Hunting for scholarships: One job, many tasks

săn học bổng - Ảnh 1. — Many students choose to pursue scholarships instead of taking on part-time jobs to supplement their finances - Photo: DIEU LINH

Scholarships are not just a source of financial support; they also open doors to academic opportunities, helping students develop skills and affirm their self-worth.

To get closer to scholarships, students need not only to strive to improve their academic performance, accumulate extracurricular activities, research experience, and critical thinking skills, but also to proactively seek and access suitable scholarship sources.

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hai

Reducing financial burdens, opening academic avenues.

Nguyen Van Hung, a former student of the Geography Department at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, is one example.

In 2023 and 2024, Hung received a scholarship from AEON Group (Japan) - "AEON 1% Scholarship Fund", along with many scholarships to encourage learning from the school.

Having faced financial pressure when he first entered university, Hung viewed scholarships as a "lifeline," with some scholarships worth tens of millions of dong.

This motivates him to study hard and actively participate in academic activities. As a result, Hung not only improved his academic performance but also built an impressive personal profile, gradually gaining access to prestigious scholarships.

"I use my professional skills to hunt for scholarships and thanks to the scholarships, I have more conditions to continue to improve my expertise and interests," Hung shared.

Scholarships not only help you achieve financial stability but also serve as a springboard to access broader academic environments such as workshops, scientific conferences, and research paper submissions, while also potentially leading to top graduation results in your department.

Similarly, Le Phan Thao Nghi - a former psychology student at Ho Chi Minh City University of Education - also made good use of scholarships as a way to be financially independent and invest in herself.

Thanks to maintaining good academic performance and actively participating in scientific research, such as winning scientific research awards at the school and ministerial levels, Nghi regularly receives scholarships every year, enough to cover tuition fees and travel expenses , and also providing additional resources to participate in skills and foreign language courses.

Nghi's scholarship hunting journey was an opportunity to learn how to plan and develop proactiveness. Thanks to her serious investment in her studies, Nghi not only became financially independent but also secured a job before graduation, becoming one of the outstanding graduates of her class.

Double benefit

According to MSc. Vo Ngoc Nhon, Deputy Director of the Admissions Counseling Center at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, scholarships are a significant source of financial support.

There are scholarships at many schools or foundations that offer scholarships that are very valuable, sometimes even more than the cost of tuition. This can not only help cover tuition but can also be used to buy materials, take advanced courses or even cover living expenses.

Mr. Nhon believes that compared to part-time jobs, pursuing scholarships offers greater long-term value. Part-time work provides students with quick income and sometimes helps them accumulate professional skills such as problem-solving, communication, and teamwork, but it often takes up a lot of time and can easily affect their health and academic performance.

"Most of these jobs are routine, contribute little to future career development, and can even have a negative impact if the work environment is toxic," Mr. Nhon observed.

Conversely, pursuing scholarships requires academic investment and long-term planning. Depending on their goals, students can not only improve their academic results but also participate in specialized training courses, expand their network, and develop various skills.

This is a crucial foundation that helps your profile stand out to employers and creates opportunities for future research and teaching development.

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hai - Deputy Head of the Geography Department, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City - emphasized that academic scholarships not only help alleviate financial difficulties but also serve as a stepping stone for students' holistic development, from specialized knowledge to soft skills.

According to Mr. Hai, each scholarship has its own criteria, which requires students not only to study well but also to demonstrate their own abilities, accumulate academic achievements, extracurricular activities, research experience and critical thinking ability.

Secrets to hunting for scholarships

Thu Trang, a former student of the Corporate Finance major at the Institute of Banking and Finance, National Economics University, shared that her secret to securing scholarships lies in maintaining a good GPA and actively participating in scientific research.

From her second year onwards, Trang consistently participated in competitions and won numerous awards from the school level to the ministerial level, thereby securing additional financial support and accumulating achievements to enhance her resume.

According to Trang, to prepare for scholarship applications, the first thing is to proactively update information through the school's website, email, faculty fan page, or professors. Getting information early helps you understand the criteria and prepare accordingly.

Secondly, maintaining a stable GPA and actively participating in academic activities such as research will enhance your application. Finally, if aiming for a scholarship to study abroad, honing your academic English skills and writing proposals or research statements is essential.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/san-hoc-bong-mot-cong-nhieu-viec-20250910091228294.htm