Fulbright Program in Vietnam - Pre-Departure Information - U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Vietnam

For U.S. Scholars

• Orientation, Briefing, and Counseling of Grantees

Briefing Materials
PAS – Hanoi shall prepare and keep current a briefing pamphlet for American grantees, suitable for mailing to such grantees prior to their departure from the United States. Such pamphlets shall include practical information concerning living conditions in Vietnam, suggestions regarding available literature concerning the country, its customs, its people, visas, the academic system, clothing, currency, insurance, availability of commodities, language problems, travel and reception arrangements, customs requirements, living accommodations, medical facilities, registration requirements, social activities, schools and universities, etc.

Orientation Program
A two-day orientation program is conducted for grantees and spouses in Hanoi in the last week of August before term begins in September. For FY-2001, orientation will take place on Thursday and Friday, August 24-25, 2000. Scholars will have to arrive in Hanoi before or on Thursday, August 23, 2000.

• Communication and Correspondence

U.S. Postal Facilities
Fulbright grantees are authorized to make a one time shipment of educational materials to the American Embassy or Consulate in the country of assignment. The shipment cannot exceed four boxes, none of which may weigh more than 40 pounds. These materials cannot be sent back to the United States by pouch. The grantee’s name must appear in the return address and the packages must be addressed to:

Cultural Affairs Office
PAS
AmEmbassy Hanoi
C/o USIA Mail Room (M/ADM)
400 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20547

Correspondence:
When a mailing address in VN is not available and grantees want to use PAS – Hanoi address for correspondence, the letters must be addressed in the following manner and is also used as the return address when mailing letters back to the United States:

(Your full name), Fulbright scholar
c/o Public Affairs Section – Hanoi
3rd Floor, Rose Garden Tower, 170 Ngoc Khanh
Hanoi – VIETNAM

Unless notified, PAS – Hanoi will forward all mail to the institutions where grantees are assigned. As soon as grantees get to host institutions, grantees must use the host institution’s address instead.

Telephones and Internet access at PAS – Hanoi
Grantees may not make personal telephone calls (long distance or international) or have Internet access at PAS – Hanoi or PAS – HCMC. Business calls (long distance or international) must be placed by the secretary/receptionist in consultation with the Director/CPAO. Internet access for research purposes must be approved and carried out by the Information Resource Center Director.

Contact with PAS – Hanoi and PAS – HCMC

The Director shall maintain and help maintain frequent contact with/among all current and previous grantees via either e-mail and/or post. Grantees are to notify the Director any change of address, temporary or permanent. When a newsletter is available, it will be sent to grantees periodically. As soon as grants are confirmed, grantees are asked to contact the Director at PAS – Hanoi with passport information, including dependents’ passport information, as well as with flight plans for entry into VN. Passport information can be posted and faxed to the following address:

Director, Fulbright Program in Vietnam
Public Affairs Section – Hanoi
3rd floor, Rose Garden Tower, 170 Ngoc Khanh Street, Hanoi
VIETNAM
Tel: (84) (4) 3850 5000 — Fax: (84) (4) 3850 5120

• Renewal/Extension of Grants

A renewal grant is defined as a grant for a second year or second semester abroad in continuation of the original one-year grant. Application for renewal/extension of awards is made through the Director of Fulbright Program in Vietnam in consultation with the CPAO and/or PAO. Renewal/extension of grants is subject to the availability of funding. Extension should not exceed one semester or three months so that the grantee’s project may be completed. No additional travel or other allowances are provided for a grant extension. Application for renewal/extension of awards must be initiated and logged by host institutions and must follow the following procedure and manner:

Host institution applies to PAS – Hanoi on institution letterhead via the institution’s international relations office.
The application must be done as early as possible after the middle of the grantee’s term.
PAS – Hanoi shall not consider any application for renewal/extension if it is logged by grantees or by any institutions other than that where grantees are assigned initially.

For U.S. Students

• Orientation, Briefing, and Counseling of Grantees

PAS-Hanoi shall prepare and keep current a briefing pamphlet for American grantees, suitable for mailing to such grantees prior to their departure from the United States. Such pamphlets shall include practical information concerning living conditions in Vietnam, suggestions regarding available literature concerning the country, its customs, its people, visas, the academic system, clothing, currency, insurance, availability of commodities, language problems, travel and reception arrangements, customs requirements, living accommodations, medical facilities, registration requirements, social activities, and schools and universities.

A two-day orientation program is conducted for grantees in Hanoi. Location may change depending on number of grantees. The program includes sessions on the Vietnamese education system, the current political climate in Vietnam, cultural adaptation, health, and Public Affairs Section resources. Former grantees, if available, may be invited to discuss ways to maximize benefits from the experience both professionally and personally.

When such an orientation session cannot be organized for all, the director of the Fulbright Program in Vietnam will conduct a one-on-one session for individual students upon request.

• Communication and Correspondence

Correspondence:
Grantees should use PAS-Hanoi/HCMC address for correspondence in case of emergency only. The letters must be addressed in the following manner and is also used as the return address when mailing letters back to the United States:

(Your full name), U.S. Fulbright Student
c/o Public Affairs Section – Hanoi
3rd floor, Rose Garden Tower, 170 Ngoc Khanh Street
Hanoi – VIETNAM

Telephones and Internet access at PAS-Hanoi/HCMC:
Grantees may not make personal telephone calls (long distance or international) or have Internet access at PAS-Hanoi/HCMC. Business calls (long distance or international) must be placed by the secretary/receptionist in consultation with the Director/CPAO. Internet access for research purposes must be approved and carried out by the Information Resource Center Director.

