"Turned Down Full Scholarship from Seoul National University"... The School Chosen by the Genius High School Girl Who Topped the Nation and Scored Perfect on the SAT

Chose 'KAIST' Over Seoul National University and Top U.S. Universities
Awarded Full Samsung Scholarship
"Wants to Research AI"

A Vietnamese "genius girl" who achieved a perfect score on the SAT (the U.S. college entrance exam equivalent), the highest level on the internationally recognized English proficiency test IELTS, and ranked first nationwide in Vietnam's own college entrance exam, has chosen to study in South Korea. The student in question is Hoang Huong Giang, a 12th-grade mathematics major at the Gifted High School affiliated with Hanoi National University of Education.

Hoang Huong Jang, a gifted high school student affiliated with Hanoi National University of Education. Vietnam General Confederation of Labour's official newspaper, "Laodong"

According to Vietnamese media reports on July 9, Hoang Huong Giang recently scored 29.75 out of 30 in the A01 track (mathematics, physics, English)—the key STEM combination—in the 2026 Vietnamese high school graduation exam, tying for first place nationwide. She achieved perfect scores of 10 in physics and English, and an impressive 9.75 in mathematics.

Even before the results of the high school graduation exam were released, she had already drawn attention for her outstanding record: a perfect SAT score of 1600 and an IELTS score of 8.0. As a result, she received strong offers from prestigious universities both in Vietnam and abroad.

She was offered a full scholarship not only by VinUniversity, established by Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, but also by Seoul National University in South Korea. However, Hoang Huong Giang ultimately chose to study computer engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). She stated, "I want to take on new challenges in a different educational environment," adding, "My goal is to contribute to the advancement of human technology through research in artificial intelligence (AI) in the future."

"Proving It Myself Instead of Memorizing"... The Genius Girl's Unique Study Method

Surprisingly, Hoang Huong Giang's secret to academic success was not simply solving a massive number of practice problems or relying on rote memorization. She said, "It is most important to deeply understand the essence of knowledge," and explained, "Whenever I encountered a new mathematical formula, instead of just copying and memorizing it, I made an effort to prove for myself why the formula holds true under the given conditions."

Even during the final stretch before exams, she maintained a steady pace rather than pulling all-nighters or overexerting herself. Her average daily study time did not exceed eight hours, and she practiced with previous exam questions at the same times as the actual test schedule to build real test-taking skills. In her free time, she enjoyed yoga, reading, drawing, and gaming, maintaining a healthy balance between learning and rest.

Her teacher, Truong Trong Khanh, praised her highly, saying, "She is a student with both outstanding reasoning ability and self-directed learning skills. Not only are her academic results exceptional, but her attitude toward life is also very mature and diligent, so her top ranking this year was entirely expected."

 Discovering "Raw Talent" Abroad and Cultivating Future Talent

Behind Hoang Huong Giang's decision to study in South Korea is Samsung's long-standing "global talent cultivation strategy." While in high school, she was recognized as a promising talent in Samsung's global youth STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) program, "Solve for Tomorrow." She was later selected as a Samsung Scholar and completed an intensive training program at Samsung's Research & Development Center in Vietnam, forging early connections with the Korean tech ecosystem. Supported by Samsung, she is expected to devote the next four years to her studies.

Seoul Samsung Electronics Seocho Building. Photo by Yonhap News

The reason Samsung proactively discovers young geniuses from overseas is that the future of advanced industries such as semiconductors and AI hinges on securing top talent. In April, Samsung launched the "Samsung Innovation Campus 2026" in Vietnam, one of its key hubs, and is providing free education in semiconductors and AI—from basic to advanced levels—in line with the Vietnamese government's goal of training 50,000 semiconductor engineers by 2030. Samsung is already running large-scale projects in partnership with top local institutions such as Hanoi National University, offering scholarships, internships, and recruitment opportunities.

The scope of talent acquisition is expanding beyond Asia to the world. Samsung now delivers advanced technology education tailored to the characteristics of each region in five Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including the UAE, as well as Pakistan, Türkiye, Algeria, and South Africa. In Türkiye, for example, 90% of program graduates have successfully found employment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.