Genius High School Student Awarded Full Samsung Scholarship: "Korea Offers Many Opportunities for Cooperation and Growth"

“Considering Korea’s University-Industry Cooperation and Public Safety... Will Contribute to the Field of AI”

A gifted high school student in Vietnam, who ranked first nationwide in the university entrance exam and achieved a perfect score on the U.S. SAT, has made headlines by deciding to study abroad at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).

Hoang Huong Jang (18), who ranked first nationwide in the university entrance exam in Vietnam, has decided to enroll at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Photo by Hoang Huong Jang

On July 10, local media outlets such as VNExpress reported that Hoang Huong Jang (18), a 12th-grade student at the prestigious Hanoi National University of Education High School for the Gifted, recently took the 2026 Vietnamese high school graduation exam (university entrance exam) in the science track (Mathematics, Physics, and English). She received 9.75 points in Mathematics, 10 points in Physics, and 10 points in English, for a total of 29.75 out of 30, earning her the joint top score nationwide. Additionally, Huong Jang scored a perfect 1600 on the SAT and achieved a top-tier score of 8.0 out of 9.0 on the internationally recognized English proficiency test IELTS.

Huong Jang stated that while she had expected a high score after the exam, she was surprised to learn that no other student scored higher than she did.

Although Huong Jang’s results would have made her eligible for admission to top U.S. universities, she chose to enroll in the Department of Computer Science at KAIST. She is scheduled to register for the upcoming fall semester. It is reported that she will receive a full scholarship from Samsung. She was also offered full scholarship admission to Seoul National University, but Huong Jang explained that she chose the Department of Computer Science at KAIST because she wants to contribute to the field of artificial intelligence (AI).

Huong Jang shared, "When I encountered a new mathematical formula, I tried to prove why it works myself rather than simply memorizing it. I believe that if I can't explain something to others, I haven't fully understood it yet." She added that, in preparation for the exam, she limited her daily study time to within eight hours, focused on reviewing core concepts and solving past exam questions repeatedly, and managed her stress through activities such as yoga, reading, and drawing.

Through an interview with Yonhap News, Huong Jang said, "I considered studying in Western countries, but I believe Korea offers more opportunities to apply knowledge in real-life situations due to the close ties between universities and major corporations." She also explained, "Korea is much safer than other countries because of its very low crime rate, and it has a culture and cuisine familiar to Vietnamese people. In addition, many major Korean companies have manufacturing plants in Vietnam, which will present many opportunities for cooperation and development in the future."

Regarding her choice of KAIST, Huong Jang said that she felt Daejeon’s relatively quiet atmosphere would suit her better than Seoul, and that another reason was that all classes at KAIST are conducted 100% in English.

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