Female student travels to 7 countries in one year thanks to scholarships and awards

(Dan Tri) - Le Thu Thuy, a student at the University of Economics in Ho Chi Minh City, had the opportunity to exchange in 5 countries in just one year. During that journey, she took the opportunity to set foot in two other countries when she had a European visa.

Start with a solid academic foundation

Before embarking on international exchange programs, Thu Thuy spent her first three years of university focusing on academics, research, and social activities. Although majoring in Accounting, Thuy soon determined that she would not limit herself to the framework of her major.

Le Thu Thuy (2003), student majoring in Accounting, Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics (Photo: NVCC).

She actively pursued academic research and by her fourth year had two articles published in international journals Q1: Energy Economics and Business Strategy & Development, and attended international conferences such as ASEAN International Conference on Energy and Environment or International Conference of Business Theories & Practices.

Along with her research background, she is also the project manager and coordinator of several large-scale projects such as a UNDP-supported programme, a national project, and the youngest mentor at PISE - a youth training initiative.

At the end of October 2024, thanks to her outstanding achievements, Thu Thuy was honored to receive a certificate of merit for outstanding students in international activities from the Ho Chi Minh City Student Association.

For Thu Thuy, building a profile from the first year is not a pressure, but a proactive choice. She shared: "I consider academics to be the foundation, and foreign activities are an opportunity to broaden my horizons."

Award for students with outstanding achievements in international activities in 2024 (Photo: NVCC).

Seek and conquer international opportunities on your own

At the end of her third year (May 2024), Thuy began applying for international scholarships, exchanges, and competitions. Within a year, she was fully sponsored to the US, Germany, China, Indonesia, and Thailand.

All programs are fully sponsored, including airfare, accommodation and participation fees. While her European visa was still valid, she booked her own transportation to visit two more countries, Qatar and France.

During a five-week exchange in the United States under the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) program fully funded by the U.S. Department of State , Thuy participated in a course on leadership and innovative entrepreneurship, and had the opportunity to access innovative business models, visit large organizations, and expand her international network.

Thu Thuy and other representatives from other countries had the opportunity to interact with the Vietnamese Embassy in Berlin (Photo: NVCC).

She participated in the ASEAN Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition in Indonesia organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China. At this competition, she won third prize. Thu Thuy is also the only representative of Asia to win the International Innovator Award held in Germany.

Thuy's team is also the only team from Vietnam to make it to the finals of the FWD SpringboardX Student Challenge, an innovation challenge for students.

“Through those trips, I had the opportunity to meet professors and businessmen, and I learned a lot from their experiences,” she shared.

Maintaining Identity in a Multinational Environment

"I'm Thu Thuy, from Vietnam", that short introduction has followed Le Thu Thuy, 22 years old, through the US, Germany, China, Thailand, Indonesia,... on international exchanges, competitions and meetings.

In each international program, she brought along the ao dai, traditional gifts such as coffee and conical hats, and actively participated in cultural exchange nights. Moments like singing the national anthem at the YSEALI closing ceremony in Washington DC, in front of hundreds of Southeast Asian students and representatives of the US State Department, were “unforgettable moments,” according to her.

Thu Thuy and representatives from countries participating in the program in the US sponsored by the US Department of State (Photo: NVCC).

“Bringing Vietnam's image closer to international friends is not only the task of the diplomatic sector, but also the responsibility of each student when going out into the world,” Thuy shared.

As a student from the countryside, the first time she set foot in Ho Chi Minh City was also Thu Thuy’s first flight. Without a guide or existing connections, she built everything from scratch: from finding out about scholarships, submitting her own applications, to overcoming a series of failures, including one day when she received 5 rejection letters in a row.

In return, she received 10 scholarships, including the Jabil corporate scholarship (for two consecutive years), Deloitte, and the school's excellent scholarship. Therefore, Thuy was able to cover all of her university tuition and personal expenses.

In addition to her studies, she is also the founder of a club, leads many student projects and is active in extracurricular activities.

“No one gives you opportunities. You have to find opportunities yourself and prove your ability to gain people’s trust,” Thuy said.

What she is most proud of is not the number of awards, but the fact that everything she has achieved is through personal efforts.

Tea Fragrance

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/nu-sinh-di-7-nuoc-trong-mot-nam-nho-hoc-bong-va-giai-thuong-20250804103550713.htm