3 years abroad to get full scholarship
In mid-2023, Nguyen Duc Anh (25 years old, from Binh Phuoc) received an email announcing that he had won a full scholarship for a PhD at one of France's top public universities. "That was the happiest moment of my life," Duc Anh shared. For this 25-year-old man, the dream of studying in France was something he had never dared to think about before.
“I spent exactly 3 years abroad to get a full scholarship for the next 3 years abroad. This was really surprising, from learning English, graduating with honors in both master’s programs, to receiving a full doctoral scholarship. Everything was beyond my imagination at the time of graduating from university,” Duc Anh confided.
Nguyen Duc Anh was honored to receive a doctoral scholarship in France.
Nguyen Duc Anh grew up in the border district of Bu Dop (Binh Phuoc), close to the Cambodian border. In 8th grade, he followed his family to Bac Ninh to live. Here, the young student encountered many difficulties in integrating, especially with his distinct southern accent. Duc Anh said: “In the first two years, I was constantly teased by my friends because of my accent. By the end of 8th grade, I was even attacked by a group of classmates.”
In high school, the situation was somewhat better, but Duc Anh still felt distant from the new environment. In grade 12, he decided to ask his parents to return to Binh Phuoc to live with his sister’s family. This sudden decision was strongly opposed by his father. “My father said that if I returned to Binh Phuoc, he would not provide any tuition or living expenses, but luckily my mother and sister supported me wholeheartedly,” Duc Anh recalled.
Living away from his parents helped Duc Anh learn to be independent. The young man had to help his sister take care of two young children, mill rice and sell sugarcane juice to earn extra income. "I realized that if I wasn't independent, I wouldn't be able to accomplish anything," Duc Anh shared.
After graduating from high school, Duc Anh passed the entrance exam to the Business Administration program at Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry (now Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade). University was the period when Duc Anh felt he could “be himself” when he freely experienced, participated in extracurricular activities and worked part-time. However, these activities also had a significant impact on his academic performance. “I had to retake 4 subjects in the first two years,” the young man recalled.
Economic hardship also came when Duc Anh’s family fell into debt. Duc Anh shared: “At that time, my father called me to say that I might have to quit school because the family could no longer afford the tuition. But my mother encouraged me: ‘Try hard, I will find a way to help you continue studying’.”
His mother’s encouragement helped Duc Anh change completely. Instead of focusing on social activities, he started spending more time on studying. Thanks to that, in his third year, Duc Anh won his first scholarship. “That was the moment I realized I could do anything, as long as I persevered and tried,” Duc Anh shared.
To cover living expenses, Duc Anh also worked as an MC at weddings and conferences in Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces in addition to studying. During this time, Duc Anh also met a friend who was studying abroad in France. This friend encouraged him to think about pursuing higher education and winning a scholarship to study abroad. "At that time, I thought this was really unrealistic. With a GPA of 2.78/4 and lacking an English certificate, I never dared to think about studying abroad," Duc Anh said.
However, thanks to the encouragement of his friends and lover, after graduating from university, Duc Anh decided not to go to work immediately but to devote all his time to improving his level. For three months, he spent 8 to 10 hours a day studying English. "As a result, I went from zero to IELTS 6.0 in just a few months," Duc Anh said.
Duc Anh is currently pursuing a PhD in Innovation Management at the University of Paris-Saclay, France.
In addition, to apply for a master's scholarship in France, Duc Anh had to design a research project related to his field of study. Thanks to the advice of experts, the young man from Binh Phuoc found a feasible idea and this helped him receive the highest scholarship from Audencia Business School (France) for the major of Agricultural and Food Business Management.
"I never thought I would learn English or study abroad before I was 23. But when I set foot in France, everything opened up before my eyes. Here, I had the opportunity to meet and learn from many talented people around the world," Duc Anh said.
Sweet fruit after months of tireless efforts
After completing his first master's program, Duc Anh applied for a doctorate but was rejected by many schools. "At that time, I was very disappointed in myself, but thanks to those rejections, I realized that I still lacked many skills and experiences," he shared. Undaunted, Duc Anh decided to study another master's program in Research in Management and Innovation at Skema Business School.
“This program is completely different from the previous one because I have to delve into research methods and management theory. Every week I have to read 15-20 scientific articles. Although it is quite heavy, this helps me hone the skills necessary for doctoral research,” Duc Anh said.
In 2023, thanks to careful preparation, Duc Anh re-applied for a doctorate and this time was successful. The 9X received a full scholarship to study Innovation Management at the University of Paris-Saclay, one of the most prestigious universities in France.
“I learned a lot from my last application. To be accepted into a PhD program, candidates must proactively contact professors with similar research interests and thoroughly research the school’s development orientation,” Duc Anh shared. He emphasized that writing a motivational letter is an important factor in impressing the admissions committee: “Instead of listing all my academic experiences, I focused on why I chose to pursue a PhD and why I was a good fit for the school,” Duc Anh said.
Despite receiving a full PhD scholarship, Duc Anh believes that he still has a lot to improve. "I am still on a journey of learning and improving every day. After completing my PhD program, I hope to have the opportunity to become a lecturer at a public university in France," the 9X shared.
Source: https://danviet.vn/nam-sinh-que-binh-phuoc-danh-hoc-bong-tien-si-toan-phan-truong-dai-hoc-hang-dau-nuoc-phap-2024092410170565.htm
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