STEP 1: CHOOSE A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY
1.1. General Information about Higher Education in the U.S.
In the United States, students begin "higher education" after completing high school education, which equivalent to 12th grade in Vietnam. Study at a college or university leading to the Bachelor's Degree is known as "undergraduate" education. Study beyond the Bachelor's Degree is known as "graduate" school, or "post-graduate" education. Advanced or graduate degrees include law, medicine, the M.B.A., and the Ph.D. (doctorate).
Following are the definitions of institutions where you can get a U.S. higher education. We arrange them in the order of most interest to least for most of Vietnamese students. Notice the first two categories!
State/Private College or University
A state school is supported and run by a state or local government. Each of the 50 U.S. states operates at least one state university and possibly several state colleges. Some state schools have the word "State" in their names.
Private schools are operated privately, not by a branch of the government. Tuition will usually be higher than at state schools. Often, private colleges and universities are smaller in size than state schools. One important rule of thumb: it's often easier to have financial supports for graduate study from states universities but from private schools for undergraduate study.
Normally, your main target lies here.
This is a two-year state, or public college. Community colleges serve a local community, usually a city or county. Many of the students are commuters who live at home, or evening students who work during the day.
Often, community colleges welcome international students. Many of these schools offer special services to international students such as free tutoring. The admission here is less competitive and you have more chance to get an assistantship and/or a part-time job to pay for your education. Moreover, the tuition fee here often much less than in (four-year) college, instructors are able to give personal attention to students. Many community colleges also offer ESL or intensive English programs.
Most of community colleges provide "college transfer" programs. Students who complete these courses can transfer their credits when they enter a four-year college or university and use these credits to earn an undergraduate degree. These transfer programs can be helpful to international students. Two years at a community college can help a student improve English language and study skills as the student grows accustomed to the U.S. educational system and way of life.
Some community colleges provide housing and advising services that an international student might need.
Specially for undergraduate student: Although this may not your final aim, you can find community colleges a good transition step, a boulder to your desired college or university.
For links to community college information, go here!
A two-year college admits high school graduates and awards an associate's Degree. Some two-year colleges are state supported, or public; others are private. In Vietnam, until now generally speaking, Associate's Degree will not qualify you for a job. In the U.S., if your college is rather well known then you can find rather a good job. Two-year college or "junior" college graduates usually transfer to four-year colleges or universities, where they complete the Bachelor's Degree in two or more additional years.
A professional school trains students in fields such as art, music, engineering, business, and other professions. Some are part of universities. Others are separate schools. Some offer graduate degrees.
This is a school, which offers at least four years of study in science and technology. Some institutes of technology have graduate programs. Others are similar to community and junior colleges and offer shorter courses in less advanced specialties.
A technical institute trains students in fields such as medical technology or industrial engineering. Although the course may prepare you for the career you want, the degree may or may not be equivalent to a college or university degree. Some colleges and universities do not accept credits from students who have attended technical institutes and want to transfer. If you are considering a technical institute, find out if your government, and U.S. colleges and universities accept the school's degree.
Many U.S. colleges and universities were founded by religious groups. The relationship, however, between the school and the religious organization may be very flexible. Sometimes, these schools prefer to admit students who are members of the sponsoring religious group. Nearly all these schools welcome students of all religions and beliefs. Traditionally, many Church-related schools have required that students take Bible courses and attend chapel services. But these practices are becoming less common.
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Course of study
U.S. students usually study a wide variety of subjects while in college. Many students do not specialize exclusively in one field until graduate school.
The first two years of college are called the "freshman" and "sophomore" years. Students in the first year are called "freshmen," and they are "sophomores" in the second year. Some schools require freshmen and sophomores to take courses in different areas of learning: literature, science, the social sciences, the arts, history, and so forth. Freshmen and sophomores are known as "underclassmen."
The "junior" and "senior," or third and fourth years, are the "upper classes." Students in these years are known as "juniors" and "seniors"- "upperclassmen." When they enter their junior year, they must choose a "major" field of study. They must take a certain number of courses in this department, or field. In some schools, students also choose a "minor" field. There is usually time for students to choose several other "elective" (extra) courses in other subjects.
Advisor
Each student is assigned a "faculty advisor" who teaches courses in the student's major field. This advisor helps the student select a program of study.
An international student will also have an "International Student Advisor." This person helps the international students adjust to U.S. life, handles visa and other paper-work problems, and organizes activities for international students.
Classroom learning
Classes range from large lectures for several hundred students to smaller classes and "seminars" (discussion classes) with only a few students. Students enrolled in lecture courses are often divided into smaller groups, or "sections." The sections meet separately to discuss the lecture topics and other material.
