Without perfect score, female student "grabs" prestigious scholarship thanks to love of tea

(Dan Tri) - Without a perfect score or international award, Nguyen Phu Minh Chau still won a full scholarship to Kyoto University (Japan) thanks to an essay written from his passion for matcha tea.

From 5 hour bus rides every day

One early summer afternoon, Phu Nguyen Minh Chau, a 12th grade literature student at the High School for the Gifted in Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, unexpectedly received news that he had been awarded a scholarship to Kyoto University, the top 2 university in Japan and 57th in the world, according to the THE 2026 rankings.

“When I received the news that I had won the scholarship, I jumped for joy. I didn’t think I would pass because the results came so soon. I had just finished the interview in the morning and the results came out in the afternoon, while the schedule to receive the results was a week later,” Minh Chau excitedly recounted.

Nguyen Phu Minh Chau, an excellent female student who received a prestigious scholarship from Kyoto University (Photo: NVCC).

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, Minh Chau's mother, shared that moment with a smile: "I was very happy at that time, but not too surprised because I somewhat believed in my child's ability. What made the whole family happiest was that she was accepted to every school she applied to, and all of them were top schools in Japan."

Behind that email of acceptance was Minh Chau's 3 years of high school with a 4-5 hour journey every day, traveling by 2-3 buses between home and school. The petite student carried a backpack heavy with books, occasionally napping on the bus or taking the opportunity to review her lessons, but never once complained or gave up.

Ms. Huong shared that the thing she is most proud of is not only her child's academic achievements but also her perseverance, bravery and determination. No matter how difficult it is, Minh Chau always tries to overcome it and never complains.

Minh Chau said that since she was little, she always wanted to study abroad because she wanted to see the world and gain more experiences. However, she knew that her family's financial resources were limited, so she tried to build her own achievements and take standardized exams in advance to maximize her chances of receiving a high scholarship.

The female student told herself that the scholarship race was only for those who deserved it, so during her 3 years of high school, she spent her efforts "plowing" extracurricular activities and completing her application.

Minh Chau chose to start with what she could. She studied SAT and IELTS on her own, accumulated a GPA of 9.7, achieved 1560 SAT, 8.0 IELTS and the title of "3 Good Students" at the National University level.

Minh Chau won a full scholarship to Kyoto University, a top 2 university in Japan (Photo: NVCC).

While preparing my application, every day I went to my usual coffee shop, ordered a cup of matcha latte, turned on my computer, wrote… and then deleted.

“Every sentence I wrote at first felt unimpressive. I asked myself: Do I really have anything special to say?”, Chau recounted.

Minh Chau's biggest challenge was not the paperwork or procedures, but learning to believe that her own story was worth listening to. In a fierce scholarship race where everyone was trying to stand out, she chose to tell a very simple story: her love for matcha.

And that journey began not with outstanding expectations, but with a very ordinary passion.

Writing an essay with the love of matcha and the dream of telling the story of Vietnamese tea

Minh Chau grew up going on trips to the mountains with her family, each time bringing back a small bag of tea to try. Later, when she learned about Japanese matcha, Chau was impressed not only by its flavor but also by the way the Japanese turned a type of tea into a living cultural symbol.

“I think tea is more than just a drink. It is a part of memory, culture, and even an economic future if developed properly. Matcha is a bridge between personal passion and the desire to contribute to something bigger,” Chau said.

In her essay and interview, Minh Chau chose matcha, her favorite tea, as the center to express herself. With her true understanding, from the matcha production process, classification, market positioning to trips to learn about tea culture, Chau made the admissions committee believe in her passion.

Besides writing about tea, she also talked about her grandfather, who lived in Laos for more than 30 years to support the construction of the national television station. From his image, she continued the spirit of "crossing borders, silently contributing" in her own way. From something as small as tea, Minh Chau wanted to create a Vietnamese brand with a soul, a story, and an identity.

Choosing to study economics in Kyoto is not just about understanding the market. For Minh Chau, it is a way to learn how to tell a story that others want to listen to and want to accompany. She wants to research deeply about agricultural supply chains, sustainable exports and small business development models, so that one day, Vietnamese tea will not only be sold, but also told as part of the culture.

In addition, Nguyen Phu Minh Chau also excellently received a full scholarship from the Fast Retailing Foundation (Japan).

Minh Chau excellently received a full scholarship from the Fast Retailing Foundation (Photo: High School for the Gifted in Social Sciences and Humanities).

After winning a full scholarship from the fund, Chau continued to apply to Sophia, Keio, Nagoya, Waseda, and Kyoto Universities. Chau was accepted to all five schools and chose to study economics at Kyoto University.

Chau's total scholarship value is about 3 billion VND, including full tuition, initial settlement costs and monthly living expenses of 160,000 Yen (30 million VND).

Mr. Hoang Ngoc Chien, Chau's math teacher and homeroom teacher for three years of high school, commented that his student was always a good student, with his final grades always among the top in the class. Chau took the initiative to study IELTS and SAT before her classmates.

Chau also impressed the teacher with her discipline and time management skills. Her house is 20-30 km from school, but she was rarely late during her 3 years of study.

Minh Chau said she was looking forward to her days studying abroad in Kyoto, not only because she could study, but also because she could experience the Japanese spirit of “living fully in every little thing”: from a cup of tea, a Haiku (a Japanese poetry genre), to the seasonal arrangement of a store. That is the invisible education that she always admires in this country.

The female student also wants to try making a small vlog channel, recording her journey of studying - living - tasting tea. Not to become famous, but to preserve the moments of herself living in a country she has always dreamed of.

In the future, she wants to study for a master's degree and intern at tea companies, places that have created national brands from traditional agricultural products. After that, Minh Chau will return to Vietnam, not only to "sell tea", but to tell a story about the survival, revival and expansion of values that were thought to have been forgotten.

From her journey, Minh Chau learned that a study abroad application does not need to "show off" how good she is, but should show how she has lived with passion and the values she believes in.

“Write honestly, write deeply, and don’t be afraid to tell the little things. A great profile doesn’t come from being better than others, but from making the reader believe that you are on the right path and that you are committed to continuing, wherever you go,” Chau shared.

Khanh Ly

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/khong-diem-tuyet-doi-nu-sinh-am-hoc-bong-danh-gia-nho-tinh-yeu-tra-20250728225603123.htm