The American Center, sponsored by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy, is a one-stop source of up-to-date information about all aspects of the United States, its people, and its policies.

The American Center is open to the general public free of charge and welcomes visits by government officials, academics, journalists, students, and others interested in information about the United States.

The Public Affairs Section (PAS) accepts and facilitates interview requests from Vietnamese and international journalists who are interested in activities of the Embassy and in U.S.-Vietnamese relations. Aside from that, from our Washington File, an electronic information source from the U.S. State Department in Washington, we select transcripts of U.S. officials’ speeches, articles and commentaries from U.S. print and electronic press for translation and distribution to interested Vietnamese readers and also to the local press for placement. At times, we also arrange for American experts or researchers to come to Hanoi and talk about issues of interest to the local press.

Started in 1992 with the goal of increasing mutual understanding between the people of the United States and Vietnam, the Fulbright Program in Vietnam has expanded to include five elements: U.S. Scholar Exchange Program, VN Scholar Exchange Program, U.S. Student Exchange Program, VN Student Exchange Program, Economics Teaching Program. On behalf of the J. William Fulbright Board of Foreign Scholarships and the U.S. State Department, PAS Hanoi administers all elements to ensure a smooth and systematic development of the Fulbright Program in Vietnam.

Every year the U.S. Embassy has the opportunity to identify candidates to compete for participation in four-week thematic study tours to the U.S. Candidates must be between 30-45 years of age, have worked in their professional area for at least five years, demonstrated academic and professional excellence in their areas of specialty and obtained the agreement of their work unit to participate in a U.S. government-sponsored exchange program. Usual IVP themes include economics, public administration, law, education, environmental protection, public health, social issues, creative writing, women’s issues, international affairs and national security. English language ability is not always required.

This one-year, non-degree, academic and research public administration program supports a maximum of seven mid-career professionals each year from Vietnam. Participants spend one year at a U.S. university during which time they may also engage in an internship off campus in their field of specialty. Candidates in the fields of public health, environment, education, law, human rights, public policy, technology policy and management, urban planning, journalism, national security, and drug abuse education, treatment and prevention are encouraged to apply. Candidates must score of 525 or more on the TOEFL exam to be eligible for consideration. Candidates must also be committed to public service.

The U.S. Speaker Program invites and pays for American scholars and experts to speak at interested Vietnamese institutions on various subjects such as American history, literature, culture, politics, economics, U.S. foreign policy, and U.S. regional and international security strategies. PAS also considers covering such organizing costs as interpretation and translation of presentation papers. Interested Vietnamese institutions can approach PAS Hanoi to discuss the possibility of implementing such a project.

The Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State (ECA) invites alumni of all U.S. exchange programs to join State Alumni, the online community by and for alumni. Launched in April 2001, the website is a way for alumni to network and stay in touch with each other. The site also offers alumni a calendar of events, grant opportunities, and job postings. The site now includes a moderated Question and Answer feature with monthly guest speakers. Registered users can also search the database of State Alumni community members to find colleagues, friends, and alumni with similar interests. Alumni are also given the option of posting their own news, events, or links. To register, please visit https://alumni.state.gov/.

EducationUSA is a global network of more than 400 advising centers supported by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. EducationUSA centers actively promote U.S. higher education around the world. EducationUSA Vietnam is supported by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy.

EducationUSA services include:

•    Accurate, unbiased, comprehensive, objective and timely information about educational institutions/opportunities in the U.S. through one-on-one advising, emails, phone calls, the internet, group advising and workshops.
•    Internet resources and publications on various topics, such as:
– Accreditation
– Admissions
– Scholarships/Financial Aid
– Standardized Tests
– Student Visas
– Find-a-School Search Engine
– Pre-departure Orientation

All services are free of charge.