How to win a PhD scholarship of nearly 6 billion VND

 How to win a PhD scholarship of nearly 6 billion VND

Instead of hiding her lack of research experience and scientific articles, Nguyet Anh highlights how she overcame and proved herself suitable in the essay.


Pham Le Nguyet Anh, 22 years old, is about to graduate from the University of Sheffield (UK) and has just won a full PhD scholarship at Pennsylvania State University (USA). Nguyet Anh shares the process of preparing for a scholarship application, especially how to write an essay to improve your weaknesses without research experience, international articles or extracurricular activities.


Determine if you want to do a PhD


The PhD program I applied for lasted 5 years. Because I intend to study for higher education early, as soon as I entered university, I prepared myself mentally and maintained good grades.


In my opinion, before applying, candidates should listen to the experience of doing PhDs of those in the same field (or different fields) first, then ask yourself if that is what you want to do in 3 years. Next -6 years no.


Select a school (can choose a teacher)


Unlike university, choosing a university is the most important factor, for a doctorate, choosing a supervisor and research topic is the most important. Usually, high-ranking schools in the US have a scholarship deadline of early or mid-December, so if you intend to study for a doctorate, you must choose a school and find a mentor early.


I started making applications from November 2020, a month before the deadline, so I didn't have much time to choose. However, at that time, I was writing a Literature Review (research overview), so I had to read a lot of articles related to the major. When I read articles in major and reputable scientific journals, I look for the university where Principle Investigators or the main researchers (usually last in the author list) are working and then look for the following program. university and the instructor at that school.


In the US, most PhD programs will allow you to work in different labs (usually 3 or more) before you decide on a mentor. Therefore, you may not need to email the professor first. However, in some cases, it is also beneficial to contact the professor who expressed the interest first.


Nguyet Anh (right) attends an event at the University of Sheffield (UK) 2019. Photo: NVCC.

Nguyet Anh (right) attends an event at the University of Sheffield (UK) 2019. Photo: NVCC.


Prepare profile


Because I applied to more than one school, I made a detailed outline and answered the questions: Why study this major? Why do you want to do a PhD and what are your plans after doing it? Why did you choose this school (you can mention the instructors you want to work with here)? Research experience and why do you think you are suitable for a PhD? Other extracurricular activities.


For each question, I will write a complete paragraph. When making records, depending on the requirements of the school, assemble the paragraphs and edit them accordingly.


To answer the question: "Why study this major and Why do you want to do a PhD?", candidates can start by relating what they are studying (and want to study) with the current situation in Vietnam. . I study Microbiology (Microbiology) and am concerned about antibiotic resistance. This is a big problem that threatens the world's health, especially in developed countries like Vietnam.


While researching Pennsylvania State, I read the studies and knew a professor was developing a new antibiotic. In the essay, I mention the situation of indiscriminate use of antibiotics in Vietnam and my own experiences and observations. I mentioned the professor who had the same orientation as me, clearly expressing his desire to participate in research and join hands to solve the problem of antibiotic resistance not only in the US but also in Vietnam. I present about those studies and give ideas on how I can contribute to the project.


About my research experience, I briefly talked about the participating project (what is the purpose and content of the project), work and things learned. It is important that every time you make an argument, you should include evidence to make it more convincing.


After writing, I ask others to read and comment. The selection of SOP reviewers also needs to be reasonable, so that you get the most positive, constructive feedback.


Academic grades and extracurricular activities


Academic score is an important factor, deciding whether a candidate will receive a scholarship or not, especially for those who do not have much research experience, international articles or extracurricular activities like me. By the time I applied for a scholarship in the US, I had a 4.0 GPA.

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