Online Applications Opened for VEF Fellowship Program 2007

The Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF) is pleased to announce its 2008 VEF Fellowship program. The Fellowship application and selection process is open, competitive, and transparent. Applicants do not need to pay any fees to anyone in order to apply or be considered for a VEF Fellowship. Winners are chosen based on individual merits including academic performance, intellectual capabilities, English capability, and the potential for scientific contribution to education and research.

For 2008, VEF expects to award up to 40 Fellowships.

Applications will be available ONLY online (online applications) and ONLY from 8:00 a.m., August 15, 2006, to 8:00 a.m., September 30, 2006 ( Vietnam time zone).

1. Fields of study

VEF seeks highly qualified applicants interested in pursuing a Ph.D. or Master's degree at leading universities in the United States in the major disciplines of science and technology (S&T), such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Public Health, Information Technology, and Engineering.

2. Eligibility

In order to apply, applicants must meet the following requirements:

· Vietnamese by citizenship and not permanent residents in, or citizens of, any country other than Vietnam;

· College graduates with a Bachelor's degree in a field of S&T or college seniors who will graduate with a degree in S&T by July 2008;

· Overall Grade Point Average (GPA) from college of at least 7.0/10.0. (Grades on other scales must be converted into a 10-point scale according to VEF guidelines. A grade conversion scale is available on the VEF website: download/conversion_table.htm ); and

· TOEFL score (either International or Institutional exam) of at least 500 for Paper - based Test (PBT) (equivalent to 173 for Computer - based Test (CBT) and 61 for Internet - based Test (iBT)). A valid TOEFL score report is absolutely necessary without exception, even if the applicant has a degree from an English speaking country.

3. The selection processes of VEF Fellows

PROCESS A: For applicants who meet all the requirements in Section 2 above

There are three rounds of competition:

Note: From now to June 2007, there will be two GRE Examinations held in Vietnam , one in October 2006 and the other in February 2007.

PROCESS B: For applicants who meet all the requirements in Section 2 above and have independently gained official graduate admission to a VEF Alliance school or a leading graduate program that accepts VEF's financial support terms.

We will accept applications for PROCESS B via our website in February 2008.

There are two rounds of competition:

For both Process A and Process B, the final decision on VEF Fellowship awards will be made by the VEF Board of Directors in April 2008.

Note: The above is the intended VEF time-line of activities for the selection process for 2008. VEF reserves the right to make changes as circumstances require. Any changes will be posted ONLY on VEF's official website at www.vef.gov .

4. Preparation for the VEF Fellowship Online Application

To prepare for the online applications , applicants must do the following:

1. TRANSCRIPTS. Applicants are required to prepare transcripts from undergraduate studies translated into English with a notarization or with an official school stamp.

2. TOEFL SCORE . If an applicant's most recent TOEFL score is less than 500 for Paper - based Test (PBT) (equivalent to 173 for Computer - based Test (CBT) and 61 for Internet - based Test (iBT)) or, if a TOEFL test score is too old for the VEF Fellowship application (more than 24 months for International TOEFL and 12 months for Institutional TOEFL), applicants should contact the Institute of International Education in Hanoi (Phone 04-726-2524, Website www.iievn.org ) or the International Investment Group (IIG) Vietnam (Phone 04- 773-2411, Website www. iigvietnam .com ) to register and pay fees for either an Institutional or International TOEFL exam. Immediate registration and testing are recommended to ensure that scores will be ready prior to VEF's application deadline.

VERY IMPORTANT : If the applicant fails to submit undergraduate transcripts and TOEFL scores as required above before the application deadline, the application will be automatically rejected.

3. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE . Each applicant must prepare a Statement of Purpose essay, giving three reasons for wanting to pursue a graduate degree program in the U.S. on a VEF Fellowship. Objectives must be stated clearly with explanations about how a VEF Fellowship would help the applicant achieve his or her stated objectives. The essay must be well-organized and composed in excellent English and must not be more than two A4 pages single-spaced. The quality and content of this essay are extremely important factors in determining the applicant's candidacy for a VEF Fellowship. Below are some suggestions of information to include:

Work and research experience

· Narrative of work and research experience

· Description of a scientific challenge that the applicant faced and how s/he managed and solved that challenge, including the lessons learned. This can be a success or a failure, but it must be memorable.

Future plans

· Desired fields of study (several specific subjects and general research interests) ranked according to priority

· Objectives and impact of one's proposed research or project(s)

· Contribution of the proposed research or project(s) to the development of science and technology in Vietnam

Click here for Vietnamese version.