Professors usually assign textbook and other readings each week. They also require several written reports each semester (term). You will be expected to keep up to date with the required readings in order to join in class discussions and to understand the lectures. Science students are also expected to spend time in the laboratory.
Academic year
The school calendar usually begins in August or September and continues through May or June. It is a good idea for international students to enter U.S. universities in autumn. Most new students enter at this time, so they can adjust together. Also, many courses are designed so students will take them in sequence, starting in autumn and continuing through the year.
The academic year at many schools is composed of two terms or semesters. Other schools use a three-term calendar known as the "trimester" system. Still others divide the year into the "quarter" system of four terms, including a summer session, which is optional.
Credit hour
Each course is considered to be worth a number of "credits" or "credit hours." This number is roughly the same as the number of hours a student spends in class for that course each week. A course is typically worth three to five credits.
A full program at most schools is twelve or fifteen credit hours (four or five courses per term). International students are expected to enroll in a full program during each term.
Transfers
If a student enrolls in a new university before finishing a degree, usually most credits earned at the first school can be used to complete a degree at the new university. This means a student can transfer to another university and still graduate within a reasonable time.
Some U.S. universities/college may accept credits transferred from Vietnamese universities after consideration of the course contents, materials and notes.
Marks
Professors give each student a mark or "grade" for each course. The marks are based upon:
- Classroom participation: Discussion, questions, conversation, during discussion time, especially in seminar classes. This is often a very important factor in determining a student's grade.
- Midterm examination: Usually given during class time.
- Term papers: One or more research or term papers, or laboratory reports.
- Quizzes: Possible short exams or "quizzes." Sometimes the professor will give an unannounced "surprise quiz." This doesn't count heavily toward the grade but is intended to inspire students to keep up with their assignments and attendance.
- Final examination: Held some time after the final class meeting.
Advanced placement
Some colleges and universities give college credit to students for work they have done in high school. Some schools also give advanced standing to students who prove that they have achieved college level proficiency in a certain subject. This means that a student who is just entering college, a freshman, can take courses normally only open to sophomores.
The school will probably ask the student to take a test to prove that he or she can do sophomore level work, or the school will give advanced placement to a student who has scored exceptionally high on college admission exams. Students who have completed "A" levels at home often receive advanced placement standing.
In order to find a professional job, a college graduate with a Bachelor's Degree today usually will want to consider graduate study.
In most case, Bachelor's Degree in major Vietnamese universities or colleges is accepted in the U.S., some of your Master's Degree classes may be transferred but there's no general acceptance of the degree. You should check with the university or college you are applying for. In admission consideration, transcripts of all degrees obtained should be provided. Thus, if you know that you can not transfer any credit or the degree will not be accepted, do leave it out just in case it may harm the decision.
Usually, graduate students have a part-time on-campus job to support themselves and pay the tuition fee. The number of such assistantships varies from institution to institution, from year to year depending on the available jobs in the particular department. Those jobs include T.A. (Teaching Assistant) and R.A. (Research Assistant).
Master's Degree
Many international students are able to qualify for the jobs they want after they have earned a Master's Degree. This degree is usually required in fields such as library science, engineering, or social work. The M.B.A., or Master of Business Administration, is an extremely popular degree that usually takes two years. Some Master's programs, such as journalism, only take one year.
In an academic Master's program, students study such fields as history and philosophy. These degrees are considered stepping-stones toward a doctorate (Ph.D.).
A Master program generally involves from 30 to 45 credit hours, which takes a regular normal full-time graduate student from 3 to 4 semesters to complete.
Most time in a Master's program is spent in classroom study. A Master's Degree candidate usually can choose whether to prepare a long research paper called a "master's thesis" or not. But some master's programs involve a great deal of independent study and individual research. It is recommended for candidates who want to advance to Ph.D. to take thesis option.
Doctorate (Ph.D.)
Many graduate schools consider the Master's Degree as the first step towards attaining the Ph.D. (doctorate). But at other schools, students may prepare directly for the doctorate without also earning a Master's Degree. However, because of the quality and unpopularity of education system in Vietnam, this is unlikely to a student with Vietnamese academic degree.
Students who are enrolled in a doctoral program are known as Ph.D. "candidates." They will spend some time in class, but the most important work that earns the Ph.D. is spent in original research.
It may take three to four years or more from graduation to earn the Ph.D. Degree. For international students, this time may be longer depending on the individual capability to as five or six years.
