How Van Nguyen, a Vietnamese Scholar, Secured a Partially Funded Master’s Through the Invest Your Talent in Italy Scholarship

My name is Van Nguyen, and I am from Vietnam. I hold a bachelor's degree in Data Science and am currently a master's student in Computer Science at the University of Trento. I chose this field because I found a great interest in Computer Science, problem-solving, and building AI solutions for other scientific fields such as Biology.

Invest Your Talent in Italy Scholarship Details

Scholarship name: Invest Your Talent in Italy Scholarship

Institution name: University of Trento

Amount: 10800 euro/ year

Were You Offered Any Other Scholarships?

Erasmus Mundus - EMMaH, fully funded

VLIRUOS - University of Hasselt, fully funded

University scholarships: MBZUAI - fully funded, University of Verona - 8000 euro/ year

Educational Background

I graduated with a Distinction degree in Data Science; my GPA is 3.7/4.0. My academic background in Mathematics, Machine Learning, AI, and my research experience in Bioinformatics have provided me with fundamental subjects to qualify for the master's program requirements related to Computer Science or Computational Biology.

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

How Did You Find Information About Invest Your Talent in Italy Scholarship and University of Trento?

I found out information about scholarships and institutions by searching on Google, Facebook, and through my networks.

Did You Take Any Standardized Tests? If So, How Did You Prepare for Them?

I took the IELTS test with a score of 7.5. Since my bachelor's program is fully in English, I spent about 2 weeks preparing for the exam.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Invest Your Talent in Italy Scholarship?

I started by making a list of target countries, universities, and scholarships provided by both the government and the universities. I then narrowed it down to a list of 10 most suitable programs, which matched my background and my long-term career goal. After that, I prepared my CV, Statement of Purpose, Introduction Video or Portfolio, and Reference Letter for each program. For each program, I spent 2-3 weeks customizing the application for the specific program. The whole procedure takes around 4-5 months before the deadline of the application season.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I think the consistency in my academic, research, and work experience. Everything I did has a strong relevance to AI, Machine Learning, and Bioinformatics topics. On the other hand, the interview/ video round is a valuable opportunity where I can provide more information about my goals, plans, and mindset, which are limited to express through my CV or SOP due to the length limitation.

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

I would do nothing differently because I am grateful for every right and wrong decision I made, which has helped me to become more careful and strategic throughout the whole application process and achieve more than I expected.

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

Try to make your profile as relevant as possible to the program instead of putting all the information into the application document. Also take care of your health because the application process can be very exhausting.