FLY LIKE YOU, NOT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE: My Australia Awards Scholarships Journey

My name is Hangbou (Patrick) OENG. I am a graduate student at the University of Melbourne, Australia, supported by the prestigious Australia Awards Scholarships, funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Originally from Cambodia, I obtained my Bachelor’s Degree in Media Management at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. I did an exchange semester at Chulalongkorn University, under ASEAN & Non-ASEAN Scholarship - Exchange Semester. In 2024, I was selected for the YSEALI Academic Fellowship Program under the Social Entrepreneurship & Economic Development theme at the Univerisity of Connecticut, USA. That was also when I decided to continue my postgraduate academic journey.

I served my professional work at KOUPREY Communications agency. My work has stemmed from different fields in digital marketing and communication working alongside Small and medium Enterprises (SMEs), especially in digital literacy.

That was also a connecting dot in my journey into entrepreneurship which stemmed from my belief that these fields possess immense power to drive social and economic impact. My mission remains unchanged: to champion inclusion, diversity, and equity, including mental health, and digital inclusion. I am eager to leverage the principles of social entrepreneurship through my master's degree journey to achieve this.

Australia Awards Scholarships Details

Australia Awards Scholarships are prestigious international awards offered by the Australian Government to the next generation of global leaders in developing countries. Through study and research, recipients develop the skills and knowledge to drive change and help build enduring people-to-people links with Australia.

I was honored to receive the Australia Awards Scholarship for the intake 2025, to do my graduate degree in Master of Entrepreneurship at The University of Melbourne, the top #13 university globally.

The scholarship provided me with return air travel, a one-off establishment allowance on the arrival of 5000 AUD, an annual living allowance of 34,500 AUD, full tuition fees, an Introductory Academic Program, overseas student health coverage for the duration of the scholarship, and many other supports.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the University of Melbourne?

My preparation started by identifying majors that are offered in Australia that align with my goal. The University of Melbourne stood out as the university is renowned for its research contribution to solving social, economic, and environmental challenges that are tightly connected with communities, at home and abroad. The university’s Melbourne Business School is ranked 1st nationwide according to QS Ranking (2024), making it an ideal place for my digital entrepreneurial studies.

Later, I started researching the university's available resources and requirements, including the IELTS test. These were essential in crafting my motivational letter to the university.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Australia Awards Scholarship?

I began preparing for the Australia Awards Scholarships as early as 2023. I attended the Australia Awards Cambodia Information Session and read the scholarship handbook to understand the scholarship and prepare the relevant documents. One of the essential components was the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test score. Therefore, I started preparing for the IELTS Test to meet the standard requirement as soon as possible.

The next step was to craft my journey into a compelling story. I was hesitant about whether to further pursue a strategic communication degree or pivot to entrepreneurial study. That was the hardest step and took me the longest time.

Later on, I sought comments from several alumni after completing the first draft of the application. Their advice was essential to polish my essays and propel them to new heights.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

There are several factors but I believe the most important component is the alignment of my experience, the major I want to pursue, and my future career plan to the scholarship’s goals.

That was my second time applying for the Australia Awards Scholarships. Coming from a background in media and communication, I always felt a sense of an imposter in the social entrepreneurship & development space. Seeing most of my seniors in similar media majors all continued their graduate studies in media & communication fields, I felt like my option was the same. I forgot that my work experiences and plans all drift toward entrepreneurial study.

During my 2nd attempt, I reality sat down and thought about my journey and story. I decided to follow my gut to write my own story and bet on pursuing my entrepreneurial master's degree. That was a genuine key decision that led to everything that came after. Finding my own story and continuing to polish the story throughout the essays and applications was what I believe made my application stand out.

The lesson I learned was that everyone has their own story and journey. We don’t have to follow everyone's footsteps or let those thoughts constrain our decisions. The stories of people who came before us should be our guidance and inspiration but not an exact roadmap. Find our journeys and fly like ourselves, not like everyone else.

What Would You Have Done Differently If You Are Going Through the Process Again?

What I would have done differently would be to go easier on myself. I did attempt to apply for many other scholarships with not-so-fruitful results. Turning back, those experiences were what made the journey valuable and landed me on the Australia Awards Scholarships. The work experience I garnered, and the network I built along the journey, were also what strengthened my application. Therefore, I would have trusted the timing and the process more.

What Advice Would You Give Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

My similar advice to people who are applying for a similar scholarship is to be kind to yourself. Applying for a scholarship can be very hard. Sometimes despite all the hard work, we wouldn’t achieve our desired result on the first try. However, there are many factors involved besides our competencies like timing. No two people have the same journey. So if it’s something that we want, then it doesn’t matter how much more effort, or much more time we put in. Be kind to ourselves, put in the work, write our own stories, and fly like ourselves, and not like everyone else.