For the first two years, most doctoral candidates enroll in classes and seminars. For at least another year, students will conduct first-hand research and write a thesis or dissertation. This paper must contain views, designs, or research that have not been previously published.
A doctoral dissertation is a discussion and summary of the current scholarship on a given topic. Most universities awarding doctorates also require their candidates to have a reading knowledge of two foreign languages, to spend some required length of time "in residence" attending class regularly, to pass a qualifying examination that officially admits candidates to the Ph.D. program, and to pass an oral examination on the same topic as the dissertation.
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Confused? Don't be! You ask yourself what kind of school is good for you, right? It's not the right time to answer yet. Sort out some options that may apply for you and narrow your searching area. We only give you an outline and a reference about education system in the U.S. Whenever you have trouble understanding any related matter elsewhere, you can look it up here.
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1.2. Choose a Right School for You
Starting to choose a school for your higher education, you should have a list of things you need and things you have. But what do you need? We'll point them out right now.
There are a lot of documents with various requirements in applying process but in none of them we find a good order. In the following are the basic needs shown in order from most to least importance to a typical Vietnamese student. Details will be discussed further in next steps. Of course, this is the idea of many successful advisors and Vietnamese students and myself. You may have other opinion and in that case we highly appreciate you giving us your idea.
The cost of going to school in the U.S.A. is at least several thousand dollars a year and can exceed $20,000 a year at many colleges and universities. As an international student, you are not allowed to work during the first academic year in the U.S.A., and your spouses are not allowed to work at all. You cannot expect to support yourself while you study.
This is an enormous amount for a Vietnamese family, even the wealthy one. That's why we put it on the top position. You can pay for it from your own pocket or from your parents? OK, then you can skip it and go to the next one. However, if you can't or you don't want to, you will have to find a financial support. Although we reserve a long story about finding financial aid below, we want you to have it always in your mind while choosing your school. Worried? Here is the first hint: you could find financial aid at the very school you are applying for and it can cover of your own basic expenses during your education. Then, your first problem becomes the last one you have to think about.
You need a good academic record associated with strong recommendation letters from your teachers, professors or your employers to be granted admission. Normally, an international student is expected to hold a position within top 10 to 15% of his/her class. Nevertheless, Vietnamese education system is not familiar to U.S. schools and many students from other Asian countries have very competitive record, you need to be in the top 5 to 10% to have a good chance.
To demonstrate your English proficiency and your capability to achieve a good result in your education, a variety of tests are required and/or recommended. Normally, each university or college has a minimum requirement for its students. And the higher the test result, the more chance you have to be granted admission and financial support.
Details about the tests and test preparation are mentioned in Step II: Prepare for the Test.
In Vietnam, TOEFL test is rather popular now but not others. Lack of convenient testing centers and schedules, books and courses severely restricts the result. But you have to overcome it, there's no other way to choose now.
Your application and even preparation process will be shorter and more effective if you have good connections and/or help from right persons. A suggestion, an instruction or in the base case, the direct help in preparation can save you a lot of time and effort. A good Vietnamese student studied or is studying in the same school, the same department is a valuable reference of our education in Vietnam. Hence we want to make a list of Universities, Colleges that have or ever had Vietnamese students for your reference. If you know more or you willingly to help a Vietnamese student, please contact us.
To be chosen by a professor as his student or granted a job in the department, you need to have the interest and/or experience in specific areas. Knowledge of main subjects or funded areas, schools with more financial support for students (especially international students) could also enhance your chance.
Now when you have some general information about things you need and what you could expect from the schools you are going apply. Let's go and choose a program and school for you.
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If you have a degree or you are really interested in a specific area, choosing a major is not really a problem for you but be careful, it can be called by another name or you have nothing exactly the same with your desired field. Choosing a totally unfamiliar field on one hand restricts your chance of being admitted, on the other hand could cause you a lot of trouble afterwards. Thus, make sure that you understand the major and want to take it before you decide.
The larger the area, the more chance you have. But if it's too large, you maybe lost in the sea you created. You can also be considered as having no specific area of interesting, which is especially disadvantageous for graduate applicants. If you know the specific area of your may-be professor or a funded field in a school you want to apply, which is rather familiar to you or you are sure that you can study, don't hesitate to choose it (at least for that school).
In application form for one college or university, a student can apply for only one major. If he is not accepted to enter that department, you may be considered to enter another but it is unlikely for a Vietnamese student without effective means of communications.
If you have a special interest, you may choose a school that offers a custom major program. E.g. California's University of Redlands prides itself on what it describes as a "value-oriented curriculum," a liberal arts and sciences program that emphasizes individualism rather than more traditional, standardized methods of instruction. For example, a student may wish to study the role of women in Third World cultures and design a program combining course work in history, psychology and anthropology with independent research.
