Study in Vietnam for a Semester!
Institution
SIT Study Abroad offers small (10-35 participants) semester and summer programs for undergraduate students in Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, as well as comparative programs in multiple locations. Students step beyond the boundaries of a traditional classroom to analyze the critical issues shaping local communities around the globe. The Vietnam program examines the economic and social development in the cultural context of Vietnam, one of Asia's most dynamic and rapidly changing countries. Learn about the challenges of sustainable development and current strategies for new rural development in the Mekong Delta and Da Lat Central Highlands and different livelihood models in each region
Location
The program is based in Ho Chi Minh city. During the program students will also have a chance to visit indigenous Hmong, Dao, and Giay communities and learn about their cultures as well as seeing Hanoi, Vietnam’s vibrant capital with more than 1,000 years of history.
Academic Calendar
- Fall Semester: Early September to Mid December
- Spring Semester: Late February to Early June
For more information about the Academic Calendar and program details please visit the
SIT Vietnam web page.
Housing
For four weeks, you’ll live with a middle-class family in Ho Chi Minh City, a vibrant cosmopolitan city representing the rapid modernization of Vietnam. Other accommodations during the program include guest houses, hostels, or small hotels.
Financial
Program Costs
Paid to Appalachian State
| |
Semester |
| 1SIT Tuition |
See SIT |
| SIT Housing & Meals |
See SIT |
| 2OIED Program Development Fee |
$200 |
| Intl Health Dev Fee |
$60 |
1Tuition, fees, and housing are charged at the SIT rate.
2The OIED Program Development Fee will be placed on students’ accounts upon acceptance by the Education Abroad Office. The fee payment confirms your spot and is non-refundable.
Estimated Additional Costs
| |
Semester |
| Airfare |
$1200 - $1800 |
| 1Personal Expenses |
$800 - $1400 |
| Books and Materials |
$50 |
| Local Transportation |
$100 - $200 |
| Visa (for US Citizens) |
$155 |
| Passport |
$150 |
| 2US Based Health Insurance |
Varies |
| 3Personal Travel and Spending |
$800 - $1500 |
1Personal expenses includes but is not limited to: toiletries, cell phone, emergency funds, laundry, basic travel and entertainment, etc.
2Students are encouraged to maintain a US based health insurance plan while abroad (to exempt out of AppState insurance students must follow the App exemption process - proving that they have insurance coverage for the entirety of the semester.
3Personal Travel and Spending amounts will vary by student and will be affected by how often a student goes out, travels, and the items they purchase.
Please note that non-billable costs are estimates only and will be affected by personal spending habits, currency fluctuations, etc. Prices listed in USD unless otherwise noted.
Students are encouraged to start planning for their study abroad program costs well in advance. Please use the Student Financial Planning Worksheet to help estimate your anticipated expenses and your anticipated financial resources. When planning for estimated additional costs students are encouraged to research currency conversion rates.
Financial Aid
The majority of financial aid and scholarships can apply to semester and year-long study abroad programs. For more information please visit the Office of Student Financial Aid web page.
Scholarships
SIT Pell Grant Match
SIT offers matching funding to Pell Grant recipients. To qualify for the Match program students must submit a scholarship application through SIT.
SIT Need-Based Scholarships
SIT Study Abroad only awards need-based scholarships and grants. Average awards range between $500 and $5,000 for our semester programs, and between $500 and $3,000 for our summer programs. Our scholarships and grants are available to all students accepted into an SIT Study Abroad program irrespective of citizenship, national origin, or home school.
OIED Scholarships
Each semester OIED offers a variety of different scholarship opportunities for students. Scholarship awards range from $500 to $2000.
Benjamin A Gilman Scholarship
The Gilman Scholarship Program application is open to U.S. citizen undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study and intern abroad programs worldwide.
Fund for Education Abroad
Applicants from groups underrepresented in study abroad and those destined for non-traditional locations are given preference, in an effort to make the demographics of U.S. undergraduates studying abroad reflect the rich diversity of the U.S. population.
For information about additional scholarships please visit our External Scholarships web page.
Academics
The program explores Vietnam’s history and cultural heritage while closely examining the country’s more recent economic, social, and environmental transformations. SIT offers a field-based, experiential approach to learning in a small group environment. The Vietnam program's coursework provides an essential foundation in:
- Pressing issues caused by rapid urbanization within the context of the Doi Moi “Renovation” economic reform
- Challenges of sustainable development and current strategies for new rural development in the Mekong Delta
- The effects of war, development, and tourism on Vietnam’s rich but increasingly fragile heritage
- The lives of Hmong and Red Dao ethnic minority groups in the Sapa mountains
In the final month of the program, students will conduct an Independent Study Project (ISP). This will provide you with an opportunity to pursue original research on a situation or topic of particular interest to you.
For more information about the courses and structure of the program please visit the SIT Vietnam web page.
All students are expected to maintain at least the equivalent of a full time course load according to Appalachian State and the host university while abroad (whichever is greater). Students participating on the SIT Vietnam program will be required to enroll in 16 credits per semester. For more information about study abroad enrollment policies, credit approval, and credit and grade conversions please visit the Academics section of our website.
How to Apply
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and some programs may fill up before the listed deadline. Each year applications for Fall, Spring, and Summer will open up on August 1st. Once open the deadline will be listed below and an Apply Now button will be available at the top and bottom of this page. Most applications will have a 2 part application process so students are encouraged to complete their OIED application well before the listed deadline.
Students applying to a SIT program should complete the
SIT application while also completing the Appalachian application.
For more information about deadlines and how to apply please visit our
Guide Me webpage.