The Vietnam Education Foundation 2011 Annual Report

Page 126 Annual Report 2011
deadline of close of business (COB) April 1, 2011, for all of our nominees to inform VEF with official
notification of their admission status. We also ask that you clarify the financial parameters in your admission
letter, including your acceptance of the financial terms of the VEF Fellowship described below and the dollar
value of the support from the University given for each year of study, which should state any cost-sharing support
for years 1 and 2, and the University's full support for doctoral students for years 3-5 and beyond, as necessary for
one to complete the degree. Only admission decisions that commit to the VEF financial terms will be considered
by VEF for final placement decisions.
The VEF Fellowship Program expects that a doctoral degree will take up to 5 years to complete and a master’s
degree will take up to 2 years to complete. If [Mr/Ms]. [Last] is admitted to your graduate program, the terms of
the financial parameters of the VEF Fellowship program are as follows:
1. Fellowship Grant to the University. During the Fellow’s first two years at your University (Years 1 and 2),
VEF will provide an annual Fellowship grant of U.S.$27,000 to the University. This grant amount is in lieu of the
following: all required deposits; school orientation fees; required tuition and fees for the academic year and
summer session; medical and health insurance required of an international student for the academic year and
summer session; required books and educational equipment; and stipends for 12 calendar months that would be at
least the minimum amount that is provided to other graduate students in that department.
If there is a financial shortfall, your University is expected to provide additional funds to supplement our annual
grant of $27,000 for the first two years because the Fellow has no other financial resources. The University is
expected to make all financial arrangements for distribution and application of monies. The first stipend payment
must be made within the first month of arrival of our Fellow on campus and every month thereafter. Ideally, the
University should make arrangements to make a partial payment of the stipend upon the arrival of our Fellow on
campus as the Fellow has no other source of funds. Regardless of any unforeseen delays on the part of the
University or VEF in processing the grant, the first and all subsequent stipend payments to the Fellow must be
made in a timely fashion and in accordance with what is stated herein.
From the third year and beyond, the University must provide full financial support for the Fellow to cover all
costs including required tuition, health insurance, and fees, as well as living expenses, all of which are typically
provided through a graduate assistantship.
2. Professional Development Grant to the Fellow. Each Fellow, who is enrolled full-time and making satisfactory
academic progress and not involved in Academic Training (off-campus employment benefit of the J visa status),
will receive $1,000 per year as a Professional Development Grant (PDG). A master's degree student will receive
up to two years of PDG and a doctoral student will receive up to 5 years of PDG. Please see Appendix A for more
details on the PDG.
3. Payment of Funds to the University. The University grant ($27,000 for each Fellow for the first two years) and
the PDG of $1,000 will be electronically transferred to the University at the beginning of the Academic Year. The
University will arrange for disbursement of funds to the Fellow as well as withholding and reporting of applicable
state and federal taxes.
2 | P age VEF Financial Support Letter