Vietnamese boy enters university at 16, pursues dual majors in New Zealand

Nguyen Tuan Minh was one of 36 Vietnamese students awarded the New Zealand Schools Scholarships (NZSS) program in 2019, the first year it was offered to Vietnamese students from grades 8 to 10.

Minh was accepted to study at Avondale College for high school.

“I arrived in New Zealand in 2020, exactly when the country imposed lockdown and quarantine policies due to the Covid-10 pandemic. I had to spend around three months at home studying online,” he said.

Minh took advantage of the lockdown to practice his English-speaking skills by communicating with his homestay host.

He helped the family with household chores, cleaned their cars and participated in family activities, which improved his pronunciation and speaking abilities.

When the pandemic stabilized and schools reopened, Minh was placed in 10th grade since he had completed the first semester of 9th grade in Hanoi.

After around two weeks, he realized he could handle a higher-level program and expressed his desire to the school’s office.

“I was given the opportunity to try studying 11th-grade classes and quickly caught up. I was studying a grade ahead of my peers,” Minh said.

That same year, Minh won a bronze medal in the New Zealand Mathematics Olympiad and received a scholarship for the following year thanks to his excellent academic performance.

Minh shared that the education system in New Zealand has 13 grades. However, through hard work, he completed his courses by the end of the 12th grade in 2022 and earned enough credits to apply to university at that time, when he was only 16.

Nguyen Tuan Minh as a university student in New Zealand. Photo courtesy of Minh

With a passion for technology since childhood, Minh decided to major in Computer Science. He was also interested in Finance after being exposed to business subjects in high school.

Minh chose the University of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest university, which is ranked 68th globally in the QS World University Rankings 2025 by British organization Quacquarelli Symonds.

Minh said the Computer Science program required 170 points for admission. With 230 points, students could apply for a dual major. At that time, Minh had 210 points, which included subjects like Mathematics, English, Physics, Law, and Information Technology.

“I chose Computer Science and aimed to use my first semester grades to apply for a second major. Eventually, I earned enough points to study both,” Minh said.

Studying two majors means Minh took more courses and needed four years to graduate, one year longer than his peers. He said that Finance involved understanding business operations and required many formulas for calculations and research, while Computer Science demanded logical thinking and knowledge of commands and algorithms.

Minh believed that studying both was not overly difficult, emphasizing the importance of paying attention in class, maintaining discipline, and self-study.

He usually achieves B+ and A- grades in his subjects. Currently, Minh is a university senior and will graduate next year.

Banh Pham Ngoc Van, Director of the New Zealand Education Agency in Vietnam, was impressed by Minh’s confidence and intelligence. Among the 36 scholarship recipients that year, Minh was the only one studying a dual major and entering university at 16.

“Tuan Minh has excelled in a dynamic learning environment, achieving many more accomplishments. I believe he will continue to set new milestones on his academic journey,” Van said.

In addition to his studies, Minh plays various sports such as badminton, running, soccer, and basketball.

He is currently the head of the school’s E-sport game department and a member of the web programming club. Through these activities, Minh relaxed and honed his skills in his chosen fields with his friends.

In the future, Minh hopes to find a job that combines both Computer Science and Finance. He plans to stay in New Zealand to experience the working environment and may return to Vietnam for further opportunities.

“Developing self-study skills is what I value most from my time here, and it’s the most essential factor for adapting to a new country,” Minh said.