10X Vietnam achieves excellent master's degree thanks to support from ChatGPT, 'explaining like a 5-year-old'.

Born and raised in a modest family in Hanoi , Thanh Viet (born in 2001) never dreamed of studying abroad. In 11th grade, Thanh Viet began his journey to conquer the IELTS exam. Starting with a 7.0 IELTS score, he diligently studied for five years and achieved an 8.5 IELTS score (9.0 Reading, 8.5 Listening, 8.5 Writing, 8.5 Speaking). This laid the foundation for Thanh Viet's dream of pursuing a master's degree abroad.

This male student previously served as an academic advisor for IELTS FACE OFF on VTV7, completed his CELTA Teaching Certificate from Cambridge, and is also the author of two IELTS teaching books.

Start with the goal of "getting 50 points to pass the subject."

Having earned a bachelor's degree with distinction from the Diplomatic Academy, Thanh Viet was awarded a master's scholarship at the University of Bristol, UK, worth £26,000 (approximately VND 845 million) starting in August 2024.

When he first arrived in England, Viet didn't have high expectations. He said he only set minimal goals. "On the first day of school, I only dared to think that passing the course with a 50 would be enough. It was my first time studying abroad, everything was new, and there was a lot of reading to do, so I didn't think about getting high grades ," Viet said.

However, after a year, the young man's series of essays consistently scored above 75 points. According to Viet, this achievement didn't stem from any special talent, but from "relearning how to read, think, and write from scratch." Simultaneously, he incorporated AI technology effectively.

The minimum GPA required for a master's degree with distinction in the UK is 70. Thanh Viet achieved 80 points, his research paper received 83 points, and no subject scored below 75 points. "I am proud because this is a dream result, exceeding my expectations and initial goals ," Thanh Viet shared.

Bui Thanh Viet graduated with distinction with a Master's degree from the University of Bristol, UK, in December 2025.

Excellence comes from small changes.

During his master's program, Viet had to read an average of 10-12 research papers per week. Some topics, when writing a 3,000-word essay, might require 50-70 references. If he just skimmed through the material, he would quickly become overwhelmed. Therefore, he set a rule for himself: each paper had to answer three questions – what the author was arguing, what theoretical framework they were basing their argument on, and what they were omitting.

“I created a three-column note-taking table: what people say, the theoretical framework, and my own thoughts. This method seems simple, but it helps me read more slowly and understand things more deeply instead of just nodding along ,” Viet shared.

Viet also prioritizes reading a combination of classic authors and newly published research to grasp both the fundamentals and current trends. After accumulating notes, Viet learns to synthesize rather than simply copy. He likens this process to recreating an academic debate.

According to the young man, critical thinking at the master's level is also a necessary "upgrade" for students. At the master's level, Thanh Viet learned how to engage in dialogue with predecessors: "Do previous researchers agree or disagree with me?", "Are there any studies that contradict my views?", "How have I acknowledged and addressed my shortcomings?" . To achieve this, Viet had to immerse himself in research.

" I had to swim in a sea of documents, reading hundreds of research papers filled with technical jargon, to the point where after finishing them… I didn't understand what I had just read," Viet recounted.

During his studies, Viet used ChatGPT as a supporting tool to explain difficult concepts, specialized vocabulary, compare arguments, and check his own level of understanding. He also asked ChatGPT for suggestions on how to express himself more clearly and naturally in English, but always revised it to maintain his own writing style and arguments.

In particular, Thanh Viet "revealed" that the command he used most often with ChatGPT during his master's studies was: " Explain as if I were a 5-year-old child !" According to Viet, language must be precise in every concept, without using sophisticated or complex words; it just needs to be simple, clear, and most importantly, accurate because using even one wrong word can completely derail the author's intended meaning.

"Once I finish writing, I'll ask ChatGPT to compare it against the scoring criteria and revise it to make it as perfect as possible. More importantly, I consider ChatGPT an academic assistant, not a... helper, so I'm solely responsible for all decisions regarding content, analysis, and final conclusions," Viet shared.

He used AI to identify basic errors and then carefully checked his references. The student believes that a clear, clean essay without basic errors also helps him feel more confident and shows respect for the grader.

Viet is pictured with his fellow Master of Education students at the University of Bristol, UK, in April 2025.

Looking back on his studies, Viet believes that his excellent master's degree results didn't come from any big secret, but from persistently changing his habits. Reading with more purpose, synthesizing information more thoughtfully, and writing with a more planned and responsible approach to each word helped Thanh Viet improve his results.

"Such small changes can make a big difference when pursuing a master's degree ," Thanh Viet emphasized.

Looking back on his journey to earning a master's degree in the UK, Thanh Viet is grateful for the support and companionship of his teachers, family, and friends.

" I'm grateful to my past self for taking the risk of applying for a scholarship, packing my bags, and going to England to start over, so that now I can bring back a small story and an excellent master's degree to Vietnam ," Thanh Viet confided.

Thanh Viet plans to become a university lecturer in the near future and pursue a doctoral degree in the coming years.

Professor Rafael Mitchel, a lecturer in the Faculty of Education at the University of Bristol, commented: "Thanh Viet is a perfectionist, always setting high standards for everything. His master's thesis was meticulously written, with a solid research foundation and profound thinking."

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/10x-viet-dat-thac-si-xuat-sac-nho-ho-tro-tu-chatgpt-giai-thich-nhu-tre-5-tuoi-ar992173.html