Ho Chi Minh City to expand academic record admissions, move towards universal 10th grade enrollment

Ho Chi Minh City is accelerating school construction to expand academic record admissions for 10th grade starting next year, moving towards universal high school education instead of entrance exams.

Ho Chi Minh City plans to expand the use of academic records for 10th-grade admissions starting next year, a move aimed at achieving universal high school education. This initiative will replace traditional entrance exams in certain areas once sufficient classrooms are available. Ho Tan Minh, chief of office for the Department of Education and Training, announced this on 14/5 during a city press conference, stating that the city is accelerating efforts to construct approximately 1,000 new classrooms within 150 days, slated for use in the 2026-2027 school year.

Beyond new construction, the Department of Education and Training is reviewing over 100 other projects to further increase classroom availability. This push aims to meet the target of 300 classrooms per 10,000 school-age residents in the city. Currently, only high schools in Thanh An island commune and the Con Dao special zone admit students to 10th grade based on academic records, with all other areas requiring entrance exams.

The upcoming 10th-grade public school entrance exam is scheduled for 1-2/6. This year, over 169,600 students will graduate from junior high in Ho Chi Minh City. Of these, more than 151,300 have registered to take the public 10th-grade entrance exam. Following the release of applicant data and calculated competition ratios, nearly one-third of candidates, over 45,200 students, adjusted their preferences. Students will sit for three subjects: mathematics, literature, and english, with an additional specialized subject exam for those applying to specialized programs.

Ho Chi Minh City stands as a major educational hub in Vietnam, serving over 2.6 million students across nearly 3,500 schools. The city averages 277 classrooms per 10,000 residents. While Ho Chi Minh City proper is nearing its target with 297 classrooms per 10,000 residents, Binh Duong faces a significant shortage at 200, whereas Ba Ria - Vung Tau exceeds the standard with 316.