23-year-old Vy Thi Huyen Trang received the news of her acceptance into the logistics engineering and management program at the Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (Tsinghua SIGS), part of Tsinghua University, on 10/7. According to the 2025 THE rankings, the university is ranked 12th globally and first in Asia.
"I am overjoyed. The university's recognition and scholarship have boosted my confidence significantly," the Lang Son native shared.
Trang had previously secured a Chinese government scholarship for a master's degree at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics and was also accepted to Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Both are key universities in China.
Trang's journey with the Chinese language began in 6th grade when she became a fan of the popular boy band TF Boys. She also enjoyed watching entertainment and debate programs on Chinese television.
"At first, I just watched without understanding. Gradually, I became familiar with the sounds, listening and guessing," Trang explained.
In 8th grade, observing that some older villagers who knew Chinese earned good incomes, the young Nung woman asked her parents to allow her to study the language.
 |
Vy Thi Huyen Trang. Photo courtesy of the subject |
Vy Thi Huyen Trang. Photo courtesy of the subject
Trang's home in Na Tha village, Yen Thach commune, Cao Loc district, was about 10 kilometers from the Chinese language class in the city, requiring her to cross the busy National Highway 1A. She initially convinced three friends to join her. However, by the third session, only Trang remained, receiving one-on-one instruction.
Trang explained that the tuition fee of 250,000 VND per session, totaling about two million VND per month, was a significant expense for her family. Her parents saved from their grocery store earnings and by cultivating ginger and chili peppers to support her studies.
Her Chinese teacher, Hoang Thu Huong, recalled that in the early days, Trang struggled even with Vietnamese.
"Regardless of the weather, Trang always arrived on time and never missed a class. Some days, she even stayed at my house studying from early morning until 3 p.m.," Huong reminisced.
According to Trang, the most challenging aspect of learning Chinese was writing due to the numerous characters. Her strategy involved extensive writing practice and memorizing meanings.
While helping her parents at the grocery store, she read aloud lessons from her textbooks until she memorized them, improving fluency and reflexes. She also practiced with Chinese workers from a nearby oil refinery when they came to shop and with older villagers who knew Chinese.
After two years, Trang placed second in the entrance exam for the specialized Chinese language program at Chu Van An Specialized High School in Lang Son province. She noted that many of her peers in the village dropped out of school to work in factories or get married. Her grandmother also discouraged her from leaving home, but Trang was determined to pursue her education.
"I yearned to explore the world and desired a more comfortable life," she said.
At the specialized high school, Trang interacted with open-minded students from the city, which fueled her dream of studying abroad. During her three years of high school, she repeatedly won prizes in provincial Chinese language competitions and was a member of the national competition team.
In 2020, she received a full scholarship from the Chinese government to study Chinese language (commerce focus) at Jinan University. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, however, she couldn't attend in person until 2023.
Finding her coursework manageable, Trang dedicated time to learning information technology, Python programming, and English. In her free time, she participated in various events to expand her network.
In her fourth year, Trang interned at a logistics company, where she focused on supply chain optimization. Her thesis on improving the image of Vietnamese businesses in the eyes of Chinese businesses received a score of 92/100.
"The evaluation committee considered it an outstanding thesis," said Wang Yu, Trang's advisor at Jinan University. According to him, Trang graduated with a GPA of 4.32/5.
Professor Yu was impressed by Trang's willingness to challenge herself, push her limits, and constantly strive for higher goals.
In May of this year, Trang applied to Tsinghua University. In her study plan, she outlined her intention to focus on core theoretical subjects in the first year. From the second year, she planned to prepare for the SCMP (Supply Chain Management Professional) certification and intern at a company in the smart logistics sector. She also selected courses aligned with her career goals and planned to explore Tsinghua's international exchange programs before focusing on her thesis in the final year.
Although not required, Trang also outlined her research direction and career development goals.
"I want to work in smart logistics, contributing to improving the efficiency of supply chains in Vietnam, especially in Lang Son," she stated.
During her interview, Trang was asked about her shift from Chinese language studies to logistics. She explained that the new field better suited her personality and skills. She also highlighted her experience in related companies, her knowledge of AI, and her existing research proposal. She honestly shared her desire to earn a higher income. A month later, she received her acceptance letter.
Currently in China, Trang is traveling before her master's program begins in August.
"I never imagined getting into Tsinghua, but I never gave up and always pursued my goals. I hope to inspire the younger generation in my hometown," Trang said.
Binh Minh
