Phan Hai An has become one of the first students to win Vietnam’s Sigma Gold Mathematics Scholarship, the country’s highest‑value award for math students. Her story shows exactly what a determined applicant can do to earn this prestigious prize.

The Sigma Gold Scholarship is funded by the Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics (VIASM). It offers a full tuition waiver and a monthly living allowance of VND15 million, and only ten recipients are chosen directly through a rigorous interview led by Fields Medalist Ngo Bao Chau.

Applicants must write an essay on a favorite mathematical topic. An submitted a four‑page essay about generating functions and their use in counting problems, and the panel impressed by the essay’s clarity and depth.

In a 20‑minute hybrid interview, Professor Chau asked An why she wanted to study mathematics, how teaching methods differ between high school and university, and technical questions about generating functions. An answered each question with intuitive explanations and visual examples.

An says mathematics is the absolute foundation of science and technology, especially as artificial intelligence reshapes industries. She views the scholarship as a strong encouragement for her future research or applied work in these fields.