Tinh has just become a new graduate of RMIT University. (Photo: RMIT University)

Among the new graduates of RMIT University this year, Ha Viet Tinh is quite different as he is 4 years older than his classmates. After graduating from high school and being admitted to two universities in 2017, but because his family is poor and has financial difficulties, Tinh decided to go to work to gain experience and support his family financially.

Life-changing scholarship

After dropping out of school, Tinh tried to do many jobs, from working at a chicken farm to a garment factory, then learning a trade at REACH - a non-governmental organization that supports vocational training for disadvantaged youth, and working as a sales person at a beverage company.

Despite having to drop out of school, Tinh still has the desire to go to university and learn English on his own through YouTube. After work, Tinh goes to Hoan Kiem Lake to chat with foreign tourists to practice more.

The turning point in Tinh's life came in 2020 when she was accepted into the RMIT University "Wings of Dreams" scholarship worth 100% of the tuition fee for the English program, bachelor's program, monthly living allowance and other allowances. For Tinh, this was a "dream come true" even though she applied with a slim hope.

Tinh studied English for a year and took the SEUP before officially entering university. Every day, Tinh woke up at 5:30 a.m., took the bus more than 30 kilometers from his home in Chuong My district to school in Ba Dinh district (Hanoi), studied diligently and participated in extracurricular activities until the evening, then got back on the bus for nearly two hours to go home.

Tinh said that having to travel such a long distance made him appreciate the opportunity to study even more, giving him more motivation to try harder. Having to temporarily stop studying to go to work made Tinh always tell himself that if he could be a student, he would try his best, making the most of this precious time to experience.

Tinh (male student in red shirt) with student volunteers and RMIT staff at the event welcoming new students in early 2023. (Photo: RMIT University)

Tinh studies on the bus, always trying to complete assignments at least 3-4 days before the deadline. Tinh is active, enthusiastic and a familiar face in extracurricular activities. Tinh used to be a student ambassador and a key member of RED (a volunteer student community at RMIT), participating in supporting dozens of large and small events of the school; worked as a receptionist for student inquiries and requests at the school's Student Connect Student Support Department and participated in organizing activities for international students coming to exchange students at RMIT...

“Tinh is a living testament to the spirit of not being afraid of hardships and always cherishing every opportunity. During the first one or two years, Tinh appeared at almost every event in some supporting role. Tinh did every job seriously, wholeheartedly and proactively,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Linh, Head of Student Activities at RMIT Vietnam.

Years of living a fulfilling student life gave Tinh the confidence to step out into the world. At the end of 2023, Tinh decided to step out of her comfort zone once again and go on a student exchange to RMIT University’s Melbourne campus.

“That nine-month period was extremely precious to me because it was associated with many ‘firsts’. It was the first time I studied abroad alone and encountered difficulties in a foreign country such as finding a house, finding a job, finding a way to use transportation; the first time I worked four part-time jobs in parallel with studying, from being a sales person, kitchen assistant, photographer to serving at a hotel,” Tinh said.

Bring opportunities to poor students

Having studied business administration and had diverse work experience, after graduating, Tinh did not choose to work in any organization but decided to pursue the plan he had cherished since receiving the RMIT scholarship, which was to establish a community English project to bring this language closer to children and people in difficult circumstances.

The province participated in a competition for students in Melbourne. (Photo: NVCC)

The Green English project, launched in early 2025, has created opportunities for dozens of students of different ages in Chuong My district (Hanoi) and Nam Dinh province to access English through free online classes taught by the Province. Following positive feedback from students, the Province is completing legal procedures to open an English center.

Sharing about this project, Tinh said that he had experienced difficulties so he really wanted to contribute to the community, supporting people in similar situations to him to learn English.

Sharing about her journey to success, Thien Huong said that determining a suitable learning path and always maintaining motivation are the keys to helping her conquer all goals.

“I always wanted to teach English in the future, but I never thought I would open my own center in my hometown. What I am most proud of in my journey of growing up is daring to think and act when implementing the Green English project,” Tinh said.

For Tinh, being an English teacher is a "chosen profession", a job that I am passionate about and therefore I can work with more motivation and efficiency.

Receiving his bachelor's degree, ending a journey full of efforts in the lecture hall, Ha Viet Tinh said he will continue to learn and explore, focus on what he can do, enjoy every moment and make every effort for the new goals he sets./.

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/hanh-trinh-tu-nhan-vien-trai-ga-den-tan-cu-nhan-dai-hoc-rmit-cua-nam-sinh-ha-noi-post1033377.vnp