Temple University Gateway Program — a direct pathway into a U.S. university from Ho Chi Minh City
The Gateway Program is a 4-week university-preparation course helping Vietnamese students build the English skills and academic confidence to succeed at U.S. universities — a cost-effective alternative to develop the skills needed to gain admission.
The program is run by Temple University's Center for American Language and Culture (TCALC) in partnership with AAE, held in person at AAE's office in Ho Chi Minh City. Students who complete the program to the required standard are granted direct admission to Temple University.
Who is this program for?
Students who wish to apply to Temple University as an undergraduate and study in the U.S. can gain direct admission upon completion — a cost-effective alternative to build the skills needed to succeed in college and gain admission to a university.
Pre-approved students who complete the program will be granted admission to Temple University. Applicants must submit a high school transcript and have a minimum of 5.5 IELTS to be admitted.
What will you learn?
Students improve their English, prepare for college-level courses, and receive 1-on-1 support with their college and visa applications.
What do you get on completion?
Students who successfully complete the course to the required standard are directly admitted to Temple University.
Students who complete the program to the required standard are granted admission directly.
Strengthens your academic background and F-1 visa application.
Students complete their CommonApp as part of the program.
TCALC (Temple University) and AAE staff support you throughout.
4 steps to join the program
Work through them in order — each is a prerequisite for the next.
Send your current high school transcript and IELTS score report. AAE helps you complete the application.
Students accepted into the program receive pre-approval for admission to Temple University.
Pre-approved students pay the full tuition fee to confirm their seat.
Finish the program (36 hours, 15 classes) to the required standard for direct admission to Temple University.
Starts October 7, 2026, in Ho Chi Minh City
The program runs for 4 weeks (Oct 7–31, 2026), with 15 classes totaling 36 hours. The detailed class schedule is sent to admitted students by AAE.
Meet your Gateway instructor
Rob is Associate Director for Academic Services at Temple University's Center for American Language and Culture (TCALC). He has taught English to primary and secondary students in Taiwan and South Korea, and led a Department of State-funded college access program in Jordan. Rob has a master's degree in English language teaching and is working on a Ph.D. in applied linguistics at Temple. He has traveled to about 35 countries, and his favorite place is Vietnam.
About Temple University
Temple University is a major public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with nearly 30,000 enrolled students and scholarships available for international students.
Frequently asked questions about Temple Gateway
It's a 4-week university-preparation course run by Temple University's Center for American Language and Culture (TCALC) with AAE in Ho Chi Minh City, helping Vietnamese students build academic English and gain direct admission to Temple University on completion.
Students must submit a current high school transcript and have a minimum IELTS score of 5.5 to be admitted to the program.
Total tuition for the 4-week program is $300 (≈ 7.890.000đ), paid after pre-approval into the program.
Pre-approved students who complete the program to the required standard are granted direct admission to Temple University.
The program runs from October 7 to October 31, 2026 (4 weeks, 36 hours) at AAE's office in Ho Chi Minh City.
Yes. Students learn the visa application and interview process during the program, and the certificate of completion strengthens their F-1 visa application.
AAE is with you on the Temple Gateway journey
Leave your details — the AAE team will reach out to advise on your application, IELTS score, and next steps in the program.
Program details, schedule and fees follow Temple University TCALC's official page and may change between cohorts. Please contact AAE to confirm the latest cohort information and for help applying.