16-year-old tech prodigy earns master's degree with perfect GPA at US university

The Leesburg, Virginia native made university history in May when he became the youngest person ever to receive a master's diploma from GMU. Just five months earlier, he had stunned faculty and peers alike by completing his undergraduate degree, also at the top of his class, the Northern Virginia Magazine reported.

"Doing things earlier than other people is what I've been doing my entire life," Yevin said. "You don't have to follow the general trend," the GMU cited Goonatilake as saying.

GMU is ranked among the top 60 public universities in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report.

His parents, both computer science engineers, spotted his gift for numbers at just age 3. By 11, Yevin had already earned enough academic credits to enroll at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), where he completed his associate degree in 2023, again with a perfect GPA, before transitioning into GMU’s accelerated bachelor-master's program.

Much of his coursework took place online due to the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing Yevin to quietly advance without revealing his age. "I don't think I told anybody," he recalled.

But there's more to this teenage scholar than algorithms and textbooks. Yevin is also a professional cricket player, balancing training sessions, travel, and tournaments alongside his academic load. "I need both," he said, with cricket giving him the social and physical outlet to stay grounded.

As for what's next, Yevin is considering a PhD to teach and conduct research, though he remains open to other paths.