You can see many other criteria pointed out by different guides to choose a major, yet they are not applicable for Vietnamese students so we don't mention them here.
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Not in all the universities and colleges, your post secondary education in Vietnam will be applied toward your U. S. degree program. If you want to transfer some of your results to your new school, it is very important to supply them with a complete record of your education and to write a special letter asking if the courses will be counted toward your American degree. Credits (or in other words, your academic result) that are used for a completed degree in Vietnam or elsewhere will never be accepted to be transferred to a new degree program although they are the same. You may discover that only a few of your courses will be accepted, but credit for them can be very important in helping you complete your American program more quickly.
Always apply at the appropriate level of education. If you have completed two years of post secondary education in your home country, you probably should not apply to a community or junior college and you certainly should ask the school's advice before applying. If you have completed a bachelor's degree program, write to graduate schools to see if you meet their requirements for admission before writing to undergraduate schools. Graduate and undergraduate admissions are often handled in separate offices. Always address your inquiries to the Director of Graduate Admissions when you have a bachelor's degree. If you need additional undergraduate study, the Director of Graduate Admissions will explain the requirements.
Graduate schools in the U. S. have two basic requirements for graduate admission: (1) You must have a bachelor's degree and (2) You must have an adequate undergraduate background in your major. A student with a bachelor's degree in economics from home does not need a bachelor's degree in computer science to enter a graduate computer science program in the U.S. Instead, the U.S. colleges will require completion of certain undergraduate courses prior to acceptance into a master's or Ph.D. program (but not a second bachelor's degree). Students who understand this and who ask many questions about academic rules, may save as much as two or three years of study in completing a graduate degree.
Since the department and professors are always prefer students with high commitment to academic activity, which may be concluded from the final education level expressed in application form. Moreover, professors that are looking for a research assistant don't want to train students that will leave very soon. That's why you should choose, or at least we suggest you to fill in any application or statement that your target is Ph.D. although you will stop at Master degree or change to another college or university afterwards.
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A right school can be interpreted differently but in my opinion, it's the best school that accepts you. So at first you need to know what makes a good school. Next, based on your capabilities and records choose some that you have the highest chance to be accepted to apply.
It's a challenging school. Since the academic atmosphere at an institution is largely generated by its students, much of your learning experience will come from studying and interacting with your classmates, both inside and outside the classroom. And remember, just because your academic record isn't letter-perfect doesn't necessarily mean that you won't get into a top school. (Read more on finding the right academic program.)
It can provide the educational resources and services that you need. For example, if your proposed major is biology, you need to know what laboratory facilities are available and what opportunities there are for field research. You can check from various sources the amount that a school spends for instruction, student services, administration and academic support, including libraries and computers.
It has good teaches. As a student, you will also want to know how accessible the professors are, as well as the average size of classes. You may also want to find out if the most prominent faculty members actually teach undergraduate courses; often they don't.
A school's quality is always reflected by its reputation. When choosing a school you should also consider the reputation of a school's department or program that offers your expected major. Some schools that may not be ranked highly overall may have a highly respected physics or history department, for example.
In addition, for Vietnamese students, two other criteria should be taken into consideration. Firstly, it's the figure about school's financial support offered to international students. Secondly, it's the number of Vietnamese students that the school has ever had. As mentioned before, the better the school knows about education system and students from Vietnam, the better chance you have.
American colleges and universities have formed associations that set the educational standards for themselves. The Department of Education maintains a list of recognized accrediting agencies. The associations, called "accrediting agencies," evaluate each U.S. college and university. If the institution has achieved an acceptable rating, it is "accredited." Colleges and universities must meet minimum standards to remain accredited.
It is important to attend a school that is accredited, unless you are attending specializing institutions for which no accrediting agency exists. If you do not attend an accredited school, your own country may not recognize your degree, and you may not be able to transfer your credits to another American college or university.
There are two types of accreditation. One type is regional. Regional accrediting agencies are identified geographically; for example, the "Southwest Association of Schools and Colleges." The other type is by professional accreditation: "Accrediting Commission of Career Schools/Colleges of Technology". Check the latest edition of a book published by The American Council on Education, called "Accredited Institutions of Post-secondary Education." It is available at your local school or educational advising center library.
If you have a question about the accreditation of a particular institution, you can refer to some on-line sources or contact the Institute of International Education in Vietnam.
