Professor Dr. Nguyen Tien Thao, Director of the Higher Education Department, said the amendment and supplementation of admission regulations aim to select the most appropriate learners, and control and improve input quality.

VietNamNet spoke with Thao to clarify the proposed adjustments:

The draft regulation requires transcript-based admissions to be based on the GPA of six semesters, mandates the inclusion of Mathematics or Literature, and requires candidates to achieve at least 16 points (for 3 exam subjects) in accordance with subject combination for admission. Why has the Ministry introduced these conditions?

First, it must be acknowledged that the transcript-based admission scheme have existed for more than 10 years, which provides 40 percent of total admitted candidates and mainly relying on Grade 12 academic results. The new draft aligns with the policy of comprehensively assessing students’ learning outcomes over all three years at high school, while adding the requirement of at least 16 points for three subjects in the admission combination (or Mathematics, Literature, and one other exam subject).

This aims to be sure that candidates do not neglect their studies in Grade 12, as the knowledge gained in this year forms a crucial foundation linking to the basic knowledge of university-level programs. The regulation not only encourages students to study seriously in Grade 12 and prepare well for the graduation exam, but also helps equip them with a solid foundation once admitted, enabling them to complete university programs successfully. A score of 16 is also a level that most candidates with proper attitude and responsibility can achieve in the graduation exam, thereby ensuring quality for universities.

Why does this draft propose that training institutions use a maximum of five admission methods (entrance exams, admissions based on evaluation, or a combination of both), excluding direct admission?

We observe that universities currently use nearly 20 admission methods. However, about 90 percent of admitted candidates are selected through high school graduation exam scores, transcript-based admissions, or a combination of the two. Some methods attract very few applicants or admissions but cause confusion for parents and candidates when researching information, leading to wasted time and resources.

With the goal of simplifying admission methods, the Ministry proposes limiting institutions to a maximum of five methods, excluding direct admission. This proposal has been put out for consultation and has received strong consensus from representatives of training institutions during draft regulation workshops. These five methods have covered more than 95 percent of admitted candidates in recent years.

Another proposed adjustment is reducing the maximum number of options per candidate to 10, compared with no limit previously. In addition, teacher training programs will only consider candidates who register these programs as options from 1 to 3. What is the objective of these changes?

Analyzing admission outcomes in recent years, we found that admissions under Option 1 account for 35.1 percent, while options below 10 account for 98.5 percent. Candidates admitted in additional admission rounds account for just over 1 percent. This means the number of candidates admitted and enrolled with options above 10 is extremely low.

At the 2025 higher education conference, most universities proposed limiting registered options to 1-5 for each candidate. Therefore, the proposal of 10 options for each admission round is reasonable. This contributes to saving costs, shortening admission time, and at the same time requires candidates to research majors more seriously, identifying majors suitable for their capacity and strengths.

For teacher training programs supported by the state budget, candidates must clearly define their career goals by prioritizing options from 1 to 3. This also reduces pressure on pedagogical schools in accurately determining the number of enrolling students and working positions after graduation.

The draft regulation adjusts bonus points and incentive points, in which each component point (bonus points, incentive points) is a maximum of 1.5 points on a 30-point scale and the total added points do not exceed 3 points. Can you provide more information on this point?

The regulation still maintains the level of added points to "add" to the admission score (exam or academic record), but the total added points do not exceed 3 points on a 30-point scale. 

Added points consist of three components: Bonus points for those who win national excellent student prizes or participate in international Olympic teams but do not use the right of direct admission; bonus points for candidates with special achievements or talents; and incentive points for candidates with foreign language certificates or international certificates. The added points in the second or third case are a maximum of 1.5 points.

Thuy Nga