A Journey from a Small Primary School to the Best University in New Zealand
By Mr Hong Bunseng
I was born in Siem Reap province in a medium family. After finishing grade 12 in 2007, I decided to move to Phnom Penh to pursue my education at a university. With a firm commitment, I graduated with a bachelor degree from Royal University of Law and Economics (RULE) in 2011 and the Institute of Foreign Languages (IFL) in 2012.
Soon after graduation, I passed an entrance exam to work as the government official at the Ministry of Commerce in early 2012. After having worked at the Ministry of Commerce for nearly 4 years, I was able to apply and obtain a fully-funded scholarship, New Zealand ASEAN Scholar Awards in 2015. Two years later, I graduated from the University of Auckland, the best university in New Zealand. I did the Master of Commerce in Global Management and Innovation.
Mr Hong Bunseng and a group of students enjoying the beautiful nature that New Zealand has to offer
New Zealand ASEAN Scholar Awards (NZAS) has significantly changed my life. NZAS has given me an eye-opening experience which not only strengthened my academic ability but also broadened my social perspective by being exposed to new cultures. NZAS is NOT about only standard education but also gaining a set of useful skills for my post-graduation life.
Without academic and consultant supports from IDP Education, I would not have had today. I would like to take this opportunity to thank IDP Education for such a trustful consultancy and service.
Four key messages have been drawn from my experiences after obtaining NZAS and graduating my Master Degree. Those four are:
“You must follow your dream. A Dream without action is just a wish. Action without plans and visions is just a waste. My dream is to graduate from one of the best universities in the world on a scholarship. Finally, I did it! You can do it too.”
“You must believe in yourself first before the committees do!”
“Winning a scholarship to study abroad is just a matter of how well you prepare yourself to be an outstanding candidate.”
“Grade Point Average (GPA) is NOT the only thing considered for scholarships.”