Calling for volunteers · Cất Cánh Fellowship 2026

Become a Cất Cánh local ambassador

Be the launchpad for Vietnam's STEM talent.

For Vietnamese PhD candidates, master's students, and STEM professionals studying or working abroad — anyone who has already navigated the MS/PhD application journey and wants to light the way for the next generation.

About the Fellowship Apply now

Why we built this

Dr. Cong Trinh

Co-founder, VISEMI Foundation · Senior Manager, Applied Materials

I ran a simple calculation: this year I help two students win their scholarships. I don’t ask them to pay me back — only that each one later helps two more. Follow that 2ⁿ model, and in twenty years we’ll have a formidable community of experts.

Cất Cánh isn’t just a scholarship fund — it’s the first step toward making that network real. We want a global Vietnamese community where professionals in the US, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan walk alongside the next generation and pull them up.

Learn more about VISEMI As featured in Dân Trí

Who we're looking for

You've studied or worked abroad in STEM

A researcher, master's/PhD student, or professional who has built a life and career outside Vietnam.

You've won your own funding

You've navigated MS/PhD applications and secured scholarships or funded offers abroad — and remember exactly how hard it was.

You want to guide the next generation

You're driven to light the way for young Vietnamese talent following the path you walked.

What being an ambassador looks like

This is the Alumni Flywheel in motion: those who made the leap come back to launch the ones just starting. Ambassadors are volunteers — and the closest companions a fellow has through the six-month accelerator.

What ambassadors do

Guide their profiles

Help fellows shape sharp SOPs, CVs, and research directions — drawing on the path you walked yourself.

Share the journey

Join workshops and webinars to speak candidly about life, culture, and research in your host country.

Open doors

Be the bridge connecting fellows to expert mentors and international labs worldwide.

Sharpen interviews

Run mock interviews so fellows walk into admissions panels ready and confident.

The six-month journey

From kickoff to takeoff — here's what each phase asks of you, and the time it takes. The heavy lifting lands in Phases 1–3.

The Ambassador Program runs as a team. VISEMI and Cất Cánh organizers provide detailed guidance and walk alongside the ambassador team the whole way. Every workshop is opt-in, and the time commitment flexes around your schedule.

Boarding Takeoff begins — June 2026

  1. Phase 1

    June 2026

    ~10–15 hrs/mo
    • Kickoff call with the ambassador team 1.5h meeting
    • School & country selection workshop 1h live + 3h prep (opt-in)
    • Professor selection workshop 1h live + 3h prep (opt-in)
    • 1-on-1 assessment with 2–3 fellows 1.5h per fellow
    • Co-finalize each fellow's individual roadmap 1.5h per fellow

    Concentrated in weeks 3–4

  2. Phase 2

    July – September 2026

    ~8–12 hrs/mo
    • Weekly office hour 30 min × 12 weeks
    • SOP & CV bootcamp workshop 1h live + 3h prep (opt-in)
    • SOP feedback — round 1 1–1.5h per fellow
    • SOP feedback — round 2 1–1.5h per fellow
    • Approve final SOP, CV & research direction 1–1.5h per fellow

    Flexible across the three months

  3. Phase 3

    October – December 2026

    ~8–12 hrs/mo
    • Weekly office hour 30 min × 12 weeks
    • Cold-email-the-professor workshop 1h live + 3h prep (opt-in)
    • Build professor shortlist & email templates 1h per fellow
    • Group & individual mock interviews 3h per group + 30 min per fellow
    • Confirm 100% of applications submitted via tracker 1h

    Peaks in October–November

  4. Phase 4 Optional

    March – May 2027

    ~3–6 hrs/mo
    • Review offer letters & comparison analysis 1h per fellow
    • Visa, housing & banking checklists 2h prep + sharing
    • Farewell & pay-it-forward webinar 1h, full team

    Beyond the core six-month program

Arrival Your fellows land their offers