non-governmental organization and participating in several sports-related programs, I decided to quit my job to dedicate all my efforts to this application. That same year, I took the IELTS exam, obtained several relevant certifications, and took numerous courses on data analysis and research on Coursera to strengthen my application.
I learned about the Erasmus Mundus program through several posts on websites related to scholarships and opportunities for Vietnamese students. After carefully researching the program's requirements, I boldly applied, and fortunately, luck was on my side.
Interviewer: You were the valedictorian of your graduating class.Southeast Asian StudiesAt the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU Hanoi, is this a significant advantage for your application? Who did you get letters of recommendation from when applying for the scholarship?
Le Thao Nguyen:The Erasmus Mundus scholarship is merit-based (a scholarship that encourages students with high GPAs and scientific research experience), so I think being the valedictorian is also a plus.
In addition, receiving a commendation from the Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee for being the top graduate at universities and academies in Hanoi in 2022 was also a stroke of luck for me, helping me add more achievements to my scholarship application.
However, I know of many cases where students are very talented, with not-so-high GPAs, but their applications are very strong due to experience and relevant skills that match the selection criteria of other programs. Therefore, a high GPA is not a huge advantage. The important thing is for applicants to understand themselves, understand the requirements that the admissions committee is looking for, and make themselves a suitable candidate. The scholarship recipient is not the best student, but the most suitable one.
Fortunately, during the scholarship application process, I received a lot of help from the professors at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. With the help of Ms. Ho Thi Thanh and Ms. Nguyen Ha Phuong (from the Southeast Asian Studies department), I had the opportunity to receive this scholarship. I also requested a Letter of Recommendation from my supervisor at the NGO where I previously worked because I believed that, through our work experience, my supervisor understood my strengths and what made me a good fit for the program.
PV: What were the advantages and disadvantages during the application process? Did you seek advice from mentors, friends, relatives, colleagues, or acquaintances during the application process?
Le Thao Nguyen:During the application process, the most difficult part for me was writing the essay. I rewrote it about 10 times to get a satisfactory result. Self-awareness and presenting myself effectively proved quite challenging for me. Specifying these points to make my application truly competitive and impressive among thousands of other applications required a long, arduous, and time-consuming process before finally achieving success.
As this was my first time participating in international programs, and I had very little experience, I relied heavily on the help of my mentor, friends, colleagues, and family. The feedback, corrections, and even questions I received during the essay revision process gave me the opportunity to reflect on myself, my goals, and my future direction. I am truly grateful and thankful to everyone!
PV: In your opinion, what are the strengths of your application? What aspects of your essay/interview were particularly impressive or memorable to you?
Le Thao Nguyen:I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity and time to thoroughly research the scholarship program. After listening to advice from mentors and friends, I reviewed many related articles and researched information about the program, not only on the website but also on other sites like LinkedIn and Reddit. Then, I contacted former students of the program to better understand their experiences and learning experiences, so I could learn from their expertise and gain a deeper understanding of the program.
During this process, I was also fortunate to read a post shared on Facebook by a fellow student, in which he shared that knowing who his future instructors were, what their main areas of study were, and what subjects would benefit him in the future, etc., was incredibly helpful to me.
Thanks to that preparation, right after the interview with the Professor and Director of the Program, he said something to me that I will always remember: "You understand our program very well, you presented yourself very well, and you are truly passionate about this field of study. I am extremely impressed with you."
PV: What memorable experiences from your student days at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities have helped you a lot after graduation, starting work, and applying for scholarships? What is the most meaningful thing your teachers taught you?
Le Thao Nguyen:Studying at a school with a long tradition and impressive achievements has helped me cultivate and refine the ethics and mindset of a student. I always remember my teachers' teachings: the importance of perseverance and pursuing my goals. I believe that the enthusiastic guidance of my teachers and the humane spirit of my fellow students have provided me with a healthy learning and development environment, helping me discover my strengths, observe others, and continuously improve and strive for progress.
I have always been proud to have been a student of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and believe that the university will continue to train and educate even more talented and outstanding students.
Furthermore, studying at the Faculty of Humanities has fostered a deeper love for my homeland, reminding me that no matter where I go, or which country I study or work in, my heart will always be with Vietnam, and I hope to contribute something, however small, to Vietnam's future development.
Vietnam Student Newspaper:Female Manchester United fan becomes valedictorian, wins European master's scholarship in sports studies.