1. The first step is to rank the institutions that you have taking into account factors such as the type of college, location, costs, financial aid, entrance difficulty, housing and library holdings. Thoroughly review the profiles of each of the institutions that you have chosen, and decide which institutions best suit your wants and needs.
2. After carefully considering the factors listed above, eliminate those institutions that would not satisfy your needs. From the remaining list, select seven to ten institutions that are important to you. This constitutes your second step.
3. The next step involves writing to the institutions you have chosen, and requesting application materials, catalogs, and information pertaining to financial aid, housing, field of study, etc. The communication means should be e-mail and/or Internet. The entire college selection and application process always last from 1 to 2 years and could be much longer. This is also a good time to find out what standardized admissions tests are required by these particular institutions.
4. Review all the materials you receive from the institutions, and also consider any information you have regarding them. Reduce you list to three to five colleges by reviewing the following information:
- Detailed description of the overall academic program
- Financial aid, and tests required
- Specific course offerings and faculty information
- Academic facilities (libraries, computers laboratory facilities)
- Detailed description of the campus and surrounding community (Don't think this isn't important! Sometimes it may greatly affect you education and life!)
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1. Highly selective schools are usually intense learning environments, so consider carefully: You should feel stimulated but not overwhelmed.
2. Schools with good reputation always have higher requirements but at the same time, they offer more financial support and job opportunity to their students.
3. A good school has a top-notch faculty whose members are well known in their areas of research. One indication of a faculty's qualifications is that a high percentage of its members hold Ph.D's.
4. Smaller classes are likely to generate more interactions between faculty and students.
5. A high graduation rate (one we measure is the percentage of enrolled freshmen who graduate within five or six years) suggests that a school has been successful in meeting the educational needs of its students. A high graduation rate may also indicate that required courses are offered frequently enough that students can finish on time.
6. Schools have high graduate student rate (measured by the ratio of graduate student to total number of enrolled students) also means having more support and job chance for graduate students.
7. Schools located in the North, where the unemployment rate is lower, and in industrial zones (such as Silicon Valley) always have more connection to the industry and/or grants to do research. This in turn suggests that those schools have better facilities and support for students in appropriate fields.
8. Well known private schools have more financial aids for students since each year they receive a huge donation from their alumni.
Comment? Opinion? Please send us your suggestion!
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The cost of going to school in the U.S.A. is at least several thousand dollars a year and can exceed $20,000 a year at many colleges and universities. Estimates of costs that you read in this handbook and elsewhere may be too low. Please remember that foreign students are not allowed to work during the first academic year in the U.S.A., and their spouses are not allowed to work at all. You cannot expect to support yourself while you study.
To get a visa to study in the U.S.A., you must show that you have enough money for the entire time you will be in the country.
1. Tuition: Private colleges and universities are often more expensive than state-supported schools. Most state schools charge a higher, "non-resident" rate to students who have not lived in that state for at least one year. International students from outside the U.S.A. are considered non-residents.
2. Books and Supplies: Students must pay for books, notebooks, and other study supplies. These cost several hundred dollars a year, although you can sometimes save money by buying used textbooks.
3. Room and Board: The cost of room and board will be in addition to your tuition fees. Housing and food sometimes cost more at schools that are located in cities than in rural or suburban areas. Most schools charge an extra fee for housing, and some also charge in advance for meals in the dining hall.
At least during the first year in the U.S.A., foreign students usually live in residence halls or dormitories, often with one or more roommates. But at some colleges, universities, and English language institutes, particularly in big cities, students often can live more economically if they find their own apartments off campus. If you plan to rent an apartment, you should have enough money to pay at least one month's rent in advance plus a "security deposit" of at least another month's rent.
4. Personal Expenses: These are items such as stamps, toothpaste, soap, medicine, newspapers, laundry and dry cleaning, transportation, recreation, and entertainment.
Some schools provide laundry and dry cleaning service with regular deliveries to residence halls. You usually can find a self-service laundromat (coin-operated washers and dryers) in your residence hall or near the campus.
5. Medical Insurance: Many schools require foreign students to buy health insurance when they enroll. Insurance protects a student against exorbitantly high medical costs in the U.S.A.
In addition, for a small annual fee, most colleges and universities provide free medical examinations and treatment for minor injuries and illnesses. However, because U.S. medical costs are so high, you will probably want health and accident insurance too, even if the school does not require it.
