12 young faces receive Japanese scholarships: Bringing Vietnamese aspirations to the world

This is the third year the program has been implemented in Vietnam, bringing the total number of students receiving scholarships to 27 in the past 3 years (from 2023 - 2025).

This is one of the highly selective and international scholarship programs sponsored by Fast Retailing Group (parent company of the UNIQLO brand). Not only is it an opportunity to study at Japan's top prestigious universities such as Waseda, Keio, Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya..., the scholarship program also aims to nurture future leaders - those who have the ability to connect knowledge, community and spread good values to society.

Why are more Vietnamese students selected?

In an interview with Thanh Nien Newspaper reporters in Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of June 30, Mr. Yoshido Ishida, Secretary General of Fast Retailing Foundation, shared: “I am very proud that the number of Vietnamese students selected this year has doubled compared to the first year. This is not because we have more budget, but because we clearly see the potential, excellence and self-effort of the students. That is why we want to invest more and give more opportunities.”

12 Gương mặt trẻ nhận học bổng toàn phần tại Nhật Bản từ Qũy Fast Retailing - Ảnh 1. — The 12 Vietnamese students who received full scholarships in Japan this year are all talented and courageous young faces.

Mr. Yoshido Ishida also emphasized that what the fund expects is not only that the children achieve their personal goals, but also the ability to connect, lead and return value to the community through the knowledge and experience they accumulate.

Forecasting natural disasters, saving people with artificial intelligence

Tran Le Khanh Ngoc, a student at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted (HCMC), is one of the 12 outstanding faces receiving this year's scholarship. Khanh Ngoc will study political science and economics at Waseda University - one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan.

“I used to participate in many social activities, especially at orphanages. Although my friends had the opportunity to go to school, I realized that theeducational conditions they had access to were still very limited compared to mine. That made me realize how lucky I was and motivated me to want to make a change,” Khanh Ngoc shared.

12 Gương mặt trẻ nhận học bổng toàn phần tại Nhật Bản từ Qũy Fast Retailing - Ảnh 2. — Tran Le Khanh Ngoc, a student at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted (HCMC) is a confident, proactive and charming female student.

Khanh Ngoc aims to establish a non-profit educational organization in the future. She believes that studying in Japan will help her gain fundamental knowledge in policy, economics , law and administration, which are necessary to operate a sustainable and socially responsible organization.

Unlike Khanh Ngoc, Le Manh Cuong, a former IT student at Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, is aiming to apply artificial intelligence (AI) to develop an early warning system for natural disasters. Cuong will study environmental management and information research at Keio University.

Observing the reality of historic storms and floods in the Central and Northern regions in recent years on newspapers and television became the motivation for Cuong to pursue this field of study.

“I realized that if a large school in the capital like mine was affected by the storm, then how much more difficult it would be for places that were not well prepared. AI cannot replace everything, but I believe it will be a useful tool to help people forecast, prepare and minimize risks before natural disasters.”

12 Gương mặt trẻ nhận học bổng toàn phần tại Nhật Bản từ Qũy Fast Retailing - Ảnh 3. — Le Manh Cuong regularly follows environmental news on the media.

Cuong hopes that in the future, countries can build a global disaster data sharing system, connecting millions of sensors from all over the sea, on mountains, in cities, to process data with AI and issue early warnings.

“I want to contribute to building such a system, and will return to Vietnam when I have accumulated enough experience, perspective and necessary capacity.”

"The best quality scholarship today"

Mr. Nguyen Ha Nguyen, Deputy Chief of Office of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, said: “As the department’s foreign affairs officer, I have many opportunities to interact with international scholarship programs, as well as schools and organizations that want to receive Vietnamese students to study and research.

In my opinion, the Fast Retailing Foundation Scholarship is one of the best scholarships available today. The universities that you can study at in Japan are among the top in the world, both in terms of academics and personal development environment."

“We are not looking for perfect people. We are looking for young people who believe in themselves, dare to dream and are willing to use their knowledge to bring better things to the community,” Mr. Ishida added.

Both Khanh Ngoc and Manh Cuong are well aware that scholarships are just the starting point. Ahead of them is a journey of living independently, adapting to culture, studying in an international environment and maintaining personal aspirations.

“Try as many things as you can, especially things you are passionate about,” Cuong said. “Because only when you try will you know what you really want.”

The Fast Retailing Foundation Scholarship is a full undergraduate program for Vietnamese students studying in English at 12 leading universities in Japan, including Waseda, Keio, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka... The scholarship includes tuition, living expenses (128,000 - 160,000 yen/month), housing expenses and insurance throughout the study period.

Admission requirements include: under 19 years old at the time of admission, Vietnamese nationality, TOEFL iBT score of 90 or IELTS score of 7.0, and SAT score of 1,450 or equivalent certificates (ACT, IB, EJU). Applicants must be enrolled in an English bachelor's program at a school designated by the fund, not receiving other non-refundable scholarships, and have a desire to learn about Japanese culture.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/12-guong-mat-tre-nhan-hoc-bong-nhat-ban-mang-khat-vong-viet-ra-the-gioi-185250630212415216.htm