From Application to Victory: My IELTS Prize Story
By Min Thant Han (IELTS Prize 2025 – One Out of Five Winners)
How I came to apply for the IELTS Prize began as a challenge for myself. A personal one- that I needed to grow out of the comfort of my home and a financial one for my professional development. I was facing two challenges back then and winning the IELTS Prize would have meant I could defeat two birds with one stone.
The application process was quite daunting if I am being honest, mostly because I am not used to filming myself and editing the video sequences. But I kept myself motivated by reminding myself of the times when I prepared for the IELTS exam. All the self-doubt, fear of failure and the pressure of expectations was overwhelming, but it was a good opportunity to reflect on myself.
It was on a day that I was volunteering as a translator for foreign teachers at a parent-teacher meeting that the email congratulating me came in. I was in the middle of a session when I happened to check my phone for the time, and I found out I was selected as 1 of 5 for the IELTS Prize. I had to take a toilet break to have a mini-celebration in the bathroom as I called my mother to tell her the good news!
A good portion of people reading this must be younger applicants looking for inspiration or advice and I can tell you one thing. That is to be authentic! Be original in your video submission and clearly state the meaningful reason behind your application to the IELTS Prize! I even added my sun conure parrot into my submission because it’s all about being fun and engaging!