The spectacular breakthrough of a female student who previously failed to get into university.

Having failed to get into architecture school, Linh studied for the entrance exam and passed the following year. Afterward, she sought opportunities to study abroad and graduated as valedictorian from a university overseas. She went on to win scholarships and complete her master's degree at MIT (USA).

Trinh Pham Hai Linh

Driven by a desire to contribute to her homeland, Trinh Pham Hai Linh (34 years old) recently returned to Vietnam after working at the Department of Technology and Innovation, Office of the Mayor of Boston (USA).

Persistent, determined

Before graduating with a bachelor's degree in the UK and a master's degree in the US, Linh faced numerous difficulties on her academic journey.

In 2008, after failing the entrance exam to the Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture, Linh felt insecure and decided to enroll in a design course, learning a trade while simultaneously preparing for the university entrance exam. Undeterred, a year later, Linh was accepted into the interior design department of the same university.

However, after studying for almost two years, Linh realized that she wasn't suited for this field.

The door to the field of urban planning opened for Linh when she attended the "Climate Change Adaptation" workshop and community project organized by the University of Hamburg (Germany) and the urban planning department of the University of Architecture in 2011.

With this project, Linh and her German fellow students researched ways to address the impact of climate change on the communities in the Tan Hoa - Lo Gom area (Ho Chi Minh City). Linh witnessed firsthand the suffering of the people due to the poor and polluted living environment and longed for a solution.

Linh realized that urban planning is not simply about drawing up projects, but also a tool to improve the environment, develop socio -economic conditions, and enhance the quality of life for the people. That's why Linh decided to pursue this field.

Thanks to her hard work and dedication, Linh was advised by her professor to switch to urban planning and was promised a letter of recommendation if she studied abroad.

"At that time, I only had two options: review math, physics, and drawing to retake the university entrance exam, which was fraught with difficulties and risks, or consider the suggestion from my German professor about studying abroad and his promise to write a letter of recommendation. In the end, I realized that studying abroad was the more reasonable solution," Linh shared.

When applying to Oxford Brookes University, Linh used her high school diploma and essay to apply for a scholarship. Thanks to her active participation in social work and organizing numerous community programs, Linh was able to convince the admissions committee.

Return to contribute.

In 2012, Linh went to England to study at Oxford Brookes University on a 50% scholarship. Dr. Laura Novo de Azevedo, a lecturer at Oxford Brookes University, shared that Linh is an excellent colleague, capable, mature, and full of enthusiasm for every task.

In 2017, Linh graduated as valedictorian and received the award for Best Urban Planning Student from the Royal Institute of Urban Planning of Great Britain.

After graduating, Hai Linh returned to Vietnam, nurturing her dream of pursuing a master's degree at Cambridge or Harvard. From 2017 to 2021, she persistently applied for scholarships 10 times, and despite being rejected 7 times, she never gave up.

In 2021, Hai Linh won the Fulbright scholarship, a scholarship for Vietnamese candidates to pursue a master's degree in the United States. In March 2022, Linh received news of her acceptance to MIT, where she will be pursuing a master's degree in urban planning.

During her first two semesters, in addition to her required courses, Linh enrolled in data science and programming classes. In her third semester, she continued her studies in public policy at Harvard and took several entrepreneurship classes at MIT. In her final semester, Linh and her friends started a startup, participated in two MIT entrepreneurship programs, and completed her master's thesis.

In May 2024, Linh graduated with a master's degree from MIT. Afterward, she worked at the Boston City Department of Technology and Innovation before deciding to return to Vietnam to start her career and contribute to her homeland.

"Previously, when I failed to get into university, I felt quite insecure about myself. But thanks to perseverance and gradually achieving small successes, I became more confident. Those things helped me to be strong and calm when facing bigger challenges later," Linh shared.

Currently, Linh is involved in research on the role of urban planning in addressing climate change issues in Vietnam. Additionally, she is developing an innovative startup project related to exporting Vietnam's intangible cultural heritage to the world .

Walk on your own two feet

While studying at Oxford Brookes University, Linh meticulously planned her work and study schedule to cover her expenses.

To get free accommodation, Linh works as a student welfare officer at the dormitory, on night duty once a week and one weekend each month. Her living expenses come from her work as a student ambassador and faculty secretary.

Her main job involves leading tours for students and parents, participating in school promotional programs, receiving assignments, and answering students' questions. Additionally, she tutors in graphic design.

Give your all to the job.

Ms. Mai Tang, Hai Linh's former colleague, shared that Linh is an extremely logical thinker with sharp analytical skills and a very clear and coherent approach to problems. However, contrary to the common belief that rational people are often dry and uninteresting, Linh is incredibly cheerful and sociable.

According to Ms. Mai Tang, Linh's success is not only due to her sharp intellect, but also because of her dedication. Once she decides to pursue something, Linh will give it her all, 1000% of her effort.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cu-but-pha-ngoan-muc-cua-nu-sinh-tung-truot-dai-hoc-20250310002607784.htm