Vietnam plans to allow universities just one admissions method for each major from 2028, but institutions warn the change could increase enrollment risks and narrow opportunities for students.
On September 21, the Ministry of Education and Training held a consultation on proposed amendments to regulations governing university admissions and education.
One proposal drawing particular attention from universities would limit institutions to three admissions methods from 2027 and then reduce that to one method for each major or academic program from 2028. Direct admissions and admissions under government nomination programs would not be included in the limit.
‘Having only one route would be very risky’
Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Vice Rector of Thang Long University, said reducing the number of admissions methods was reasonable, as a single program should not use too many different routes simply to enroll as many students as possible without ensuring the quality of incoming students.
However, she said restricting each major to just one method would create difficulties both for universities in recruiting students and for applicants choosing their preferred programs.
Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Vice Rector of Thang Long University.
Vietnamese students currently have several types of academic results that can be used for university admission, including national high school graduation exam scores, high school academic records, competency assessment tests and international certificates. Limiting admissions to one method could reduce this diversity and exclude capable candidates, Ha said.
For example, if a university chose to admit students solely on the basis of competency assessment test scores, it could face a limited applicant pool because relatively few students currently take such exams.
Universities that organize the tests themselves might be able to fill their enrollment quotas, while other institutions could be reluctant to rely on them because the applicant pool remains too small, potentially causing them to miss qualified candidates.
Allowing only one admissions method could also encourage more universities to rely on high school academic records rather than other options simply to fill their quotas. This, Ha said, could affect the quality of incoming students.
She therefore proposed allowing each major or academic program to use at least two admissions methods, giving students more opportunities while helping universities recruit qualified candidates.
Tran Anh Dung, head of academic affairs at Vietnam Maritime University, raised similar concerns about limiting universities to one admissions method for each major.
“Many universities currently use national high school graduation exam scores as the main admissions method for all their majors,” he said. “Other methods serve as additional tools to improve the quality of the applicant pool and give students more opportunities. If every major is left with only one route, it would be very risky.”
Representatives from Hanoi University of Culture and the University of Transport and Communications also said restricting admissions to a single method would be difficult for universities and limit opportunities for applicants.
They proposed allowing at least two admissions methods in addition to direct admission.
Vu Van Yem, Vice President of Hanoi University of Science and Technology, said relying on a single admissions method could also make it harder to differentiate among tiers of higher education institutions.
For example, highly competitive universities could choose admissions methods that better distinguish among applicants, while less competitive institutions might rely solely on high school academic records or national high school graduation exam scores.
‘Fewer methods are intended to expand equal opportunities’
Nguyen Tien Thao, Director General of the Higher Education Department under the Ministry of Education and Training, said having numerous admissions methods can make it difficult to ensure fairness across different routes.
Nguyen Tien Thao, Director General of the Higher Education Department under Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training.
He said the proposed roadmap to reduce the number of admissions methods was therefore appropriate, particularly for highly competitive fields of study.
“Reducing the number of methods is intended to expand equal opportunities, not reduce access,” Thao said. “Each method must ensure that all eligible applicants can participate, with clearly published criteria and a common scoring scale.
“Higher education institutions are responsible for selecting methods that match the entry requirements of their programs. Results from separate examinations, high school academic records or certificates can still be used if they are incorporated transparently into the published admissions method,” he added.
Thao said the ministry would take universities’ feedback into consideration and continue studying the proposal, with the ultimate goal of simplifying university admissions while ensuring the highest possible level of fairness for applicants.
Vietnamnet.vn
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