His older sister, Nguyen Vu Tue Giang, had already been admitted to Tsinghua on a scholarship in 2025. Vu’s mother, Mai Dung, later said she encouraged her children to watch their sister’s experience and to take responsibility for their choices.

Vu originally insisted on studying in the United Kingdom or the United States. He told his parents, "either the U.K. or the U.S., or I stay home," before traveling to Beijing with his family in August 2025 for his sister’s enrollment ceremony.

During the visit, Vu was impressed by modern classrooms, a swimming pool, basketball courts and the lively community of Vietnamese students on campus. He later said, "Everything felt right, and I realized this was the environment for me."

His application included high‑school transcripts with an average above 9 out of 10, IELTS 7.5, HSK 6, and results from the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA). He also submitted recommendation letters, a personal essay and a self‑introduction video.

Vu chose to study economics, citing his mother’s business sense as an influence. He gave up his dream of a professional basketball career, writing in his essay that he wanted to prove he could excel in another field. In a 15‑minute interview, three professors questioned him on various topics and asked him to solve math problems on the spot, and he passed.

The combination of a half‑tuition scholarship, his sister’s successful path, and the appealing campus facilities convinced Vu to abandon his Western plans. As lecturer Hoang Lan Chi noted, Vu’s rapid improvement from HSK 4 to HSK 6 in six months showed his determination and ability to meet Tsinghua’s standards.