Following is the Estimated Average Costs for a U.S. university (Source: StudyUSA)
ESTIMATED COLLEGE COST
(September-May, 1997-1998) U.S. Colleges and Universities
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
| Expenses | High Cost | Low Cost |
| Tuition and Fees | $17,500 | $11,000 |
| Room and Board | $5,500 | $4,000 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| Personal Expenses | $6,000 | $4,000 |
| TOTAL | $30,000 | $20,000 |
STATE SCHOOLS
| Expenses | High Cost | Low Cost |
| Tuition and Fees | $10,500 | $6,000 |
| Room and Board | $4,500 | $3,000 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| Personal Expenses | $5,000 | $3,000 |
| TOTAL | $21,000 | $13,000 |
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There is very little financial aid for foreign nationals to study in the US, with the possible exception of citizens of Canada and Mexico. Most grants, scholarships, and loans from public and private sources are restricted to US citizens.
There are some sources of financial aid available for international students to study in the U.S. These include:
1. Private organizations (U.S. and international), foundations, and international agencies that offer scholarships, grants, and other financial aid to students. There are very limited financial aids of this form for Vietnamese students.
2. Certain agencies of the U.S. Government and foreign governments that offer scholarships to international students. U.S. Government funding comes only in the form of assistantships, fellowships, and awards programs. U.S. Government student loans are not available to foreign students. Only two percent of all foreign students in the U.S. receive any funding from the U.S. government.
Fulbright program is one of them. Although the IIE assists the US Information Agency in the administration of the graduate Fulbright Fellowships for study in the United States, international students cannot apply directly to IIE for USIA Fulbright Fellowships. Vietnamese students should apply through the Fulbright Commission in Hanoi at this address:
Contact Address:
Center for Educational Exchange with Vietnam
91 Tho Nhuom Street
Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel.: + 84 4 824 3014
Fax: + 84 4 824 4614
3. Colleges and universities provide funding through scholarships, grants, fellowships, and partial or full tuition fee waiver although most are for graduate level students. The amount of financial aid for foreign graduate students is nevertheless quite limited.
4. Most support for graduate study in the US by international students is provided by the schools themselves in the form of teaching assistantships and research assistantships. These assistantships are based on academic merit, not financial need. It is possible that an assistantship may not cover all expenses and that the student might need additional financial resources.
International students who intend to enroll in a graduate or postdoctoral program at a US university should contact the schools that interest them. Ask both the relevant department(s) and the university's Financial Aid Office about financial aid for international students.
For more information, please refer to List of Schools with More Financial Aid for International Students.
5. Direct exchange programs might exist between a home country university and a U.S. institution, providing a full or partial waiver of tuition and fees.
6. Working in the United States is sometimes possible, but the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has strict regulations which prohibit foreign students from working off-campus in their first year; the rules are also restrictive for students beyond the first year. You should not expect to be able to finance your study by working in the U.S. Moreover, it is unlikely that the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam will grant entry visa to the United States if you do not have enough evidence of sufficient financial support for at least one year of studying. Thus, don't rely on this when seeking to study in the U.S.
7. Loans are available from some commercial banks which require approval from a school's financial aid office and proof of the credit-worthiness of both the student and a co-borrower who must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Loans are very expensive and should be a last resort for foreign students.
A few US banks will offer student loans to international students if the loan is co-signed by a creditworthy US citizen or permanent resident. There may also be restrictions on the type of visa (F1 or J1). These include:
International Student Loan Program (ISLP). ISLP is an alternative loan program for international students to study in US colleges and universities. The loans are offered by the International Education Finance Corporation (IEFC) working in conjunction with the Bank of Boston and The Education Resources Institute (TERI). The loans are funded by the Bank of Boston and guaranteed by TERI. Students may borrow up to the full cost of education, including tuition, fees, and room and board. Graduate students may borrow a maximum of $15,000 per year. The minimum loan amount is $2,000 per academic year. Students may take up to 25 years to repay the loan. There is a $50 minimum payment and some deferment provisions. The interest rate is the prime lending rate. A creditworthy US citizen or permanent resident must co-sign the loan. There is a 5% guarantee fee for undergraduate students and a 6% guarantee fee for graduate students. For more information, call 1-617-696-7840, fax 1-617-698-3001, write to Joe Cronin, VP/IEFC, 424 Adams Street, Milton, MA 02186, or send email to [email protected].
Norwest Bank (1-703-749-0131 or the financial aid department at 1-800-366-6227). These MBA loans are for graduate business and medical students who are international students. For more information write to Norwest Bank/HEMAR Insurance Corp., GMAC, 2400 Broadway Suite 320, Santa Monica, CA 90404-3064.
