Following recent educational mergers, Ho Chi Minh City, Ninh Binh, and Phu Tho have emerged as the top-performing localities in the 2025–2026 National Excellent Student Competition, overtaking long-time frontrunner Hanoi, which fell to fifth place.
Công bố đề và đáp án các môn thi học sinh giỏi quốc gia năm học 2025-2026
Ho Chi Minh City topped the list of award-winning provinces with 288 students honored in the 2025–2026 National Excellent Student Competition.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), 3,992 students were awarded out of more than 6,750 participants this academic year, accounting for over 59% of the total - slightly higher than last year's 58.68%, when 3,803 out of 6,482 students won awards.

This year, Ho Chi Minh City claimed the top spot with 288 winners, up from second place last year. Ninh Binh followed closely with 238 winners, and Phu Tho came in third with 229.

Other provinces in the top ten include Hai Phong with 208 awards, Hanoi with 207, Bac Ninh with 174, Da Nang with 146, Lao Cai with 134, and both Hung Yen and Thai Nguyen with 125 each.

At the other end of the spectrum, Lai Chau recorded the fewest awards, with only 20 winners. Cao Bang and Dien Bien also had relatively low numbers, with 24 and 27 awards respectively.

In terms of first prizes, however, Hanoi still held its ground with 26 students earning the top distinction. The High School for Gifted Students under Vietnam National University, Hanoi, followed with 15 first prizes. Despite not ranking high in total awards, Nghe An and Thanh Hoa secured notable placements in the top-tier category with 10 and 8 first prizes respectively.

The national competition took place over two days, December 25 and 26, 2025, with more than 6,750 students representing provinces and cities across the country - an increase of 270 students compared to the previous year.

Students competed in 13 subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Informatics, Literature, History, Geography, and five foreign languages - English, Russian, French, Chinese, and Japanese.

According to the MOET, students who meet the following score thresholds in their respective subjects will be invited to join the national training team for the 2026 Olympiad, scheduled for March: Mathematics (26 points), Physics (23.25), Chemistry (26.375), Biology (25), and Informatics (24.79).

The national selection round for the 2026 International Olympiad team will take place in Hanoi from March 24 to 26. The final list of selected students for regional and international Olympiads will be announced on April 3, 2026.

Thanh Hung