FAQs about VEF Visiting Scholar Program
VEF seeks highly qualified applicants in the major disciplines of the natural sciences, including agricultural sciences, biological sciences, earth sciences (i.e., atmospheric sciences, geology, meteorology, and oceanography), and environmental sciences; the physical sciences (chemistry and physics); engineering and technology (including information technology); mathematics; and medicine (such as biomedical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, and public health).
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here for detailed information on the fields of study supported by VEF.
Yes. If you have finished your Ph.D. program but you have not yet received the diploma, you can request a certification from your school to submit to VEF and then submit the official diploma to us as soon thereafter as possible. That certification should clearly state that you have finished the Ph.D. program. You will also need your Ph.D. transcript with the proper stamp/certification from the university to upload to your online application.
The location where an applicant received a Ph.D. has no bearing on eligibility to apply for the VEF Visiting Scholar Program.
VEF provides the Visiting Scholar grant for a period of time ranging from 5 to 12 months. A 4-month program cannot be supported by VEF.
There is no age restriction for applicants who apply to the VEF Visiting Scholar Grant or to any VEF programs.
VEF has an open, competitive and transparent application and selection process. The following selection criteria will be used to evaluate qualified applicants for the Visiting Scholar Program:
1. Evidence of superior academic achievement as a scholar in Vietnam
2. Quality of the professional development plan
3. Demonstrated commitment to scientific and educational development in Vietnam
4. Demonstrated commitment of support from the U.S. host institution(s)
5. Demonstrated commitment of support from the Vietnamese institution(s)
6. English proficiency
Once you have completed your online application and once you click the "submit" button, you will receive a message from online@vef.gov, confirming that we have received your application.
If you do not receive that email, please check your junk mail folder as your mail server might not accept emails from our system. If you still see no confirmation message, you may check with VEF by sending an email to
vs@vef.gov
No, no one may attend the PDO in your place. Yes, you are personally obliged to attend. The PDO is a legal requirement of the VEF Visiting Scholar Program. Applicants who have been approved by the Board of Directors for the Visiting Scholar grant must attend the PDO in person or forfeit the grant.
VEF is the J-1 visa sponsor for the Visiting Scholar and the J-2 visa sponsor for the Visiting Scholar’s dependents. VEF will determine which J-1 visa category (Research Scholar or Short-term Scholar) is appropriate, based on the activities of the planned program. Your dependents may join you during your Visiting Scholar period with a J-2 visa. You are fully responsible for all the expenses related to your dependents who accompany or visit you while in the United States.