Vu Anh Phuong (born in 1994) graduated with a master's degree from Purdue University, USA - a prestigious university in the world's top 10 in the STEM field. During her high school years, the former student of Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted saw many of her friends studying abroad, but she never dared to dream of it. "My academic performance at that time was not outstanding, my parents were civil servants, they did not have enough money to send me to study abroad without a full scholarship," Phuong said.

Master Vu Anh Phuong.

It wasn’t until she entered college and her friends went abroad one by one that Phuong was truly inspired and determined to find a way to go out into the world. At the age of 21, Phuong set foot in the United States for the first time thanks to a 5-week YSEALI exchange scholarship.

A year later, she continued to receive a full scholarship for a 5-month scientific research program in the US. At the age of 23, while still a university student, the Vietnamese girl passed the full doctoral scholarship program (Research Assistantship) at Purdue University - a milestone that made Phuong realize that she could go much further than she thought.

“With the PhD research assistant scholarship, I not only received a full tuition waiver but also received more than 600 million VND per year in living expenses – literally studying abroad for free,” Phuong recounted.

Initially, Phuong pursued a doctoral program with the desire to become a university lecturer. However, after several years of studying and experiencing the real world in the US, the dynamic girl realized that she was suitable for the highly practical corporate environment. Therefore, Phuong decided to defend her thesis in her third year, graduated with a master's degree with honors from Purdue University and entered the professional working environment at a biotechnology company right after graduation - May 2022.

In May 2022, Phuong received her master's degree in Botany from Purdue University, USA.

During the day, Phuong works and focuses on professional development. In the evening, she returns home, takes care of her family and enjoys time with them. After that, the female master spends time answering questions and supporting students of Scholarship EZ - a project that helps young people develop strategies to hunt for full scholarships.

On weekends, Phuong will spend time focusing on giving feedback, correcting documents, and organizing video calls to provide strategic guidance to help you master knowledge, skills, and gain confidence on your journey to conquer your dream of "spreading your wings" to the world.

After dozens of applications and receiving nearly 10 scholarships, Phuong realized that being accepted does not only depend on luck but also requires a clear strategy. When the story of Phuong's PhD scholarship was mentioned in the press, she received dozens of messages from friends who shared the same concerns as why high scores, many extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation from high-ranking officials still failed to get into their dream school.

That was also the inspiration for Phuong to create Scholarship EZ - an information page that helps systematize scholarship information and share successful application experiences. The opportunity to become a US study abroad consultant (mentor) also began from there.

“It's not because you're not good, it's just because no one guides you ,” Phuong shared.

Up to now, after 5 years of consulting, Phuong has helped more than 300 Vietnamese students successfully win scholarships to the world's top universities. Among them, 3 students passed the PhD exam in the US while still in their final year, and two students won scholarships for master's degrees in law at Harvard and Oxford University. The continuous acceptance letters and words of thanks from students motivate Phuong every day.

“The number of students receiving US government scholarships such as YSEALI and Global Ugrad is so great that there are sharing sessions at the US Embassy where nearly half of the speakers are people I have guided,” Phuong said with a proud smile.

As a mentor, Phuong always focuses on not only helping students complete a beautiful profile but also shaping their mindset and building a long-term foundation for their journey of studying and developing an international career.

One of the methods that Phuong finds most effective in the EZ Apply class – guidance on hunting for full scholarships, helps students access many perspectives from people with different expertise and experience.

“More importantly, the journey with students does not stop at submitting applications. I always try to help them determine their long-term direction: what industry is suitable for them, what value they want to create, and what they need to prepare to not only pass and study abroad, but also survive and develop in an international environment,” Phuong emphasized .

Phuong works in the laboratory of Dr. Jin-rong Xu, Purdue University, April 2021.

The multi-talented girl believes that the biggest obstacle for many Vietnamese candidates is not their ability but their lack of accurate information and clear direction. In particular, many of them do not really understand the difference between Vietnamese and Western writing styles.

With Phuong's support during the application and application process, Uyen Thu, born in 2002, passed the PhD in Microbiology at Texas A&M University right after graduating from Hanoi University of Science and Technology. Thu received advice on ideas and support from Phuong in editing the first drafts.

“Ms. Phuong is the role model I look up to in the future. She also inspires me to be more confident and proud of myself at the present time,” Thu shared.

Vinh An, born in 1999, passed the master's degree at Harvard Law University right after graduating with a bachelor's degree in law in Vietnam. She commented that Ms. Phuong's most profound saying was "the person who wins the scholarship is not the best person, but the most suitable person."

In the coming time, Anh Phuong and her husband and children will spend a whole year living, contributing and connecting more deeply with their homeland Vietnam.

After six years away from home, Phuong plans to return to Vietnam with her American husband and son to visit her family in Hanoi this summer. Phuong said her husband will teach at a local university, specializing in Plant Genetics.

For Phuong, bringing her child back to Vietnam is not just a trip but also a journey for her child to experience her mother's culture, language and roots.

“I always believe that a person living anywhere in the world, no matter how far away, needs a place to return to – and for me, that is Vietnam,” Phuong confided.

Le Thu

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/ba-do-mat-tay-giup-nhieu-sinh-vien-viet-gianh-hoc-bong-vao-dh-harvard-oxford-ar938949.html