By Manh Hung Vu - Vietnam, 17 June, 2026
From Vietnam to Brisbane, biomedical science student Leo Vu explores how practical learning and research at QUT sparked his journey toward immunology.
Hi, I’m Manh Hung (Leo) Vu, an international student from Vietnam pursuing a Bachelor of Biomedical Science at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane. My interest in biology took roots in an early fascination for microscopic cells, the structures visible only through microscopes rather than with the naked eyes. I often wondered how something so small could represent the most fundamental unit of life. That interest then gradually drew me toward immunology and vaccines, a field focused on protection and prevention, and one in which I hope to build my future on.
Why I chose QUT
Choosing QUT as my academic home after high school became a genuine turning point. The undergraduate experience, particularly the extensive laboratory hours and interdisciplinary exposure, opened doors to future opportunities and redirected my studies from the broad ambition of becoming a doctor to a more focused interest in research. In many ways, QUT was the first institution to truly form my expectations of what a scientific career could look like. Professors are approachable and grounded; they speak to students as emerging members of the scientific community rather than from a position of hierarchy. While they answer questions enthusiastically, they also encourage independent inquiry before seeking guidance, hence treating curiosity as instinctive.
With that level of support behind me, I felt compelled to pursue opportunities that once seemed beyond my reach. The defining highlight of my time at QUT was being selected as one of just ten biomedical students to represent the university at the Hessen International Winter University exchange program in Germany. Immersing myself in a completely different academic environment, and witnessing how institutions across borders approach biomedical science, was eye-opening at the very least. Because QUT had already laid the foundation for how I think, question, and work as an aspiring scientist, I found myself walking into unfamiliar environments eager and ready to contribute.
Biomedical Science at QUT
QUT presented itself as a forward-looking institution with strong links to pharmaceutical and research sectors in Australia. However, what truly brought this promise to life was its culture. Students are treated as capable contributors early in their studies, engaging in open dialogue that places them almost on equal footing with professors. Furthermore, programs such as the Vacation Research Experience Scheme (VRES) opened doors to experimentation I had previously only observed online, while the Peer Leader Program brought about academic support and leveraged community bonds among globally minded researchers.
Nonetheless, I think the primary criterion for this specific major should ultimately be the quality and advancement of laboratory facilities. Here, at both Gardens Point and Kelvin Groves Campus, practical sessions are supported by attentive laboratory assistants who provide immediate guidance. Demonstrations are hands-on and repeated to ease understanding, while communication with faculty are highly efficient and responsive. For me, as an international student adapting to both a new country and scientific English, such environment is just what I need. I could ask questions freely and make mistakes without hesitation, knowing that error is an integral part of lab-work and a scholar’s growth. Over time, I grew into the habit of supporting classmates instinctively, adopting a collaborative culture that emphasizes receiving help and, once experienced, passing it forward in the role of 'Peer Leader'.
What preparing for the real world means in practice
Professional preparation at QUT is perhaps most distinctively embodied through the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) or the Vacation Research Experience Scheme (VRES). It essentially goes beyond step-by-step lab manuals to contributing in experimental design, data collection, literature reviews, and sometimes even troubleshooting failed results in closely resembled professional settings. The flipped-classroom model, where theoretical content is learned through recorded lectures before attending interactive workshops, ties knowledge with such application. Naturally from that point, medicine and research no longer appeared to me as separate domains but as interconnected and interdependent branches of therapeutic development.
Why choose Brisbane, Australia
Of course, I cannot leave Brisbane and Queensland out of the picture, the aptly nicknamed “Sunshine State” whose warmth seems to define both the climate and the character of the place. Wrapped around the Brisbane River, with green corridors, walking paths, and public parklands embedded directly into academic zones, namely the City Botanic Gardens and the Victoria Park border Gardens Point and Kelvin Groves Campus. In other words, my decompression space after a dense lab session isn’t somewhere I have to travel to but it’s already there within reach.
Brisbane’s subtropical weather, too, changes how people study and socialize. Collaboration doesn’t always happen in formal meeting rooms; it happens on lawns, riverwalks, and open courtyards year-round, as I would prefer it. The immediate impression I had upon arriving, then, was the city’s immense greenery with the sunny sun's shinning above, something I fell in love with at first sight.
Message to international students
If you are considering studying abroad, please seek a university where inquiry is welcomed and opportunities are readily available. For me, QUT has been that answer. Exposure to diverse scientific communities has affirmed that aspirations in medical science are attainable, even for a student arriving from another continent. But most importantly, have fun and enjoy what university life has to offer! Beyond the lectures, laboratories, and research placements, university is also about growth in ways that are far less measurable, but equally important. It is where you learn to live independently, adapt to unfamiliar environments, and discover what truly motivates you. The friendships you form, the challenges you overcome, and even the mistakes you make along the way all become part of the education that extends beyond any valuable degree.
So, step out of your comfort zone, stay hungry for knowledge, and allow yourself the time and space to grow!
