IB scholarships open doors to new horizons

For some, the reflections are more poignant. A group of students awarded the IB Scholarship by the Renaissance International School Saigon cannot but step back a couple of years to relive a life-changing moment when they got the opportunity to broaden their horizons and achieve things they’d never have imagined at that time.

At Renaissance, a medium sized school in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 7, the IB Scholarship is awarded to students who are not only looking to excel academically but are also keen to develop themselves and contribute to the community. As a result, they gain possession of an impressive academic record augmented by out of the ordinary practical experiences. They are well equipped to forge a bright future for themselves.

IB scholarships bring opportunity to broaden students’ new horizons.

Different learning styles

Before securing the IB Scholarship to Renaissance, Phan Le Minh An was attending a renowned high school for the gifted, but she was keen on experiencing different learning styles. "The IB scholarship offered me that opportunity," she said.

"I got to be more open minded, exposed to different ideas and philosophies and critical thinking," she said.

Apart from the exposure to new ideas, Minh An has also had the opportunity to record impressive personal achievements. For instance, her resume now includes the distinction of being a Rhino Youth Ambassador in association with the Wild Rhino Organisation.

Their involvement with the campaign to protect the endangered rhinos has allowed Minh An and fellow scholarship recipient Juliet Bao Ngoc Doling the opportunity to travel to South Africa, deepening their interest in wildlife conservation.

Raring to go

Several graduating students are excitedly looking forward to the next stage of their academic career having succeeded in gaining admission to institutions like the Hong Kong University, Rhode Island School of Design and the University of Pennsylvania.

"My time at Renaissance allowed me to develop a skill set and an impressive resume at the same time," said Hau Duong Quang Vinh, who has been a House Captain, Head Boy, Student President, basketball player and an actor at the school.

"I got into my dream school," he said, adding that the IB scholarship had played a vital role in his success.

"The IB Scholarship is such a motivating factor to do great extra-curricular work, and being a small, tight knit community there are a lot of things we can do that we might not get the chance to do in bigger schools. For instance, I could be a basketball captain and be an actor in a play at the same time."

Another student, Park Sangchul, also had high praise for the scholarship: "Staying at Renaissance was the best decision I made," he said, explaining that while the scholarship for the IB programme motivated him to study hard, the school also allowed him to explore new interests that he had never considered before.

"I used to like science earlier, but when I came here, I realized I really liked communication." He is now looking forward to doing a dual major in Business and Information systems at Hong Kong University.

Additional flexibility

Another huge advantage of the IB Scholarships mentioned by its recipients is the flexibility it affords them in taking decisions about their future.

"I was thrilled to get the scholarship’s support for my education," said Nguyen Nam Nguyen who had not chosen which college to attend after receiving offers from all the nine prestigious universities in the U.S. that he had applied to.

"The financial factor plays a really big role in making a choice, so the IB Scholarship has really given me the flexibility in making future plans. That’s one of the things that I’m really grateful for."

For Luu Bang An, the scholarship was an opportunity for self-development. Having moved to Renaissance from Vung Tau, his experience was slightly different from most of his classmates.

"For me it was a new environment, a new school, a new city and new friends. At Renaissance I was given a lot of freedom and after a month, it felt like a second home. I found myself in new situations I hadn’t experienced before. It’s been a learning process, a process of maturing."

In a nutshell, a Renaissance scholarship delivers more than a ticket to a top class education. It offers new real life experiences, creates space for self-discovery and opens doors to exciting futures.

Juliet Bao Ngoc said she has just one piece of advice for students considering applying for an IB Scholarship: "Just take a leap of faith and go for it."

With IB scholarships, several graduating students are excitedly looking forward to the next stage of their academic career.

"I pinned all my hopes on the scholarship and it paid off," said Juliet Bao Ngoc. "Joining Renaissance gave me the opportunity to try out many new things. Now, I’ve identified what I truly enjoy doing and understand the things I care for the most in life."

About Renaissance:

Fully accredited by the Council of International Schools, the Renaissance International School Saigon provides a dynamic curriculum for students from two to 18, including the prestigious IB Diploma Programme. Our students graduate into leading colleges and universities around the world with average IB Diploma scores consistently above the world average. Renaissance is enrolling now for the 2020-21 academic year.

Renaissance is located at 74 Nguyen Thi Thap Street, Binh Thuan Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City.

For more information, please visit: website or email: admissions@renaissance.edu.vn, hotline: (028) 37733171.