From a passion for programming to the door to the International Olympics.
From his very first lines of code in elementary school, Tran Nhat Tan, a 12th-grade student at Bac Lieu Specialized High School (Bac Lieu ward), has persistently pursued his passion for programming with an admirable spirit of self-learning.
Báo Cà Mau•16/05/2026
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That journey not only helped her win second prize in the national Informatics competition for gifted students, qualify for the national team selection round to participate in international and regional Olympiads, but also made her the only student in Ca Mau province to be exempted from the high school graduation exam and given priority for direct admission to universities and colleges in 2026.
The first lines of code
Few would have guessed that Tran Nhat Tan's journey to national exams began with curiosity during his elementary school years.
A study session of Tran Nhat Tan (fifth from the left) with his teammates in the Informatics gifted student team.
From the 4th and 5th grades, Nhat Tan was introduced to programming through simple software and the Young Informatics Competition. Initially, it was just for fun, but the more he learned, the more captivated he became by the logical thinking and creativity of the subject. By the end of 9th grade, he began to study it in depth and decided that programming was his long-term career path.
Tran Nhat Tan has demonstrated his capabilities through numerous impressive achievements at each educational level:
Primary school level: Third prize at the National Young Informatics Competition; lower secondary school level: Encouragement prize at theNational Young Informatics Competition; upper secondary school level: First prize in the provincial-level excellent student competition for many consecutive years, Encouragement prize, Third prize, and Second prize in the national-level excellent student competition in grades 10, 11, and 12 respectively; Gold medal in the April 30th Olympic competition and the Southern Summer Camp.
According to Mr. Nguyen Chinh Tin, Head of the National Informatics Olympiad Training Team (Bac Lieu Specialized High School), Tran Nhat Tan's most outstanding quality is his passion for programming and his excellent self-learning ability. Even in middle school, Tan showed exceptional aptitude for computer science. In 10th grade, although not yet part of the official provincial team, he was recommended by his teachers to participate in the national Informatics Olympiad, and on his first attempt, he won an Encouragement Award.
"Tan's progress has been remarkable year after year. What's commendable is his strong self-learning spirit; he proactively seeks out resources and participates in many international online programming competitions to hone his skills," shared Mr. Tin.
The sweet fruits of perseverance
Behind the impressive academic record are hours of diligent study in front of the computer, challenging algorithmic problems, and sleepless nights spent participating in time-traveling programming competitions.
"There's a lot of material online, so I mainly studied on my own, practiced with sample questions, and asked my teachers when I encountered difficult parts," Tan shared.
My family has always been a source of emotional support, without pressure or coercion, allowing me to freely pursue my passions proactively.
Outside of class, Tan spends most of his time at home studying and practicing algorithms and programming.
Becoming the only student in Ca Mau province to be exempted from the high school graduation exam and granted direct admission to university in 2026 is a significant milestone, not only for Tan but also for Bac Lieu Specialized High School. Mr. Le Hai Nam, the school's Vice Principal, shared: "His achievement is proof of the school's effectiveness in identifying and nurturing gifted students from an early age."
Following his initial successes, Tran Nhat Tan plans to study Artificial Intelligence at the University of Science , Ho Chi Minh City – a field closely related to his passion for programming and technological thinking.
Certificate of achievement for the Encouragement Award in the team category for Tran Nhat Tan at the 2025 ICPC Vietnam National Programming Competition.
From a student fascinated by his first lines of code, Tran Nhat Tan has gradually achieved success in major intellectual competitions through his own efforts and perseverance.
Tran Nhat Tan's journey is also a source of inspiration for the students of the southernmost region of the country, demonstrating their determination to excel – a place where passion, if nurtured properly, can absolutely reach international arenas.
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