Apply Now for the 2025 FREEMAN Vietnam Summer Study Tour!

Ready for an Adventure of a lifetime? Apply for the 2025 freeman summer Study Tour to vietnam! 🇻🇳

PAAC is excited to announce that applications for our 2025 Freeman Summer Study Tour to Vietnam are now being accepted. Under the theme “Cultivating Resilient Communities”, students will be immersed in Vietnamese history, politics, and culture. Students will also learn about global issues, strengthen 21st century skills, and build a strong sense of community with their fellow travelers. The group will be visiting Hội An, Huế , and Hà Nội.

Thanks to the generosity of The Freeman Foundation, the majority of participants with demonstrated financial need and/or demonstrated commitment to PAAC programs have received merit- and/or need-based financial aid for this program.

Who can apply? 

All current 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th graders (2024-2025 SY) attending Hawaiʻi public, charter, private, and independent schools are eligible to apply.

How to Apply? 

1. Review the Student Application Form carefully and fill it out. Double check your work!

2. Get your High School Transcript (unofficial transcripts are fine)

3. Write two Short Essay Responses (~300-500 words each, no more than 1000 words total)

   • Why are you interested in traveling to Vietnam? What do you hope to gain from this
     experience? How will your participation contribute to the program and other participants?

   • Describe your involvement in PAAC activities (for PAAC students) and/or other internationally focused activities, such as travel, Model UN, school clubs, volunteering, community events, etc.  How have these experiences inspired you, shaped your global perspective, or affected your view of the world?

     If your experience with internationally-focused activities is limited, tell us how and why you became curious about the world.

4. Turn in one Video or Audio Response (30sec - 1min)

   • Why is it important to care about others? 

5. Have your parents fill out the Parent Form

6. Ask two adults that are not related to you to fill out the Teacher/Adult Recommendations (due on Wed. January 22, 2025)

Please read through the entire application carefully before getting started. A view-only document is available to help you prepare your official electronic submission. Using a Gmail email is preferred while filling out the application.

If you encounter the message that you have already filled out the form, you may try to clear your cookies and cache.

It is not PAAC’s responsibility to follow-up on incomplete applications - please be thorough! If you have ANY questions or concerns, please contact Ms. Carol Li as early as possible.

When are the applications due?

📅 Friday, January 17, 2025 at 11:59PM.

All of the following items are due by the deadline:

1. Student Application Form

2. Transcript

3. Two Short Essay Responses

4. One Video or Audio Response

5. Parent Form

Teachers can submit their Teacher Recommendation Form until Jan. 22nd.

Student applicants are responsible to make sure all their materials are in. Students must provide their parents/guardians and teacher/adult recommenders with the proper links to the forms and ensure that they get it done. It is not PAAC’s responsibility to follow-up on incomplete applications.

All materials must be submitted on-time to be eligible. Incomplete or late applications will NOT be considered.

How much does the trip cost? Are travel scholarships available? 

Travel scholarships are available! The cost of the program is estimated to be around $4200-$4500. However, most students do not pay full cost. Participants accepted into the program will be required to make a non-refundable deposit of $500 to secure their place in the study tour. Payment plans will be available to accepted students.

Thanks to the generosity of The Freeman Foundation, in recent years the majority of participants with demonstrated financial need and/or demonstrated commitment to PAAC programs have received merit- and/or need-based financial aid. In most cases, 50-100% of the trip can be covered.

To apply, parents must fill out the Financial Information section on the Parent Form. Applicants who are awarded must submit documentation to support their application. The scholarship cannot be used to pay for the trip deposit. Students who have already participated in a Freeman Summer Study Tour to either Korea (2023) or Japan (2024) will not be eligible to receive a scholarship.

PAAC is open to dialogue and further discussion regarding any financial barriers for students to join our Study Tour. Should you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Ms. Carol Li <paac@paachawaii.org> or 808-944-7784. We highly encourage students to apply first if they are interested and decide afterwards once acceptance letters with financial aid packages are awarded.

Photos taken by Study Tours Director.

What are the program dates? 

1. Virtual Parent Information Meeting: Wed. April 2, 2025 (evening)

2. Virtual Pre-Trip Workshop: Wed. May 21, 2025 (evening) 

3. In-Person Pre-Trip Orientation: June 2-4 2025 

4. Travel Dates: June 7-23, 2025✈️

5. Group Presentation: Fri. September 12, 2025 (afternoon/evening)

   Please note, all dates listed above (except travel dates) are tentative and will be confirmed as soon as possible. Participation in this program requires attendance on *ALL* program dates.  

What will the itinerary look like?

The itinerary is currently being finalized but the general plan is as follows:

• June 7 : Depart Hawaiʻi

  • Neighbor island students will be flown to Honolulu International Airport to leave with group.

  • Short layover at Incheon International Airport (Seoul, Republic of Korea)

• June 8 : Arrive at Danang International Airport and transit to Hoi An in the evening.

• June 9-13: Explore Hoi An

  • Example Activities: Taking a boat and visit the pottery and wood carpentry villages, making lanterns, and participating in cultural exchange with local Vietnamese students.

• June 14: Transit to Hue

• June 15-17: Explore Hue

  • Example Historical Sites: Imperial Citadel, Mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh, and Thien Mu Pagoda.

• June 18: Fly to Ha Noi from Phu Bai International Airport

• June 19-22: Explore Ha Noi

  • Example Organizations: Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation and Vụn Art.

• June 23: Travel back home to Hawaiʻi from Noi Bai International Airport

  • Another layover at Incheon International Airport (Seoul, Republic of Korea)

What Will we be doing on the Study Tour?

We will visit historical sites such as My Son Sanctuary, the Imperial Citadel and the Temple of Literature. Study Tour participants will also participate in cultural exchange activities such as pottery and cooking and meet people from organizations such as the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation and Vụn Art. With our theme “Cultivating Resilient Communities”, we will think about how groups of people work together, especially in the face of adversity, to support and take care of one another. Get ready to sweat, eat delicious Vietnamese food, meet wonderful new people, and make memories that will last a lifetime!

Photos taken by Study Tours Director.

Has PAAC organized a study tour to Vietnam before?

From 2007-2019, PAAC has organized eleven Study Tours to Vietnam with four of them being a Freeman Summer Study Tour. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the last Freeman Summer Study Tour to Vietnam was held in 2015, watch a snapshot of the trip below.

what if i have questions or concerns? 

Remember, there are no irrelevant questions! If something is unclear or you are facing a challenge in the application process, reach out! The sooner you contact us, the sooner you can have an answer and complete your application. Contact: Study Tours Director, Ms. Carol Li, <paac@paachawaii.org> or 808-944-7784. More information about PAAC Study Tours is available on our Study Tours page.