BUV Lion’s heart Scholarship 2025 Winner Vu Quoc Cuong – From Self-Doubt to the Resilience to Redefine His Story

There was a time when Vu Quoc Cuong felt “different”, out of place, isolated from his peers, and so lost that he almost gave up. But instead of breaking down, he turned his pain into strength and went on to win the 2025 BUV Lion’s Heart Scholarship. 

For Cuong, the scholarship worth over one billion VND is not just a ticket to his dream university, but also proof that with determination and faith, life will eventually take a turn for the better. 

Now, he can pursue his passion for film production and communication. On this journey, Cuong hopes to tell his own story — that of a boy who once felt lost but has grown to become someone who brings light, courage, and hope to others navigating the dark. 

Vu Quoc Cuong – BUV Lion’s Heart Scholarship Winner 2025.

A Turning Point in Life 

Beating hundreds of other applicants, Vu Quoc Cuong became the winner of the Lion’s Heart Scholarship 2025 awarded by British University Vietnam (BUV). The scholarship recognises students who have faced hardship yet continue to strive forward with strong leadership potential. 

Throughout his studies, Cuong not only battled financial difficulties but also long periods of loneliness. He once believed he was “not normal” and disconnected from his classmates — to the point that he thought about quitting, even though he always achieved excellent academic results. 

Rather than giving in, Cuong turned his struggles into motivation. He taught himself IELTS, reached B2 level in French, and eventually earned the scholarship. 

Speaking to Dan Tri, Cuong said his journey was long, challenging, and filled with complicated steps. He first applied for the scholarship in April, but due to lack of preparation, he didn’t succeed. 

Refusing to stop there, he tried again. After countless trips between Hai Phong and Hanoi, multiple rounds of essay editing and interviews, he finally broke down in tears of joy when his name was announced in August. 

Cuong achieved several English awards during his high school years.

According to Cuong, his original plan was to study French Language and become a teacher, hoping to fulfil his dream through education and languages. However, winning the scholarship completely changed the life of the young man from Hai Phong. 

For him, this scholarship is not just a ticket or an opportunity – it is a source of motivation to reach for a much bigger dream: to pursue filmmaking and digital creativity. 

Sharing about the process of preparing his application and personal essay, Cuong said he wrote his essay in the style of a film script – complete with chapters, scenes, timelines, and settings. He even formatted the text size and layout to resemble a real screenplay. 

“At first, my essay was emotional but disorganised, with scattered ideas,” Cuong recalled. “Thanks to guidance from a few seniors, I revised it many times until it became coherent and well-structured.” 

“In that essay, I told my own life story. Through it, I wanted to say that no matter what happens, we must always stay optimistic and keep a strong heart because we can always rise again after falling,” he said. 

During the interview round, Cuong faced many questions from the judges. One in particular stuck with him: ‘Where do you see yourself in ten years? ’He answered, “I want to dedicate myself to the creative and film industries. I dream of becoming a content creator and bringing fresh perspectives to life  adding more colour and meaning to people’s experiences.” 

“I don’t know exactly what impressed the judges,” Cuong smiled, “but I do know I gave it everything I had.” 

Cuong with his mother and uncle at the Scholarship Award Ceremony.

Rewrite Destiny from Simple Meal 

Cuong is a former student of the French-specialised class at Tran Phu High School for the Gifted, Hai Phong. He was raised mainly by his grandmother, as both parents were away for long periods. From fourth grade, he lived with his mother in a small, rented room. 

His childhood was filled with modest but heartwarming meals just plain rice and fish sauce – memories that he still cherishes today. “Even though we were poor, I was happy because I still had my mom beside me,” he recalled. 

After four years, his mother remarried, and Cuong returned to live with his grandmother and father. In 2023, his father also gone, leaving him with his grandmother. 

Despite his difficult upbringing, Cuong excelled academically. In his final year of high school, he won the championship at the 11th Hai Phong English Teen Contest. For three consecutive years, he was recognised as an outstanding student. Earlier, in ninth grade, he had also won second prize in the district-level English competition. 

He still remembers one of his earliest memories vividly – his first dinner with his mother in the rented house during fourth grade. “We just had rice with fish sauce. It was simple, but I felt grateful because we were together. That taste of warmth and simplicity has stayed with me ever since,” Cuong said softly. 

Not only passionate about language-focused subjects, Cuong also has a talent for digital content creation.

In a letter of recommendation sent to the University, Dr. Do Thi Nhan, Cuong’s Literature teacher and homeroom teacher of the French-specialised class at Tran Phu High School for the Gifted in Hai Phong, wrote that in her more than twenty years of teaching, she had taught many generations of students, but Vu Quoc Cuong was one of the most outstanding and memorable. 

Throughout all semesters, Cuong consistently achieved good academic results, with an average score of around 8.0 – not the highest in the class, but something she found truly admirable. 

Beyond his passion for languages, Cuong also showed a surprising talent for media and digital content creation, something that impressed everyone around him. 

“Cuong’s circumstances are quite different from most students,” Dr. Nhan shared. “His family is not well-off, and they have often struggled to cover tuition fees or class trips. 

That’s why our teachers’ association and the parents’ group decided to help him by donating an electric bicycle so he could travel to school more easily, and by covering part of his tuition fees to recognise his strong will, perseverance, and commitment to learning.” 

Vu Quoc Cuong received the scholarship award from Dr. Paul D.J. Moody – Head of School, School of Communications & Creative Industries (far right).

Once Lonely and Ready to Give Up

Now, Cuong is both studying and working. Outside of his university hours, he teaches English five times a week. He admitted that there were moments when he wanted to give up not because studying was too hard or academically overwhelming, as his grades were generally good but because he felt deeply lonely. 

“There were times when I felt completely isolated in class,” Cuong shared. “I didn’t have close friends to hang out or talk with. I never really lived the carefree, playful student life that others had.” 

He often felt that he was “behind trends,” “old-fashioned,” and “unable to fit in.” Sometimes, he even felt excluded from group activities. This sense of being different both in background and personality once made him lose all motivation to go to school. 

“There was a time when I was dropped from the French team because I had missed too many classes,” he recalled. “I simply didn’t have the mental energy to keep going, I didn’t even have mobile data to look up words in the dictionary, and I was too shy to ask my classmates for help. I felt like they didn’t like me. I used to regret and blame myself for not being able to win a French award for me or for my school.” 

Reflecting on his next steps, Cuong said that in his new university environment, he immediately felt a sense of belonging. He is now planning to establish a film club on campus, where he will recruit members and develop creative ideas for projects. 

“I love films it’s my biggest dream,” he said. “Films have helped me see life in a more positive light, believe in miracles, and feel less lonely. They’ve given me so much, and I want to give something back to create my own films, tell my own stories, and spread a positive spirit to others.” 

Source: Dan tri