All nine candidates first passed a screening that examined their grades, previous awards and a personal essay on mathematics. After that, Professor Ngo Bao Chau and his colleagues interviewed each student before confirming the selections.

The Sigma Gold scholarship pays full tuition and gives a monthly living allowance for the first semester. It can be renewed if the student keeps strong academic results, making it the most generous mathematics scholarship currently offered in Vietnam.

Four of the scholars are former International Mathematical Olympiad medalists: Nguyen Dinh Tung, Nguyen Le Nhat Nam, Tran Dai Thanh Danh and Truong Thanh Xuan. Their achievements illustrate how the scholarship targets students who have already demonstrated high‑level problem‑solving ability.

Professor Chau, who left the University of Chicago to join the University of Hong Kong, says Vietnam fields about 50 students each year for the IMO but only a few become professional mathematicians. He believes programmes like Sigma Gold are essential to nurture research‑oriented talent and build a stronger national math community.