At the most competitive universities in the world, strong grades are only the starting point. Admissions teams are looking for well-rounded, driven, and globally minded students who can contribute far beyond the classroom.
The British Vietnamese International School Hanoi (BVIS Hanoi) is intentional about developing these qualities from the earliest years. Students are taught how to present, lead, and build confidence alongside their academic studies.
"It's the soft skills they need," explains Colleen Usher, University Guidance Counsellor. "So they get to practice the opportunities to present, to lead, to become confident in themselves, and to experience many other things."
Principal Paul Holyome emphasises the importance of balance. "When you apply to universities, it’s more than just your academics. There will be a large number of students across the world who will have that A grade, but what the university will be looking at is the rounded individual. So from primary right the way through to secondary, we make sure that our students achieve academically very well, but also they’ll be able to demonstrate their social impact work, their community work, their enrichments, whether they’re good sports people, good music people."
This approach ensures that when BVIS Hanoi graduates submit their applications, they stand out not only for their grades but for the depth of their personal achievements.
Leadership is a consistent thread running through a BVIS Hanoi education. From their first years in secondary, students are encouraged to take on roles that stretch their skills and build responsibility.
Piers Roderick explains: "They can join the student council, they can join our community service groups, they can join our environmental groups. We want to give them as many leadership opportunities as they can so they are fully ready for life after school, when they will be leaders at university and in the future.”
Student leadership also means taking initiative. Claire Slowther, Head of Secondary, sees it in action every week. "When students come to my office, their proposals are always incredibly impressive; something they would like to do that shows ambition, drive and leadership."
Even in primary school, leadership has a visible impact on confidence. Minh Phuc, Year 6, reflects, “I have done a lot of leadership conferences and a lot of things that help our school, that made me really confident.”
Academic excellence is paired with experiences that broaden students’ perspectives and connect learning to the real world.
From age two to eighteen, every student takes part in BVIS Hanoi’s community engagement programme. Piers Roderick, Assistant Head of Secondary, shared, "We're really proud of the student leadership opportunities we have created through social impact, where we have students driving through change. They have created their own community service opportunities across Hanoi, and further and they're the ones leading on this and then introducing it into our school."
The school’s commitment to service learning has earned global recognition, including the Times Educational Supplement Award for Community Service, the ISC International School Award, and the Nord Anglia Social Impact Distinction Award, which BVIS Hanoi was the first in the region to receive.
Enrichment extends well beyond service. Claire Slowther highlights partnerships with leading global institutions, thanks to the school group Nord Anglia Education. "From our partnerships with MIT, where students’ eyes are opened to a world of science, engineering, mathematics, computing, to Juilliard in terms of performing arts and music, our students have that really wide perspective. I think that’s what really sets us apart."
For Malcolm Wood, Head of Primary, these experiences shape character as well as skills. "We’re not just educating children in order for them to take from the world. We’re educating them so that they can be the greatest person they can be. And part of being a truly great person, member of society, and leader, is to give as well as to receive."
When it comes to applying to universities, BVIS Hanoi ensures students are supported from the earliest stages of planning.
Linh Chi, Year 12, is currently exploring options in America and Australia. "BVIS has been helping me a lot with this application process. Miss Colleen prepared workshops on what to do, how to write a personal essay, and what to include in our transcripts. It’s quite an advantage compared to a lot of students who don't get the same help from other schools in Hanoi.”
Students benefit from direct access to visiting universities, as well as one-on-one meetings for personalised advice. "We can arrange a meeting where we can ask various questions, not just about university, but also what we need, it’s personalised," she adds.
BVIS teachers are specialists in their field, so students are “immersed in this world where teachers are really passionate about their subject. Students' experience can then decide what they’re really interested in, and as they progress through the school, they can become increasingly more and more specialised in those areas as they study IGCSE and A-Level.” Claire Sowther explains.
She adds, “I’ve just been absolutely blown away by the range of places our students go on to study around the world and the range of different qualifications they study too.”
Colleen Usher, University Guidance Counsellor, has also seen the subjects our graduates choose become increasingly diverse. “When I first started here, there was always a very common theme of business, marketing, and economics, but I'm starting to see that grow. I’m seeing students going to do psychology now, and some are interested in pharmacy, medicine, and other areas being a little bit broader… now we're getting bigger cohorts, I think we're actually seeing a more varied interest.”
Our students are also securing competitive scholarships to leading universities. “We've got one this year for Boston… 40% of these fees are going to be paid,” Colleen shares. “Last year, the University of Sydney’s psychology department wrote to tell me that one of our graduates received a very prestigious scholarship, which they actually call the Exceptional International Students Scholarship.”
BVIS students don’t just follow what they think will make their parents proud, or copy what their friends are doing; they are not bound by such restraints because they know who they are and what they are interested in, and they truly create their own future.
One such impressive alumna is Nha Truc, Class of 2022, now studying economics at the University of Oxford. Colleen Usher proudly shared how she founded the Vietnamese Society at Oxford, giving a voice to students from her home country. She then met with the Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam to discuss issues important to both Vietnam and students studying in the UK.
"That epitomises a BVIS student," Colleen says. "They know there are no limits, and they know there are no bounds."
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BVIS Hanoi students graduate as confident, capable and globally aware young people. They combine academic strength with leadership experience, enrichment achievements and a record of making a difference in their communities. These qualities make them stand out in competitive university applications and prepare them to thrive in any future they choose. Whether it’s the University of Oxford, Ivy League Institutions or universities closer to home, BVIS Hanoi students stand out amongst the crowd.
Contact us today to learn how BVIS Hanoi can prepare your child for success at top universities around the world.
