Cu Khanh Linh, a student at Vietnam-Japan University, Vietnam National University, Hanoi , has just returned from Japan after completing an exchange semester at Kansai University (Osaka). “This trip gave me a lot of interesting experiences,” said the third-year student. Here, Linh participated in a startup project in the Kansai region and did internships at businesses. In addition to studying, like a “sponge,” the female student also actively absorbed the culture, seized opportunities and experienced with other international students. These things once again motivated the Vietnamese student to continue looking for opportunities to return to Japan.

Cu Khanh Linh is currently a student at Vietnam-Japan University, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (Photo: NVCC)

In fact, Linh has cherished the dream of studying in this country since her junior high school years. At that time, when studying at To Hoang Secondary School (Hanoi), Linh chose to learn Japanese as her second foreign language, besides English. At first, when learning a new language, the female student also struggled to remember the entire alphabet. But thanks to her talent for learning foreign languages, Linh absorbed it very quickly, even becoming one of two students sent by the school to attend a summer camp in Japan. The process of being exposed to the language and cultural exchange with friends and international experts further urged Linh to want to stick with Japanese in a systematic and in-depth way. Therefore, in high school, the female student decided to take the exam to enter the Japanese specialized class of the Foreign Language Specialized High School, then continued to apply to Vietnam - Japan University in 2021. Becoming a student of Vietnam - Japan University, in 3 consecutive semesters, Linh won scholarships with a GPA of 3.6/4. Thanks to this achievement, in her second year of university, Linh became an outstanding student chosen by the school to welcome and interact with former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Mr. Yamaguchi Natsuo, leader of the Komeito Party, during their visit to Vietnam. “In just 10 short minutes, I had the opportunity to communicate and dialogue with the leaders of Japan. This made me very happy, proud and also a memorable mark of my student life,” Linh said.

Linh and students interacted with Mr. Yoshihide Suga, former Prime Minister of Japan.

In her third year, Linh decided to “step out of her comfort zone to see what she could do.” At this time, Linh began looking for short-term exchange programs and student exchanges. Short-term programs usually last a few days, while student exchange scholarships usually last a semester or longer. In addition to GPA, students also need to write essays and meet a number of other criteria. In July 2022, Linh received a full scholarship for an academic exchange program organized by the Japan Science and Technology Development Agency, lasting 10 days. Here, Linh participated in lectures and a series of related courses. “During that time, I also had the opportunity to visit and experience Japan’s latest revolutionary technologies. In addition, I was also very impressed with the disciplined, punctual, meticulous and hard-working style of the Japanese people,” Linh said. After this trip, Linh continued to apply for a semester of exchange at Kansai University. This is a rare school that awards scholarships to exchange students, so it is very competitive. The school requires students to have at least a N2 Japanese certificate, have good academic performance, and an essay and a research plan. For the essay, Linh wrote about her motivation and the reasons why she chose the school, why she would be the right person. For the research paper, Linh chose a topic revolving around her motivation to learn Japanese and how to improve and maintain that motivation. "My essay, activities, and experiences may not be the best, but they fit the selection criteria, so this school gave me a scholarship," Linh said. After a semester studying in Japan and returning to Vietnam, Linh decided to continue her efforts by applying to transfer to Waseda University, one of Japan's elite universities, for 2 years. This time in her essay, Linh tells her own story, from a girl who came to Japan for the first time, was "shocked" because the new environment was too strange and the friends around her "knew a lot of things", "had sharp perspectives and critical thinking". But in just a short time, she learned to gradually adapt, ready to open up to receive new perspectives. The sincerity in sharing her experiences and orientation helped Linh receive the nod from Waseda University, the school with the lowest admission rate in Japan. This August, Khanh Linh will continue to go to Japan. This return for Linh is much "easier" because she has more motivation and confidence in herself to continue trying. “I am determined to win a scholarship within the next 2 years, graduate with a degree from Waseda University, then have the opportunity to work at a Japanese company or another country to enrich my experience before returning to Vietnam,” Linh shared.

Vietnamnet.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nu-sinh-dai-hoc-viet-nhat-hai-lan-di-hoc-trao-doi-o-nhat-ban-2292165.html