In her first year applying for scholarships, Vo Minh Ai Nhi (first two years a student of class 45KQT - International Regular Program, last two years a student of class 45K28 - Marketing Faculty) received the prestigious France Excellence Eiffel full scholarship from the French Government. With this Eiffel scholarship, Ai Nhi will study for a Master’s degree (M2) at Université Grenoble Alpes, in the program Le Quanti: Research and Data Intelligence in Marketing.
Secrets to Applying for Study Abroad Scholarships
The Eiffel Excellence Scholarship (Bourse d’Excellence Eiffel) is a scholarship program of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, aimed at attracting outstanding international students to pursue Master's and Ph.D. degrees at French higher education institutions. According to Campus France statistics, this year 1,539 candidates were accepted by French universities to submit their applications to the Campus France council, not counting the large number of applications that were not accepted by the universities for nomination. Each year, around 300 scholarships are awarded to the best candidates from around the world. The current scholarship amount is €1181/month for the entire study period of 12 or 24 months, along with supports for airfare, accommodation, cultural and tourism activities, etc. Notably, the Eiffel scholarship can only be applied for once in a lifetime, making it one of the most prestigious and competitive government scholarships globally.
After graduating as valedictorian and becoming a teaching assistant at the Marketing Faculty, University of Economics - University of Danang, Ai Nhi decided to start applying for Master's scholarships. The Eiffel scholarship was her top choice because it covers full tuition, monthly living expenses, transportation, accommodation, and especially many cultural exchange and tourism activities among Eiffel Alumni worldwide. “Having the opportunity to become one of the few Eiffel Scholars from Vietnam is an achievement that I highly cherish as it demonstrates my abilities in various aspects such as academics, leadership, social activities, and multinational contributions,” Ai Nhi shared.
Applying for study abroad scholarships for the first time, Nhi also faced some difficulties in preparing her application. “Firstly, the time was quite rushed as Eiffel is one of the scholarships with the earliest deadline, in October 2023. I had to complete the entire application including essays, recommendation letters, motivation letters, obtaining certification documents, taking the IELTS test, translation, etc., within 2 months after graduation. However, I was fortunate to receive support from my lecturers and staff at DUE to meet the scholarship requirements in time,” Nhi confided.
Moreover, the Eiffel Scholarship has a different application process where applicants must be nominated through the university they wish to attend, and each university has different deadlines and procedures. Therefore, Nhi also encountered some difficulties when contacting multiple schools, discussing to find the most suitable one for herself, and persuading Université Grenoble Alpes to nominate her application to the scholarship committee. Nhi said: “The school supported me tremendously, and I am honored to study at such a large, prestigious institution in France (ranked #294 in QS World University Rankings 2024, #8 Public University in France), where many of my professors at DUE also studied.”
Advice for young people seeking study abroad opportunities, Nhi shared: “I think those who decide to pursue postgraduate studies and apply for scholarships should start preparing early by listing suitable scholarships, outlining requirements, translating documents, brainstorming essay ideas, etc. A scholarship can take an average of 1-3 months to prepare, submit, and interview, so having a strong mindset from the beginning will help reduce anxiety in this long journey.”
DUE - The Choice for the Future
Sharing about her study experience at DUE, Nhi said: “I was fortunate to experience studying in two programs: the first two years in the International Regular Program and the last two years in the Regular Program of the Marketing Faculty, majoring in Marketing Communications. As the first batch of the International Regular Program, in the first two years, I was initially exposed to an English-speaking study environment, information about scholarships, and studying abroad. This helped me shape the steps needed to prepare for postgraduate study and be ready in terms of language, study skills, and psychology. In my scholarship essay, I also mentioned extracurricular activities in the international regular program and studying with exchange students from Korea to demonstrate my ability to integrate into a multicultural environment.
In the last two years, I chose to switch from the International Regular Program to the Regular Program of the Marketing Faculty with a major in Marketing Communications to complete my undergraduate studies. “The two years at the Marketing Faculty gave me a solid foundation of professional knowledge, necessary skills, and opportunities to participate in many academic extracurricular activities, connecting with many successful alumni worldwide. I identified my career goals and the specific field of Marketing I wanted to explore further, thus being ready for postgraduate study. Additionally, I proudly introduced my academic and research achievements to the Marketing Faculty in my scholarship essays and application. The experiences I gained during this time also helped me confidently pass the interviews with top professors at major universities and receive many compliments on my abilities.”
Four years at DUE have provided Nhi with many valuable experiences. Ai Nhi believes that DUE is an excellent learning environment, continually offering more value to students in the future. Nhi also wants to send her greetings to 2K6 candidates who are in the process of choosing a major and a school. She wishes them confidence in their choices - DUE always welcomes you!
Center for Information and Communication Technology