According to Associate Professor Doctor Bui Hoai Thang, Head of the Training Department, 95-99% of the university's enrollment quota is determined by a combination of academic performance, achievements in arts and sports, and priority points (if any).

Academic performance (accounting for at least 80%) comprises university entrance exam scores, high school transcripts, and high school graduation exam scores, calculated as follows:

Academic Performance = University Entrance Exam Score × 70% + Converted High School Graduation Exam Score × 20% + Converted High School GPA × 10%

Because of this combined evaluation method, HCMUT does not convert scores between different exam types or calculate differences between subject combinations. According to the formula, two major factors influencing the university's admission scores are the Ho Chi Minh City National University entrance exam and the high school graduation exam.

Dr. Thang analyzed that high school graduation exam scores in most subjects have decreased compared to last year, with the exception of physics. Math scores saw the most significant change, with the average score dropping from 6.45 to 4.78. Chemistry followed, decreasing by 0.62 points compared to last year, down to 6.06. Biology scores also decreased by 0.5 points.

The number of students scoring 7 or higher is also lower than in previous years. Only 12% of students achieved this score in math, compared to 45% last year. The percentage for chemistry is around 34%, a decrease of nearly 16%. For biology, it's 22%, down from 33% last year.

2025 university admission scores may decrease by 2-3 points.

Furthermore, HCMUT changed its entrance exam scoring formula this year. In previous years, entrance exam scores were converted to a 90-point scale by dividing the total score (maximum 1,200) by 11. This year, the scale is 100 (the converted entrance exam score doubles the math section score, with a maximum of 1,500 divided by 15).

"Technically, the converted entrance exam score has already decreased. Combined with the lower high school graduation exam scores, the overall admission scores will slightly decrease by a few points," Dr. Thang stated.

According to Dr. Thang, if the number of applications and desired majors remain similar to last year, admission scores for popular programs like microchip technology, computer science, data science, and logistics may increase.

High school students in Ho Chi Minh City taking the 2025 high school graduation exam. Photo: Quynh Tran

High school students in Ho Chi Minh City taking the 2025 high school graduation exam. Photo: Quynh Tran

This year, HCMUT is admitting 5,550 students. Of these, 1-5% of the quota is reserved for direct admission as regulated by the Ministry of Education and Training. The remaining students are admitted through a combined evaluation method, divided into five groups: students with or without Ho Chi Minh City National University entrance exam scores; those with foreign high school diplomas; those with international standardized test scores (SAT, ACT); students in international transfer programs; or those in bachelor's degree programs affiliated with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

Applicants can apply under multiple categories and will be considered based on their highest score.

Academic performance calculation formula for each applicant group.

Additional points are awarded for other achievements in arts, sports, and social activities, up to a maximum of 10 points, and are determined by the Admissions Council depending on the number of applications and the applicant's achievements.

Priority points are based on region and applicant status, up to a maximum of 9.17 points on the 100-point scale (converted from a maximum of 2.75 points on the 30-point scale according to the Ministry of Education and Training regulations).

High school students participating in HCMUT's summer program in June. Photo: HCMUT

High school students participating in HCMUT's summer program in June. Photo: HCMUT

HCMUT's tuition fees for the 2025 academic year are expected to be 30-80 million VND per year, depending on the program.

HCMUT tuition fees for 2025.

Last year, HCMUT admitted over 5,000 students. The admission scores for the combined evaluation method ranged from 55.38 to 84.16 out of 90, with the highest being for computer science.

Le Nguyen