The Education Resources Institute (TERI) (1-800-255-8374 x210 or 1-617-426-0681). The TERI Professional Education Plan (PEP) loan is available for graduate and professional study. Their lenders include Citibank (1-800-692-8200 x480), Bank of Boston (PO Box 312, Boston, MA 02117-0312), Baybank (1-800-332-8374 or 1-617-320-2422; PO Box 510, Dedham, MA 02026), and Nellie Mae (1-800-634-9308; 50 Braintree Hill Park, Braintree, MA 02184).
GATE Student Loan Program (1-800-895-GATE). GATE offers loans to undergraduate international students with a US citizen cosigner.
Notice:
Scholarship search services offer to search a database of scholarships for awards that match your profile. Unfortunately, the vast majority of awards in these databases are restricted to US citizens and permanent residents.Don't waste your money on these services.
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There are many places that you can look up information about financial aid for international students but we select here only the most important sources and basic information about them.
1. International student information institutions and some helping organizations for Vietnamese students. You can find from here information and sometimes, direct help for your particular case. Many students have experienced success with these institutions.
These maybe a good reference but never spend money on any kind of service, those won't work for you. Be careful, most of the scholarship are only available to U.S. citizens. Rather, you should first choose some good universities then look for financial support from them.
3. Others. You can get help from friends and other sources. As a further service, we collect some information on fellowships and scholarships and update it frequently. You can go here to see them or request personal help.
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d. Schools with More Financial Aid for International Students
The following lists are based on a list compiled by Douglas C. Thompson, Dean of Admission at Ohio Wesleyan University. His list is based on data from the 1994 and 1995 editions of the College Entrance Examination Board's Foreign Student Supplement to the College Handbook.
To be included in the following lists, the schools must have an average award that is greater than 1/5 of the cost of attendance. The financial aid may include grants, loans, and jobs, and often includes both merit and need-based awards. Within each group, schools are listed in alphabetical order.
Note that the emphasis in these lists is on undergraduate aid to international students. A much greater number of schools provide financial aid for international graduate students in the form of teaching and research assistantships. For information about financial aid for graduate study in the US, you should contact the schools that interest you even if they aren't included in the following lists.
Schools with Awards to More than 100 International Students
| Beloit College (WI) | Julliard School (NY) | Stanford (CA) |
| Brown Univ. (RI) | Louisiana State Univ. (LA) | Tri-State Univ. (IN) |
| Calvin College (MI) | Luther College (IA) | Univ. of Bridgeport (CT) |
| College of Wooster (OH) | MIT (MA) | Univ. of Pennsylvania (PA) |
| Dartmouth (NH) | Macalester College (MN) | Univ. of Rochester (NY) |
| Dordt College (IA) | Northeast Louisiana (LA) | Washington Univ. (MO) |
| Graceland College (IA) | Oberlin (OH) | Yale (CT) |
| Grinnell College (IA) | Ohio Wesleyan Univ. (OH) | Harvard (MA) |
| Princeton (NJ) |
Schools with Awards to 50-99 International Students
| Allegheny College (PA) | Lewis & Clark (OR) | Univ. of Wisc./Eau Clair (WI) |
| Brandeis Univ. (MA) | Franklin & Marshall (PA) | Maharishi Intl. Univ. (IA) |
| Bryn Mawr College (PA) | George Washington Univ. (DC) | Middlebury College (VT) |
| California Lutheran (CA) | Goshen College (IN) | Principia College (IL) |
| Clark Univ. (MA) | Hamilton College (NY) | Smith College (MA) |
| Cleveland Inst. of Music (OH) | Ithaca College (NY) | St. Lawrence Univ. (NY) |
| Concordia Coll. (MN) | Knox College (IL) | Tulane Univ. (LA) |
| Cornell Univ. (NY) | Lafayette College (PA) | Eckerd College (FL) |
Schools with Awards to 15-49 International Students
| Albright College (PA) | Eastern Nazarene (MA) | St. Olaf College (MN) |
| Amherst College (MA) | Elizabethtown College (PA) | Swarthmore College (PA) |
| Augustana College (IL) | Elmira College (NY) | Thomas Aquinas College (CA) |
| Bates College (ME) | Gettysburg College (PA) | Troy State Univ. (AL) |
| Bowdoin College (ME) | Gustavas Adolphus College (MN) | Univ. of Chicago (IL) |
| CalTech (CA) | Hampshire College (MA) | Univ. of Oregon (OR) |
| Central College (IA) | Hood College (MD) | Univ. of St. Thomas (MN) |
| Coe College (IA) | Kalamazoo College (MI) | Univ. of the South (TN) |
| Colby College (ME) | Kenyon College (OH) | Vassar College (NY) |
| Columbia Univ. (NY) | Messiah College (PA) | Wabash College (IN) |
| Davidson College (NC) | Mount Union College (OH) | Wellesley College (MA) |
| Denison Univ. (OH) | Occidental College (CA) | Wesleyan Univ. (CT) |
| Dickinson College (PA) | Slippery Rock Univ. (PA) | West Virginia Wesleyan (WV) |
| Earlham College (IN) | St. Johns College (MD) | William Smith College (NY) |
| Wittenberg Univ. (OH) |
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1.4. Where You Can Get Help From
IIE's U.S. Education Information Center in Hanoi provides comprehensive information and service to people interested in study in the United States. These services include:
- Free group and individual advising on education in the United States,
- A library of standard reference books and university/college catalogues,
- Computer programs designed to assist students in matching their interests with specific universities
- Information, bulletins and study material for standardized examinations, including TOEFL,
- A collection of videos and CD-ROM disks on specific fields of study, universities, life in the U.S. and pre-departure information,
- Financial aid information
- U.S. visa application forms,
- Pre-departure orientation programs,
- Opportunities to meet individually with visiting university representatives,
- TOEFL Testing: As the designated representative of the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in Vietnam, IIE administers the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) seven times per year in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.
