23-year-old Le Gia An recently graduated with a degree in international business from the University of Economics and Law (UEL) with a GPA of 8.22/10 after three years of study. Late last year, he received a bachelor's degree in Chinese studies from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH) in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Dr. Nguyen Thi Dieu Hien, a lecturer at the Faculty of Foreign Economics at UEL, studying at two universities is not uncommon, but Gia An's case is rare because he graduated with honors from UEL, ahead of schedule. This demonstrates his effort and well-organized planning.

With two bachelor's degrees, a HSK 6/6 Chinese proficiency certificate, a TOEIC score of 750/990, and other achievements, Gia An won a full scholarship from the Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) to pursue a master's degree at the Central University of Finance and Economics.

"A study abroad scholarship was my goal from the moment I entered university. Studying two majors at two universities was part of this plan," Gia An said.

Le Gia An. Photo courtesy of the subject.

Le Gia An. Photo courtesy of the subject.

Gia An recounted participating in a youth exchange program from Binh Duong province (formerly) to South Korea in 11th grade. On his first trip abroad, he marveled at the skyscrapers, clean streets, and modern public transportation. From then on, he cherished the dream of studying abroad to broaden his horizons.

Having developed a love for China through films and stories, and possessing a talent for language learning, An enrolled in Chinese studies at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. From his freshman year, he researched information about the CSC master's scholarship. He also wanted to study international business at UEL, as he intended to pursue this field while studying abroad.

Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City’s regulations allow students to pursue another major within the system after completing their first year. However, Gia An decided to wait until after completing two years at USSH before applying.

An explained that the initial stages of learning a new language are often difficult. Moreover, the first two years allowed him to complete the demanding courses in his current major.

Exempted from only a few general subjects like philosophy, physical education, and national defense education at UEL, An's remaining coursework was quite heavy. He had to ensure that he didn't fail any subjects and maintain a GPA of 7 or higher to avoid being dismissed from the program.

An mentioned that some specialized courses were only offered once a year, and scheduling conflicts could affect his graduation timeline. Thanks to careful planning, he avoided conflicts with important classes.

"Studying at USSH in the morning and rushing to UEL in the afternoon was a regular occurrence," An shared, adding that he always focused on absorbing knowledge in class and asking teachers or friends for clarification on anything he didn't understand.

For final exams, he created detailed study plans, prioritizing subjects based on their exam dates. In addition to textbooks, he consulted various materials, especially for open-ended exam questions.

Gia An with his two bachelor's degrees in July 2025. Photo: Phuong Linh.

Gia An with his two bachelor's degrees in July 2025. Photo: Phuong Linh.

Late last year, after graduating from USSH and confident he would complete his studies at UEL on schedule, An applied for the Chinese Government Scholarship. He applied to Beijing Normal University, Central University of Finance and Economics, and Nanjing Normal University.

After two rounds of applications and academic tests, he was accepted to all three universities. He chose the Central University of Finance and Economics because he had intended to pursue this field from the beginning. The university is also renowned, ranking second in China in the field of finance and economics, according to Shanghai Ranking.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Dieu Hien said Gia An impressed his lecturers with his progressive spirit, clear goals, and detailed plans to achieve them step by step.

"Gia An was in a regular class, sometimes with up to 100 students, but I still remember him because he was a serious student, often spoke up in class, and even 'surrounded' the lecturer after class to ask more questions," Dr. Hien said.

Knowing his aspiration to become a lecturer, Dr. Hien encouraged An to excel in his master's program and pursue further studies so he could return to the university. This is also An's goal for the coming years.

Le Nguyen