Vietnamese teen with perfect 9.0 IELTS wins $205,000 scholarship to US tech institute

Nguyen Hoang Bao Ngoc, an 18-year-old student from Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted in Ho Chi Minh City, has achieved a rare perfect 9.0 IELTS band score on her first attempt. This exceptional language result, combined with a 1,500 SAT score, earned her a full scholarship worth over $204,860 to study computer science at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in the United States.

Ngoc’s approach to the IELTS was defined by long-term immersion rather than intensive test-drilling. She built her foundation by engaging with English-language podcasts and TED-Ed talks and utilized AI tools like ChatGPT to receive strict, detailed feedback on her writing and speaking structures. On the exam itself, she achieved perfect 9.0 scores in Listening, Reading, and Speaking, with an 8.0 in Writing. Her success in the speaking component was attributed to a "storytelling" method that favored natural anecdotes over rehearsed responses, allowing her to pivot easily between diverse topics.

Beyond her academic scores, Ngoc’s application was anchored by a deep commitment to technology and community impact. She founded an educational project and led coding classes on Khan Academy, demonstrating a practical application of her software engineering interests. In her personal essay, she traced her journey from a childhood fascination with typing speed tests to a mature understanding of how code can create social value. She deliberately chose to focus on the depth of a few long-term pursuits rather than a broad list of short-term extracurriculars.

Now preparing to join NJIT’s Ying Wu College of Computing, Ngoc aims to bridge the gap between technical engineering and real-world societal needs. Her advice to fellow students reflects her own journey: she suggests that a scholarship should be viewed as a byproduct of personal development and clear direction, rather than the primary goal. Her mentors highlight that while the financial award is significant, her greatest asset is the clear vision she has cultivated for her future in the tech industry.