Nguyen The Quan, a former student of class 12A3 at Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted in Nghe An, was the only member of Vietnam’s team to win a gold medal at the 2025 International Physics Olympiad. His achievement placed Vietnam among the top 10 highest-performing countries at that year’s competition. He also recorded the second-highest practical exam score globally.

The student from Nghe An had earlier secured a gold medal at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Physics Olympiad with the highest score among the Vietnamese team. In 2024, while still in grade 11, he won a bronze medal at the Asian Physics Olympiad.

A journey to MIT shaped by childhood lessons

Nguyễn Thế Quân 1.jpg
Nguyen The Quan, the only Vietnamese student to win a gold medal at the 2025 International Physics Olympiad, has been admitted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Photo: NVCC

Speaking to VietNamNet, Quan shared that he received news of his admission just a few days ago and is still overwhelmed with emotion.

“I have dreamed of studying at MIT for a long time. Watching videos online about physics experiments conducted at MIT and reading related materials made me deeply admire the institution. I was truly surprised and very happy to be admitted to such a prestigious school, but also anxious as I am about to face many new challenges,” he said.

Reflecting on his application, Quan noted that admission to top global universities is not guaranteed even for international Olympiad gold medalists - candidates must present something distinctive.

“I believe the highlight of my application was my essay, which expressed emotional depth and a strong personal voice,” he said.

The central theme of his essays revolved around commitment and determination in pursuing physics, inspired by lessons from his great-grandmother during childhood.

“When I was young, although she could not see, she still taught me about planets and stars. That truly sparked my curiosity and imagination about abstract and infinite things. In my essays, I wrote a lot about my passion for creation and imagination. I believe she has been watching over me,” Quan shared.

In addition to his academic achievements, Quan scored 1,550 on the SAT and 7.5 in IELTS.

The importance of self-study

Nguyễn Thế Quân 2.jpg

Nguyen The Quan during his participation in the 2025 International Physics Olympiad held in France. Photo: NVCC

Originally a mathematics-focused student in secondary school, Quan decided to shift to physics to pursue his dream of entering a specialized high school. The more he studied, the more captivating the subject became.

Physics, he said, helped him understand the world more deeply, explaining phenomena in everyday life while shaping his logical thinking, creativity, and scientific curiosity.

By grade 9, he had already achieved notable results, including a first prize at the city-level excellent student competition and a consolation prize at the provincial level.

He later became the top entrant to the physics-specialized class at Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted in 2022.

Speaking about his study approach, Quan emphasized the importance of self-learning. In addition to classroom lessons and assigned homework, he regularly sought out materials online to expand his knowledge.

According to his plans, Quan will depart for the US this August to continue pursuing physics, majoring in mechanical engineering. To prepare, he is currently strengthening his knowledge related to the field and learning programming.

“I understand that studying at a top global technology institute will be fast-paced, with heavy academic demands and a lot of work to handle. That is why I need to prepare in advance to achieve the best possible academic results,” he said.

These days, Quan is also making time for family and friends, enjoying moments in Vietnam before beginning his journey abroad.

Looking ahead, he hopes to apply the knowledge gained from advanced educational environments to contribute to building a stronger scientific research community in Vietnam.

Thanh Hung