Vietnamese Scholar Awarded the Fully Funded SIUAES Scholarship for Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Sydney

My name is Minh-Hieu Vu, but you can call me Harry. I’m from Ha Noi, Vietnam. I am 19 years old and currently pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce at USYD, majoring in Marketing and Management. I chose these 2 majors as they align with my interests and experience. I love content creation: the feeling of realizing creative ideas into videos excites me, and I want to know how to create videos that can attract people. Majoring in Marketing allows me to further refine those skills so I can apply them to my professional growth. Additionally, I also have experience in leading projects and leading big teams. These are crucial assets that can help me thrive in an increasingly collaborative workplace that I can strengthen with a major in Management

Sydney International Undergraduate Academic Excellence Scholarship Details

Sydney International Undergraduate Academic Excellence Scholarship (SIUAES) from the University of Sydney. It covers all tuition and amenities fees for the entire Bachelor's Program. (amount not specified as tuition costs for each semester are different)

Were You Offered any Other Scholarships?

• Sydney International Student Award: 20% of all tuition fees (University of Sydney)
• UQ International Excellence Scholarship: 25% of tuition fees (University of Queensland)
• Melbourne International Undergraduate Scholarship: 25% of tuition fees (University of Melbourne)
• Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship: Up to AUD $10,000 (McQuarie University)

Educational Background

I have my High school Diploma from Nguyen Hue High School for the Gifted, one of 4 specialized schools for talented students in Ha Noi. As a member of the English 1 class, I acquired a notable 9.9/10 GPA, which is the highest in the class

This background equips me with a strong proficiency in English and all-around knowledge that builds the foundation for business subjects, such as economics, marketing, and human resource management. This greatly aligns with my chosen major

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the University of Sydney?

Since the start of my high school, I knew I wanted to study abroad in Australia, so I started my research early. I looked up all popular universities in Australia and noted down the requirements, which act as a guide map for me to prepare my profile. In the case of the University of Sydney, they require a high proficiency level in both academic aptitude and fluency in English. Hence, I started preparing my GPA points early on by studying hard to get high results for all major tests in school. I also studied for the IELTS exam quite early on and achieved an 8.0 band. To assist me with information gathering, I contacted an agency to keep me up-to-date on any new scholarship offers and allow me more time to have the best preparation.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Sydney International Undergraduate Academic Excellence Scholarship?

There were two main criteria to receive the SIUAES scholarship.

You have to get an unconditional offer: This is acquired by having your IELTS/TOEFL test score and all GPA grades from your last semester in grade 12

Your statement of purpose is verified: it consists of 2 questions that are 1300 words long in total.

To prepare for this scholarship, I had to diligently study to maintain my high scores in exams. Keeping a 9.9 score is certainly not an easy feat and requires a lot of studying time (it also kinda taught me how just to do exams better haha). In terms of the IELTS score, I wanted to take the test quite early to focus on other studies, so it mostly boils down to self-learning. I occasionally joined an IELTS center to rehearse speaking and writing skills, but most of the time is spent on gathering study materials and practicing by myself.

Regarding the statement of purpose, it is a rather rushed process. The scholarship was first introduced near the admission period, so I had little time left to prepare all the requirements. As a result, I spent a whole week cramming and completing my SOP asap. The essay itself is not too long; as a matter of fact, I found there is too little word count to fully express my thoughts. What makes it so time-consuming is how high the stakes were at that time. Imagine your whole future can be dictated by 1300 words, yeah, quite the pressure, isn’t it? I needed to make sure every word I put in was carefully conveyed.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

Reflecting back, I definitely think my high scores in both IELTS and GPA points were big contributors to my application, indicating my academic aptitude. However, the most discerning element is undoubtedly what I expressed in the SOP. I didn’t have an impressive list of activities that could stretch pages on the CV, but I did articulate clearly my professional growth and experiences from what I did. I didn’t have insanely rare academic prizes and rewards, but I do have ambitious and conspicuous goals that I can materialize with consistent discipline and determination. The skills that I showcased in the essay were clear and can be greatly synergized with USYD’s strategy and resources. Collectively, I think my academic abilities, along with my well-established goals and their high relevance to the university program, are what landed me this scholarship.

Honestly, though, after seeing how stacked all other scholars are, I wouldn’t be surprised if I didn’t get the scholarship (smiley face). The impostor syndrome is so real. But I’d like to think that everything happens for a reason, and destiny happens to have a big surprise for me. Perhaps the USYD international office really did realize the potential in me that I didn’t know I had. At the end of the day, you should always be your number 1 supporter. You might be surprised by what you can achieve

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Were Going Through the Process Again?

I would definitely start earlier. As the SIUAES scholarship literally had only been founded weeks before I had started applying for it, I did not have too much time refining my SOP and preparing the necessary paperwork. I would give myself more time to reflect on my application way beforehand, and also try to have more backup preferences in case of failure. But all in all, considering I did have numerous preparatory measures back then, I would not change that many things

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

I will run through a few things very quickly:

Be proactive: Plan out what majors and institutions you want to study, note down what requirements those may have, and how you are going to satisfy those requirements. Planning right in grade 10 is recommended

Don’t tell, persuade: You may have 100 experiences and certificates, but no university will bat an eye if it is unrelated. You have to show why your experiences matter and how they will align with your desired institution’s values. Additionally, you should emphasize what lessons or skills you learned from those experiences, as those are the truly valuable assets.

Believe in yourself: There will be times you question if you are actually good enough and start comparing yourself to others. But always remember you are comparing someone else at their best to you at all ups and downs; it’s just not fair for you. So be confident and have high hopes for yourself, that energy might be reflected in your application.