Applications Are Now Being Accepted For the Ph.D. Program

Applications are now being accpeted for the MANAR Graduate Program for Fall 2015!

Information about the MANAR Ph.D. program can be found in our Graduate Program Brochure.

Information about admission requirements, application procedures, and deadlines can be found in our Admission Notice.

Students wishing to apply are encouraged to email Kyle Cordova, the Global Science Coordinator, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  for more information.

The MANAR Ph.D. program trains young scientists to develop creative, high impact, and world-class research projects. Truly, Ph.D. students at MANAR have the opportunity to conduct research that is considered to be on the cutting-edge of science.

Undergraduate students who have completed a basic science degree are eligible to enroll in a MANAR Ph.D. program, which requires coursework and research in materials science and nanotechnology during the first two years of study. All coursework and research conducted by each Ph.D. student is taught and mentored by Vietnamese scientists as well as scientific advisors from the University of California, Berkeley. After this initial period, students will spend the rest of their Ph.D. study conducting independent research.

There are several key advantages for MANAR Ph.D. students:

1. Every student has the opportunity to collaborate with research scientists from the U.S. (UC Berkeley), Korea (KAIST), and Japan (NIMS) on research projects they carry out in Vietnam.
2. Students have the opportunity to spend time abroad as visiting scholars to conduct research at any of the labs listed in (1). This opportunity can last several months to even years.
3. Those students deemed exceptional after their first two years of study will be advised to submit an application to a U.S. institution to carry out their Ph.D. work. Students that choose to stay in VN for their Ph.D. work at MANAR will have the opportunity to be recommended for post-doctoral research positions abroad and will receive letters of recommendation from the UC Berkeley scientific advisors and/or professors.
4. All projects being carried out at MANAR are based on cutting-edge science and have the potential to be of high impact to the worldwide scientific community. This means that all publications from MANAR are in well-respected, high impact, and international journals.

All MANAR Ph.D. students receive a grant (stipend) that covers tuition fees and personal financial support during their tenure at MANAR. Ph.D. students who have the opportunity to be visiting scholars abroad will also receive additional financial support for living expenses throughout the duration of their stay in the U.S., Korea, or Japan. Scientific support to MANAR Ph.D. students is truly world class:

• Ph.D. students participate in a weekly "global meeting" via video conference to discuss the current status of their research projects and learn more about our international collaborators research (Prof. Omar Yaghi's groups at UC Berkeley, KAIST, and NIMS). This is an opportunity to grow as a scientist and openly collaborate with some of the best researchers in the world.

• All students have access to scientific journals and other scientific databases.

• Students are encouraged to present their work at international scientific meetings and are financially supported for when they present.

• MANAR personnel have easy access to chemical and equipment ordering and receiving as needed. 

• Research laboratories are operated under international standards and are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment.

• Safety is a top priority at MANAR and all students receive regular training through weekly workshops.