Contact with PAS-Hanoi and PAS-HCMC
The Director of the Fulbright Program shall maintain and help maintain frequent contact with/among all current and previous grantees via either e-mail and/or post. Grantees are to notify the Director any change of address, temporary or permanent. Newsletters are sent to grantees monthly.

When the student is in the country, s/he should maintain frequent contact with the host institution’s contact person. This person could be the student’s immediate supervisor or the officers at the international relations department at the host institution.

The student should contact PAS-Hanoi/HCMC only in case of emergency or if there is a serious matter which requires intervention by the Fulbright Program. For all other queries and problems, please contact your supervisor at your host institutions.

• Renewal/extension of Grants

A renewal grant is defined as a grant for a second year or second semester abroad in continuation of the original one-year grant. Application for renewal/extension of awards is made through the Director in consultation with the CPAO and/or PAO. Renewal/extension of grants is subject to the availability of funding. Extension should not exceed one semester or three months so that the grantee’s project may be completed. No additional travel or other allowances are provided for a grant extension. Application for renewal/extension of awards must follow the following procedure and manner:

Grantee applies to PAS-Hanoi/HCMC via the Director for an extension.
The application must be done as early as possible after the middle of the grantee’s term.
The application must be accompanied by a letter from the student’s host institution approving an extension of the affiliation.

• Termination of Grant or Early Departure
Grantees are not eligible to receive payments while they are not physically present in Vietnam, except for short vacation periods or while on travel grants inside or outside Vietnam. Vacations outside Vietnam or away from Vietnamese host institutions for more than two weeks require the approval of the Director of the Fulbright Program. If a grantee departs early or a grant is terminated for some other reason, PAS-Hanoi is to notify PDB/IIE of the date of departure, so that arrangements can be made to request repayment of any portion of a IIE-written grant paid in advance for which the grantee is not eligible. Insurance coverage is also canceled. PAS-Hanoi and PAS-HCMC retain the right to terminate Fulbright grants for non-performance or non-compliance with the terms of the grant.

• Transfer to Alternate Institution
In general, students are totally responsible for their affiliation with institutions in Vietnam. Students are requested, however, to keep PAS-Hanoi/HCMC informed of any change/transfer they make under the grant during the time they are in Vietnam.

• Interim and Final Reports
Grantees are required to complete final reports on their experience in Vietnam. For grants of six months or longer, an interim report is required. The completed interim report is sent directly to IIE. The final report is given to PAS-Hanoi at the end of the grant period and a copy is sent to IIE and PAS-HCMC (if the student is in the southern region). If the grantee submits the final report after returning to the U.S., all copies may be sent to IIE. One copy is kept at IIE, one copy is forwarded to Public Diplomacy Bureau, and one copy is forwarded to PAS-Hanoi/HCMC. Reports to PAS-Hanoi can be sent through e-mail to the Director.

For Vietnamese Scholars

• Orientation, Briefing, and Counseling of Grantees

PAS – Hanoi shall prepare and keep current a briefing pamphlet for Vietnamese grantees, suitable for mailing to such grantees prior to their departure to the United States. Such pamphlets shall include practical information concerning living conditions in U.S., suggestions regarding available literature concerning the country, its customs, its people, visas, the academic system, clothing, currency, insurance, availability of commodities, language problems, travel and reception arrangements, customs requirements, living accommodations, medical facilities, registration requirements, social activities, and schools and universities.

A one-day orientation program is conducted for grantees in Hanoi. Location may change depending on location and number of grantees. The program includes sessions on the U.S. education system, cultural adaptation, and health. Former grantees may be invited to talk about their experience and ways to maximize benefits from the experience both professionally and personally.

• Communication and Correspondence

Contact with PAS-Hanoi and PAS-HCMC
The Director shall maintain and help maintain frequent contact with/among all current and previous grantees via either e-mail and/or post. Grantees are to notify the Director any change of address, temporary or permanent. Newsletters are sent to grantees monthly.

As soon as grants are confirmed, grantees are asked to contact the Director at PAS-Hanoi with passport information, including that of accompanying dependents, for visa processing and follow-up. Passport information can be posted and faxed to the following address:

Director, Fulbright Program in Vietnam
Public Affairs Section-Hanoi
3rd floor, Rose Garden Tower, 170 Ngoc Khanh Street
Hanoi, VIETNAM
Tel: (84) (4) 850 5000 – Fax: (84) (4) 850 5120

• Medical Clearance
Medical clearance is required for the issuance of a grant. A “Report of Medical Examination” form for the grantee and a “Statement of Health for Dependents” to be completed by the candidate’s physician and returned to CIES, are sent to each recommended candidate. Medical reports are not required until after notification of final selection to avoid the grantee undergoing a costly and time consuming medical exam in the event s/he is not selected for an award.

• Travel
PAS-Hanoi/HCMC shall assist grantees in travel arrangements. Scholars receive air-ticket(s) from PAS-Hanoi or PAS-HCMC:

All scholars are responsible for making their own in-country travel reservation (i.e. travel within Vietnam). CIES and PAS-Hanoi/HCMC cannot assist with such travel.

All scholars with round-trip tickets who plan to extend their stays in the U.S. must confirm with the airline that their tickets can be revalidated for an additional period.

• Interim and Final Reports

Grantees are required to complete final reports on their experience in the U.S. For grants of six months or longer, an interim report is required. The completed interim report is sent directly to CIES. The final report is given to PAS-Hanoi at the end of the grant period and a copy is sent to CIES. If the grantee submits the final report after returning to the Vietnam, all copies may be sent to PAS-Hanoi. One copy is kept at Hanoi, one copy is forwarded to the State Department’s Public Diplomacy Bureau , and one copy is forwarded to CIES. Reports to PAS-Hanoi can be sent through e-mail to the Director.