Want to study abroad? Seeking career options? Alumni platform is here to help

Ella Study Co-founder Nguyen Trong Duy

What is the motivation for the establishment of the company? What are the company’s advantages and disadvantages?

The founding team consists of former overseas students in Sweden, Germany, the US and Australia, who experienced years of seeking information and asking acquaintances and friends about studying abroad. At that time, we only had three sources of information - online searching through Google and Facebook, seeking information from advisory centers, and asking acquaintances and friends.

As overseas students, we fully understand the difficulties of integrating successfully into an international environment. Students lack proper orientation, they are often faced with biased information, and muddled by complicated bureaucratic processes. Our startup is designed to support future students.

The biggest advantage of Ella Study is that people are well informed about the startup movement, contributing to promoting its development. In addition, the government’s startup support policies have also made it easier to conduct legal procedures, and opened up opportunities to connect startups with business incubators, media agencies, and potential investors.

Advantages always come with difficulties. To fully enjoy preferential policies such as taxes and protection of intellectual property rights, startups have to promote investment in strengthening the apparatus to be officially licensed. However, in the early years, startups must completely focus on developing products to adapt to consumers and markets.

Ella Study targets help for 800 students in 2019 and 30,000 in 2023. What will the company do to expand its market?

In the first phase of testing products and services and the level of user interest, we must make sure that providers (alumni and mentors) ensure the quality of services (consultancy and orientation) in the best way. Ella Study manages the quality based on three tools: recruitment and training of alumni and mentors, operating a clear system and process, and arranging a support team for new alumni and mentors.

Since 2018, we have assisted nearly 1,000 students in career orientation and development, including more than 100 students who went to study abroad. In 2019, we have assisted nearly 800 students. Most of them became mentors as a part-time job and supported future students.

In the next phase, we are expanding products to support students aged 16-28. After that, we will cooperate with other service providers to help students have the best foreign study and career development options.

What are the company’s future plans?

Ella Study will constantly improve the operational process so that the apparatus is most effective and profitable to create sustainable growth momentum. We will also create more products to support students.

In addition to expanding the market in Hanoi and Da Nang, Ella Study will promote its development in regional countries. Each market has different needs and Ella Study will have to localize its model to suit each market.

In the coming time, we will continue to cooperate with businesses that are in need of high-quality human resources and those providing support services for students and overseas students.