The secret to getting full scholarships in the US and Italy from a male student in the West

Male student overcomes difficulties, self-studying English

Unlike many people who were good at English since childhood, male student Nguyen Phan Khanh Duy (living in An Binh Ward, Can Tho City) only started to be interested in this subject in grade 10, when he realized that foreign languages were the key to reaching out to the world . Without the conditions to study at a center, Duy studied on his own.   by listening to music, watching English movies with subtitles, practicing pronunciation according to movie characters and regularly practicing online questions.

Student Nguyen Phan Khanh Duy takes a photo with his mother on the day he received his diploma at Can Tho University. PHOTO: DUY TAN

During his 4 years at Can Tho University, Duy always maintained outstanding academic achievements and graduated with honors in international business. Sharing about his learning methods, Duy said that he always focused on listening to lectures, carefully took notes on important parts and actively communicated with lecturers. Right from his first year, Duy actively participated in scientific research, because he believed that this was the door to scholarships and international opportunities.

Thanks to his outstanding achievements, Duy received scholarships to encourage his studies seven times and participated in student exchange programs in Indonesia, Brunei and Taiwan. In his final year of university, Duy and his group of friends conducted a research project on "The impact of food environment on healthy diets in Can Tho City" and successfully received a scholarship of 4,000 USD from the Alliance for Biodiversity and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (Alliance for Biodiversity & CIAT). Duy brought home the scholarship and bonus to help his mother pay for his tuition, and used the rest to buy English materials to study at home.

Duy often studies English at home. PHOTO: DUY TAN

To improve his speaking skills, Duy actively communicated with international friends. Thanks to that, by the third year, Duy's English level had clearly improved. In 2024, Duy took the IELTS test and achieved 8.0, surprising his whole family. Especially Duy's mother, Mrs. Phan Thi Nghia, who raised Duy alone after her husband passed away when Duy was in third grade.

Win a prestigious scholarship from the US to Italy

Not stopping at his domestic academic achievements, Duy continued to prove his ability when he was selected for the "Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative" (YSEALI) scholarship worth 20,000 USD, sponsored by the US Department of State. This is a highly competitive program. To be selected as one of the 4 Vietnamese representatives to study at James Madison University (Virginia, USA), Duy had to write 3 essays highlighting social issues in Vietnam that he wanted to solve. After that, he went through a direct interview with a representative of the US Embassy.

Recently, Duy continued to be awarded the full scholarship "Invest Your Talent in Italy" by the Italian Government to study for a master's degree in applied economics at the University of Padova, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Europe with over 800 years of history. The scholarship not only exempts all tuition fees but also supports Duy with 1,000 euros/month to cover living expenses in Italy.

Duy hopes that after completing his studies in Italy, he will have the opportunity to return to Can Tho University to teach so he can be with his mother. PHOTO: DUY TAN

According to Duy, this scholarship program places special emphasis on academic performance and foreign language ability. In addition to the application and transcript, candidates must also submit a short video introducing themselves and sharing their expectations and goals for the future.

Dream of returning to teach in hometown

Duy expressed that the achievements he has today are thanks to his mother's silent sacrifice and the dedicated guidance of teachers at Can Tho University. This male student is especially grateful to Associate Professor Dr. Phan Anh Tu, Vice Principal of the School of Economics and Associate Professor Dr. Pham Le Thong, Head of the Faculty of Agricultural Economics, who have always supported him in his studies, research and orientation towards international scholarships.

Duy's mother could not hide her emotions when talking about her son: "Although life is still full of hardships, I am happy to have a child who knows how to overcome adversity, has the spirit of self-study and always thinks about the community and society. I am proud of him and grateful to the teachers who have helped him throughout his studies."

Duy said: "I chose to study in Italy because of the full scholarship for the master's program in applied economics that I love. After completing the program, I hope to have the opportunity to return to Can Tho University.   teaching at the University of Economics - where I received a lot of support from teachers in my studies, helping me find scholarships at international schools; and at the same time being with my mother.

It is expected that next September, male student Nguyen Phan Khanh Duy will go to Italy, starting a new academic journey, carrying with him the desire to contribute and deep gratitude to his family, teachers and homeland.

Source: http://thanhnien.vn/bi-quyet-nhan-hoc-bong-toan-phan-tai-my-va-y-cua-nam-sinh-mien-tay-185250724095758655.htm