Before winning an Irish Government scholarship, Le Van Hung had faced such intense academic pressure that he considered dropping out of university - and later endured years of scholarship rejection letters.
Le Van Hung, born in 1999 in the former Hai Duong Province, studied English Language at the University of Languages and International Studies under Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Hung has recently completed his master’s program in Ireland and traveled to 14 countries. But getting there meant weathering repeated setbacks and periods of deep self-doubt.
He wanted to quit almost as soon as university began
Having been strong in English throughout high school, Hung entered university in 2017 with confidence. Yet after just his first week of classes, he began questioning his abilities and even considered dropping out.
Le Van Hung has completed his master’s program in Ireland. Photo courtesy of the interviewee
His courses were taught entirely in English, while students were expected to absorb a heavy volume of material from the very beginning of the semester. Having previously learned English largely through grammar, with few opportunities to practice communication, Hung found it overwhelming to follow academic lectures, participate in group discussions and give presentations in English.
What kept Hung at university was remembering the months he had spent preparing for the entrance exam, when he routinely woke up at 3 a.m. to study. He also thought of his mother, who had been forced to leave school after middle school to earn a living but always reminded her son: “Education is the most sustainable path to changing your life.”
Instead of giving up, Hung decided to confront the challenge.
He began breaking his workload into smaller, manageable tasks while finding his own ways to adapt to the new academic environment.
After just one semester, Hung’s academic performance improved significantly. The student who had once doubted himself went on to earn an academic merit scholarship in the second semester of his freshman year.
During university, Hung also became one of five young Vietnamese selected for a U.S. Department of State exchange scholarship for emerging Southeast Asian leaders.
Hung received a Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship. Photo courtesy of the interviewee
In 2021, Hung graduated with honors and became an English teacher at Marie Curie Hanoi School. Despite having a stable job, he eventually decided to look for opportunities to study abroad.
“I really loved teaching, but I didn’t want myself to become stagnant,” Hung said.
Even if he eventually returned to teaching, Hung believed that the professional knowledge and experiences gained overseas would help him become a better teacher, giving him more stories to share and allowing him to better guide and inspire his students.
Hung then embarked on his search for a master’s scholarship. For three years, rejection letters arrived one after another. Each setback inevitably made him question his abilities, but not once did he consider giving up.
“Every time I received a rejection, I allowed myself to feel disappointed for just a few days. Then I seriously looked at what hadn’t worked, made adjustments and searched for opportunities that were a better fit,” Hung said.
A master’s in Ireland and 14 countries along the way
In June 2025, Hung received an email informing him that he had won a Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship for a master’s program in education.
The fully funded scholarship is awarded to candidates among the top 1% of applicants and enabled him to pursue a one-year program at Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick.
Hung traveled to 14 countries in 11 months. Photo courtesy of the interviewee
“I had to read the email over and over again. Once I was sure it was real, I burst into tears,” Hung recalled.
For Hung, those tears were not simply about the joy of seeing a new door open. After so many rejections, they also marked the moment when years of refusing to give up had finally paid off.
During his early days in Ireland, Hung once again encountered a language barrier. This time, he gave himself time to listen, observe and gradually adapt.
The student who once thought his English was not good enough eventually found himself standing before a class at Mary Immaculate College, sharing insights into Vietnam’s education system with international peers.
Beyond his studies, Hung’s nearly year-long stay in Ireland also became an extraordinary journey of discovery. Over 11 months, he visited 14 countries: Ireland, Morocco, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and Greece.
Each trip offered Hung a new perspective on culture, education and how people in different countries see the world.
Hung also tried his hand at a variety of jobs in Ireland, including teaching English to immigrants, working in restaurants and interpreting. Each job introduced him to people from different circumstances and backgrounds, each with their own stories.
Hung has now completed his master’s program in education in Ireland and is awaiting his degree. He plans to spend a few more months traveling and gaining new experiences before returning to Vietnam at the end of the year.
Looking ahead, Hung hopes to continue working in education and inspire young people as they pursue opportunities and seek to develop themselves.
Vietnamnet.vn
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