Vietnam Education Foundation - Application and Selection Process

Application and Selection Process

The Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF) application and selection process is open, competitive, and transparent. The VEF Fellowship provides financial support, which is cost-shared by U.S. universities, for a graduate degree program in the United States in the fields of sciences (natural, physical, and environmental), engineering, mathematics, medicine (including public health), and technology (including information technology). Final approval of all Fellowship candidates is made by the VEF Board of Directors. Answers to common questions about the application and selection process can be found in the FAQs section of this website.

VEF permits applicants to apply for a VEF Fellowship through two processes. Eligible and qualified Process A applicants are screened for basic eligibility and then proceed to a face-to-face interview in Vietnam, conducted by prominent U.S. scientists and academics. Eligible and qualified Process B applicants must have been already admitted to a U.S. university independently before they can apply for a VEF Fellowship. Both processes are described in more detail below.

Important note: The following process is NEW and has been applied since Cohort 2013.

VEF Fellows, who will enter U.S. graduate schools in the Fall of 2013

PROCESS A
For eligible and qualified applicants interviewed in Vietnam and nominated by U.S. scientists and academics, then admitted to appropriate U.S. graduate programs

ROUND ONE - Qualification Screening (April). VEF screens completed applications to assure that the eligibility requirements and minimum qualifications are met, specifically confirming quantitative measures (GRE, English proficiency, and GPAs) as set forth in the VEF Fellowship Announcement. Applications of all qualified applicants will be recommended for the Oral Exam/Interview.

ROUND TWO - Oral Exam/Interview (August). VEF invites prominent U.S. scientists and academics to conduct a 45-minute oral exam/interview in English. The U.S. interviewers assess the candidates for academic preparation and promise, and nominate the top applicants (up to 45) for a VEF Fellowship. The U.S. professors provide a letter of recommendation for each nominee, based on the applicant's credentials and the face-to-face interview.

ROUND THREE - Graduate School Admission (September - March). VEF Fellowship nominees apply to U.S. universities with guidance and support from VEF. Each nominee receives a letter of financial support from VEF, describing the VEF financial terms. VEF provides financial support for applications to five (5) U.S. universities, selected by the nominees and confirmed by the U.S. interviewers and/or VEF. VEF Alliance Schools waive the application fee in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement with VEF.

By March 28, nominees must provide documentation of unconditional official graduate admission to a VEF Alliance School or to another appropriate U.S. graduate program that accepts the terms of VEF financial support (PDF - 31.2 KB). The nominee is then awarded a VEF Fellowship pending approval by the VEF Board of Directors.

"Unconditional admission" for VEF means that the admission to start graduate courses is not conditional on or pending specific performance on any university or standard exams, including any English language exams.

PROCESS B
For eligible and qualified applicants independently and unconditionally admitted to a U.S. graduate program

ROUND ONE - Qualification Screening (March). VEF reviews online applications from applicants, who have official and unconditional admission to an appropriate U.S. graduate program for the Fall term. The school must be a member of the VEF Alliance or must accept the terms of VEF financial support (PDF - 31.2 KB). The applicant must meet the minimum requirements for a VEF Fellowship. After a screening process by VEF to assure eligibility, a technical review will be conducted by U.S. scientists and academics. The most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in a phone interview to assess English language communication skills.

ROUND TWO - Interview (March). Top candidates recommended by the U.S. professors are invited to a phone interview conducted by VEF to confirm the candidate's English skills in listening and speaking.

Depending on the number of Fellowships available in April, Process B finalists may be awarded a VEF Fellowship pending approval by the VEF Board of Directors.