Male student from Binh Phuoc wins full doctoral scholarship from top university in France

Three years abroad to earn a full scholarship.

In mid-2023, Nguyen Duc Anh (25 years old, from Binh Phuoc ) received an email announcing that he had won a full PhD scholarship at one of France's top public universities. "That was the happiest moment of my life," Duc Anh shared. For this 25-year-old man, the dream of studying in France was something he had never dared to think about before.

“I spent exactly 3 years abroad to get a full scholarship for the next 3 years abroad. This was really surprising, from learning English, graduating with honors in both master’s programs, to receiving a full doctoral scholarship. Everything was beyond my imagination at the time of graduating from university,” Duc Anh confided.

Nguyen Duc Anh was honored to receive a doctoral scholarship in France.

Nguyen Duc Anh grew up in the border district of Bu Dop (Binh Phuoc), close to the Cambodian border. In 8th grade, he followed his family to Bac Ninh to live. Here, the young student encountered many difficulties in integrating, especially with his distinct southern accent. Duc Anh said: “In the first two years, I was constantly teased by my friends because of my accent. By the end of 8th grade, I was even attacked by a group of classmates.”

In high school, the situation was somewhat better, but Duc Anh still felt alienated from the new environment. In grade 12, he decided to ask his parents to return to Binh Phuoc to live with his sister’s family. This sudden decision caused his father to strongly oppose. “My father said that if I returned to Binh Phuoc, he would not provide any tuition or living expenses, but luckily my mother and sister supported me wholeheartedly,” Duc Anh recounted.

Living away from his parents taught Duc Anh independence. The young man had to help his sister take care of her two young children, mill rice, and sell sugarcane juice to earn extra income. "I realized that if I wasn't independent, I wouldn't be able to accomplish anything," Duc Anh shared.

After graduating from high school, Duc Anh passed the entrance exam to study Business Administration at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry (now the Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade). University was the period when Duc Anh felt he could "be himself," freely experiencing new things, participating in extracurricular activities, and working part-time. However, these activities also significantly affected his academic performance. "I had to retake four subjects in the first two years," the young man recalled.

A difficult economic period also came when Duc Anh's family fell into debt. Duc Anh shared: "At that time, my father called me to say that I might have to quit school because the family could no longer afford to pay. But my mother encouraged me: 'Try your best, I will find a way to help you continue studying'."

His mother's encouragement completely transformed Duc Anh. Instead of focusing on social activities, he began dedicating more time to his studies. As a result, in his third year, Duc Anh won his first academic achievement scholarship. "That was the moment I realized I could absolutely do anything, as long as I persevered and tried hard," Duc Anh shared.

To cover living expenses, Duc Anh also worked as an MC at weddings and conferences in Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces in addition to studying. During this time, Duc Anh also met a friend who was studying abroad in France. This friend encouraged him to think about pursuing higher education and winning a scholarship to study abroad. "At that time, I thought this was really unrealistic. With a GPA of 2.78/4 and lacking an English certificate, I never dared to think about studying abroad," Duc Anh said.

However, thanks to encouragement from friends and lover, after graduating from university, Duc Anh decided not to go to work immediately but to spend all his time improving his level. For three months, he spent 8 to 10 hours a day studying English. "As a result, I went from zero to IELTS 6.0 in just a few months," Duc Anh said.

Duc Anh is currently pursuing a PhD in Innovation Management at the University of Paris-Saclay, France.

Furthermore, to apply for a master's scholarship in France, Duc Anh had to design a research project related to his field of study. Thanks to the advice of experts, the young man from Binh Phuoc found a feasible idea, which helped him receive the highest scholarship from the Audencia Business School (France) for the Agricultural and Food Business Management program.

"I never thought I would learn English or study abroad before the age of 23. But when I set foot in France, everything opened up before my eyes. Here, I had the opportunity to meet and learn from many talented people from all over the world," Duc Anh recounted.

The sweet reward after months of relentless effort.

After completing his first master's program, Duc Anh applied for a doctorate but was rejected by many schools. "At that time, I was very disappointed in myself, but thanks to those rejections, I realized that I still lacked many skills and experiences," he shared. Undaunted, Duc Anh decided to study another master's program in Research in Management and Innovation at Skema Business School.

“This program is completely different from the previous program because I have to delve into research methods and management theory. Every week I have to read 15-20 scientific articles. Although it is quite heavy, this helps me hone the skills necessary for doctoral research,” Duc Anh said.

In 2023, thanks to thorough preparation, Duc Anh resubmitted his doctoral application and this time was successful. The 9X generation student received a full scholarship in Innovation Management at the University of Paris-Saclay, one of the most prestigious universities in France.

“I learned a lot from my previous application. To be accepted into a PhD program, applicants must proactively contact professors in similar research areas and thoroughly research the university's development direction,” Duc Anh shared. He emphasized that writing a motivational letter is crucial to impressing the admissions committee: “Instead of listing all my academic experience, I focused on why I chose to pursue a PhD and why I am a good fit for the university,” Duc Anh said.

Despite receiving a full PhD scholarship, Duc Anh believes he still has much to improve. "I'm still on a journey of learning and self-improvement every day. After completing my PhD, I hope to have the opportunity to become a lecturer at a public university in France," the 9X generation student shared.

Source: https://danviet.vn/nam-sinh-que-binh-phuoc-danh-hoc-bong-tien-si-toan-phan-truong-dai-hoc-hang-dau-nuoc-phap-2024092410170565.htm