Suffering from polio that led to paralysis and scoliosis as a child, Trần Phan Thanh Hải, 18, was admitted to the HCM City University of Science without having to take the national high school exam. 

Thirteen projects received first prizes in the annual National Science and Technology Contest for high school students in the southern region at an awards ceremony at Tôn Đức Thắng University in HCM City on Tuesday.