The 2026 high school graduation exam will take place on 11-12/6, involving over 1.2 million candidates. To be recognized for graduation, students must complete four exams. Mathematics and Literature are compulsory. Candidates then choose two additional subjects from: Chemistry, Physics, Biology, History, Geography, Foreign Language, Informatics, Technology, and Economics and Law Education.
Prohibited items in the examination room
The 2026 high school graduation exam regulations specify permitted items in the exam room: pens, rulers, pencils, erasers, set squares, graph rulers, drawing tools, and non-programmable, non-memory card calculators.
Items strictly prohibited from being brought into the exam room include: carbon paper, correction fluid, alcoholic beverages; weapons and explosive or flammable substances; documents, communication devices (for transmitting, receiving, recording audio or video) or devices containing information that could be used for cheating during the exam.
Candidates should note that exam papers are classified as "Top Secret" state secrets. The state secret protection period for essay exams is after two-thirds of the exam time, and for multiple-choice exams, it is upon the conclusion of the exam session. Leaking exam papers can lead to criminal prosecution.
Reviewing for errors: the initial 5 minutes upon receiving the exam paper
During the exam procedure session on the afternoon of 10/6, candidates must arrive on time and present their identification card and exam admission ticket. If there are any errors in their full name, birth year, priority group, or preferred area, or if their identification card or other necessary documents are lost, candidates must immediately report it to the invigilator or staff at the exam venue for timely resolution.
For each exam session, candidates must be present on time. If a candidate arrives more than 15 minutes after the start time, they will not be allowed to take that session, which means they will not be recognized for high school graduation.
Before starting the exam, candidates must write their full exam number and information on the exam paper, answer sheet, multiple-choice answer sheet, and scratch paper. Upon receiving the exam paper, candidates must carefully check the number of pages, print quality, and exam code on each page.
If a candidate discovers that the exam paper is missing pages, torn, damaged, or blurry, they must immediately report it to the invigilator, no later than 5 minutes from the start of the exam. Otherwise, the candidate bears full responsibility for the exam paper received.
Each exam venue has original exam papers for verification if needed. Annually, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) recommends that candidates proactively and carefully check their exam papers immediately upon receipt. This is both their responsibility and their right, ensuring that their exam results are not affected by technical errors.
Use only one ink color (blue or black)
In the exam room, candidates must maintain order and immediately inform the invigilator if someone else copies their work or intentionally interferes with it; they must not exchange papers, copy from others, allow others to copy, use unauthorized materials, or engage in cheating. If they wish to speak, they must raise their hand to ask the invigilator for permission.
Candidates are not allowed to mark or create personal symbols; they must not write in pencil, except for shading in the bubbles on the multiple-choice answer sheet; they are only permitted to write using one ink color, either blue or black.
For essay exams, candidates may only leave the exam room after two-thirds of the exam time has passed and must submit their answer sheet, exam paper, and scratch paper before leaving. For multiple-choice exams, candidates are not permitted to leave the room for the entire duration of the exam or between the two subjects of an optional exam. If a candidate must temporarily leave the exam room, the entire process will be supervised.
When the signal for the end of the exam is given, candidates must stop working immediately. When submitting an essay exam, candidates must clearly state the number of answer sheets submitted and sign the exam submission form for confirmation. For multiple-choice exams, candidates must accurately fill in the exam code on both submission forms. Candidates who do not complete the exam must still submit their answer sheet and multiple-choice answer sheet.
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Candidates in Ho Chi Minh City taking the 2025 high school graduation exam. Photo: Quynh Tran |
Three cases for high school graduation exemption
According to the Ministry of Education and Training's exam regulations, there are three cases where candidates may be granted high school graduation exemption:
- Candidates who have completed their academic program but are unable to take the exam due to an accident, illness, or a specific unexpected emergency occurring no more than 10 days before the exam or on the first exam day. The condition is that their conduct and academic performance for the entire 12th grade year must be rated as good or higher.
- Candidates who have participated in at least one exam but subsequently experience an accident, illness, or unexpected emergency. The conditions are that the score on the completed exam must be 5 or higher, their 12th grade conduct rating must be good, and their academic performance must be satisfactory or higher.
- Athletes who have achieved outstanding results in national or international sports competitions, and whose training abroad or international competition dates coincide with the high school graduation exam period.
Candidates seeking graduation exemption must submit an application along with relevant supporting documents, such as hospital admission and discharge records, confirmation from the commune-level People's Committee (UBND) of their residence, or proof of competition dates overlapping with exam schedules.
Duong Tam
