Vietnamese student, driven by father's battle with Parkinson's, wins PhD pharmaceutical scholarship in Singapore

Vu Thi Thanh Nhan, a final-year student in pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, received the scholarship offer from NUS in mid-February.

NUS ranks 8th globally in the 2025 QS World University Rankings by British higher education analytics firm Quacquarelli Symonds. Nhan's scholarship covers tuition fees and a monthly stipend of SG$3,300 (US$2,473).

"I was overjoyed, though also a bit anxious," she said.

"It was the only university I applied to because I had not graduated yet at the time."

Vu Thi Thanh Nhan. Photo by VnExpress/Duong Tam

Nhan chose Singapore as she wants to study abroad but still be able to visit home easily.

Her father passed away more than two years ago, and her mother, now over 65, lives alone in their hometown in Hai Duong Province, near Hanoi.

Since third grade, Nhan had witnessed her father struggle with Parkinson's disease, which progressively robbed him of his independence. By the time she reached 11th grade, his condition had worsened, prompting her mother, an engineer, to change jobs to spend more time caring for him.

During this time, Nhan developed an interest in medicine and pharmacy and chose to pursue pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of Science. In 2021, she scored 25.55 points (out of 30) on the Math, Physics, and Chemistry tests of the national high school graduation exam to secure admission to the program.

By the end of her first year, just as she was adjusting to university life, she was dealt a devastating blow—her father's health deteriorated, and he passed away. His death strengthened her resolve to study harder, hoping to contribute to developing treatments for similar diseases.

Her professors, recognizing her dedication, encouraged her to consider studying abroad. They advised that a strong research background was essential for a career in pharmaceutical chemistry, setting her on a path toward postgraduate study.

Determined to enhance her skills, Nhan worked on improving her English and gaining research experience.

"With English, I had to start from the basics—phonetic symbols and essential vocabulary. It was quite challenging," she recalled. After a year of consistent effort, she achieved an IELTS score of 6.0.

In her second year, she joined the Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Organic Synthesis Laboratory of Associate Professor Mac Dinh Hung.

"I was impressed when she interviewed for the lab and mentioned how her father’s passing from Parkinson’s motivated her to pursue drug synthesis," Professor Hung recalled.

Though her academic foundation was not as strong as those from specialized high schools, her clear goals convinced Hung to accept her into the lab. Within months, he entrusted her with an independent research project.

Nine months later, Nhan became the lead author of a research paper published in Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis, a prestigious Q1 journal. The study introduced a new method for synthesizing selective derivatives of furan and dihydrofuran, compounds with potential applications in antibacterial, antifungal, cosmetic, and perfume industries.

"Initially, we planned to synthesize a furan compound, but during the research, we discovered conditions that allowed us to synthesize dihydrofuran as well. That unexpected finding made research even more exciting for me," she said.

Path to NUS scholarship

In her third year, Nhan was selected to represent her university at a two-week summer program at NUS, where she presented her research, toured state-of-the-art facilities, and conducted experiments.

Vu Thi Thanh Nhan poses with her project when attending a summer school at NUS. Photo coutersy of Nhan

The experience, along with NUS’s modern infrastructure and enthusiastic professors, convinced her to apply for a PhD scholarship there.

Upon returning to Vietnam, she researched NUS faculty members and reached out to two professors whose work aligned with her interests. After participating in two interviews, each lasting 45 to 60 minutes, she was selected by the head of the NUS Chemistry Department.

She then submitted her PhD application, highlighting her research achievements, English proficiency, and a GPA of 3.76/4. Along with these credentials, she included recommendation letters from her professors and a personal motivation letter, in which she detailed her commitment to pharmaceutical chemistry, inspired by her father's battle with Parkinson's disease.

Nhan graduated from university one semester early in January but continued her research and worked as a teaching assistant at the Hanoi school.

To support herself, she also tutored ninth-grade students, covering her expenses without burdening her mother. Over 3.5 years in college, she received a total VND200 million (US$7,833) in scholarships from her university and various businesses.

Currently, she is learning Chinese and further improving her English in preparation for her new life in Singapore.

"I want to continue my studies beyond a PhD and return to Vietnam to work as a university lecturer. I also hope to contribute to the country’s pharmaceutical industry when I come back," she shared.