- Other Standardized Tests: In addition to TOEFL, IIE arranges for the administration of other standardized tests required by U.S. institutions in their review of foreign applicants.
Contact Address:
Kristy Kelly, Director
Institute of International Education
104 Tran Hung Dao Street, 5th Floor
Hanoi, Vietnam
Phone: + 84 4 822 4093
Email: [email protected]
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b. Vietnam Education Exchange Program in cooperation with the U.S. Committee for Scientific Cooperation with Vietnam Specially for Graduate Students
To assist prospective Vietnamese students that have high scores in requirement tests (e.g. TOEFL, GRE, etc.) to achieve graduate admission to colleges and universities in the United States, U.S. Committee for Scientific Cooperation with Vietnam:
- submits on behalf of prospective students appropriates application forms and other documentation required as a part of graduate application process. Those documentation may include further recommendation, interpretation of academic result and education system in Vietnam, etc.
- makes inquiry on behalf of the students during the application process,
- receives the official notification of acceptance or rejection,
- in cooperation with Vietnam Ministry of Education and Training and Vietnam Ministry Science, Technology and Environment to give free TOEFL test twice every year (in June and December) in Hanoi, Hochiminh City and Hue, and
- organizes the exchange programs for Vietnamese and American scholars.
Until now, with the help of the Committee, more than 300 graduate Vietnamese students have obtained the admission with assistantships from the U.S. universities.
Contact Address:
Judith L. Ladinsky, Ph.D.
Department of Preventive Medicine
University of Wisconsin Medical School
1760 Medical Sciences Center
1300 University Avenue
Madison, Wisconsin 53706 - 1585 USA
Tel.: + 1 608 263 4150, + 1 608 263 2469
Fax: +1 608 262 2327or
Ms. Hanh
International Relations Department (Vu Hop Tac Quoc Te)
Ministry of Education and Training
Dai Co Viet Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
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Association of International Educators (previously known as the National Association of Foreign Student Affairs) is the national professional association for international educators. Not only providing information about financial aid for international students, NAFSA also provides information about the organization, electronic news for international educators, and back issues of their quarterly magazine (International Educator).
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d. AAUW Education Foundation Specially for Female Students
The AAUW Education Foundation provides graduate fellowships to women with the equivalent of a Bachelors degree who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States. International Fellowships support graduate students writing doctoral dissertations and post-doctoral scholars conducting research in the United States. Upon completion of studies, fellowship recipients must return to their home countries to pursue a professional career; preference will be given to applicants who can verify that they have a definite position awaiting them.
Contact Address:
AAUW Educational Foundation
Development Office
Department RR.INT
1111 Sixteenth St. N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: + 1 202 728 7602
Email: [email protected]
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American Education Magazine is an online guide to the US educational system and application process, including information about financial aid and employment for international students. The guide is sponsored by the International Education Service (IES), which offers free placement services for international students.
Contact Address:
International Education Service,
1512 11th Street, Suite 201,
Santa Monica, CA,
USA 90401
Fax + 1 310 576 3479
Email: [email protected].
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Now when you have more information, choose schools to apply yourself right away. The application process normally takes about two years and sometimes longer. You may find it difficult at first but believe me, you can never know until you actually work on it. Feedback from school will help you to adjust your choice to more suitable targets. If you haven't got good result or you have some new advance in you academic life or in your test, you may come back to this step again.
And if you've done with this step and ready for next one, off we go!