By the end of February, over 20 provinces and cities announced their third subject and admission methods for this year's 10th-grade entrance exam. Most localities selected foreign language, primarily English, as the third subject. This choice aligns with the goal of establishing English as a second language in schools, promoting international integration.

Notably, Lam Dong and Vinh Long will implement admission by review for general 10th-grade enrollment. However, students aspiring to specialized high schools in these provinces must still take exams in mathematics, literature, and English. The primary exam format for the third subject is a 60-minute multiple-choice test, though a few localities opt for a combination of multiple-choice and essay questions.

The following table details the third subject or admission method chosen by 23 provinces and cities:

According to the 10th-grade admission regulations issued by the Ministry of Education and Training, starting from 2025, localities have the option to conduct entrance exams, use admission by review, or a combination of both. If an entrance exam is chosen, it must include mathematics, literature, and a third subject (or a combined test). Localities select this third subject from a group comprising: foreign language, civic education, natural sciences, history and geography, technology, and informatics. However, the same subject cannot be used for more than three consecutive years, and the selection must be announced before 31/3.

Last year, English or foreign language was the choice for nearly 60 of the 63 former provinces and cities.

Students taking the 10th-grade public high school exam in TP HCM at Dang Tan Tai Secondary School, TP HCM, 6/2025. *Photo: Quynh Tran*

Thanh Hang