SAT participation in Vietnam has nearly quintupled since 2021, with students posting their highest-ever average score in 2025, according to the College Board.
Vietnamese students achieved their highest-ever average SAT score in 2025, reaching 1,355 out of 1,600, as participation continued to rise and an increasing number of students used the standardized test to apply to universities within Vietnam.
The figures were shared by Haike Zhao, Deputy Director of International Affairs at the College Board, during the seminar "US Higher Education Trends & Student Readiness in 2026 & Beyond," jointly organized by IIG Vietnam and the College Board.
Average SAT scores of Vietnamese students by year. Source: College Board.
According to Zhao, participation in the SAT has expanded rapidly in Vietnam over recent years.
The number of Vietnamese SAT candidates increased from approximately 2,100 in 2021 to more than 10,000 in 2025, representing growth of around 385 percent.
Not only has participation increased, but student performance has also steadily improved.
The average SAT score reached 1,355 in 2025, surpassing the previous year's average and setting a new national record.
Business and computer science remain top study choices
Survey data collected during SAT registration also provides insight into the academic interests of Vietnamese students.
According to the College Board, Business and Computer Science were the two most popular intended fields of study, together accounting for nearly 40 percent of all respondents.
Intended fields of study among Vietnamese SAT candidates. Source: College Board.
AP participation and performance continue to improve
Vietnam also recorded strong growth in participation in the Advanced Placement (AP) program during 2025.
More than 5,100 AP examinations were taken across Vietnam during the year, an increase of 42 percent compared with 2024.
Students from nearly 60 schools nationwide participated in AP testing.
Among the most popular AP subjects were courses in STEM and economics.
The three most frequently chosen subjects were AP Calculus BC, AP Microeconomics, and AP Statistics.
Performance also improved significantly.
According to the College Board, 84 percent of AP examinations taken by Vietnamese students earned scores of 3 or higher in 2025 - the benchmark accepted by most universities for credit or advanced placement.
This represents the highest success rate achieved by Vietnamese AP candidates since 2020.
More students now use SAT for domestic university admission
Haike Zhao, Deputy Director of International Affairs at the College Board, speaks at the seminar.
According to Zhao, SAT and AP qualifications continue to create opportunities for students worldwide.
Today, nearly all universities in the United States, along with institutions in more than 70 countries, recognize SAT and AP results for admissions, credit transfer or scholarship consideration.
One of the most significant shifts has been the changing purpose behind Vietnamese students' use of SAT scores.
In 2021, 86 percent of Vietnamese SAT candidates sent their scores to universities in the United States.
By 2025, that proportion had fallen to 38 percent, indicating that a growing number of students are now using SAT results to apply to universities within Vietnam.
According to College Board data, among the 10 universities receiving the largest number of SAT score reports from Vietnamese students in 2025, only three were based in the United States, while seven were Vietnamese institutions.
Among the Vietnamese universities, the largest recipient was the National Economics University, followed by the Foreign Trade University, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, the Thuongmai University, and the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology under Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietnamnet.vn
Podcast
.svg){kind=icon}
