Over 100 universities to use academic transcripts for 2026 admissions

More than 100 universities will utilize academic transcripts for their 2026 intake, primarily evaluating three years of high school academic results across three subjects based on specific combinations, with some institutions employing a combined assessment approach.

As of 18/3, over 100 universities have announced their intention to use academic transcript scores for admissions, marking a significant trend in the upcoming academic year.

A key development this year is the standardization of admission conditions, in line with new regulations from the Ministry of Education and Training. Applicants must now have an average score across six semesters for at least three subjects, which must include either mathematics or literature. This average score must also carry a weighting of no less than 1/3 of the total admission score. Furthermore, applicants are required to achieve a total high school graduation exam score of 15/30 or higher for three subjects, whether assessed by a specific subject combination or comprising scores in mathematics, literature, and one other subject.

While the Ministry has set baseline requirements, some universities are implementing stricter criteria. For instance, Foreign Trade University will only consider academic transcripts for two specific groups: students from specialized high school programs, and those who have won at least a third prize in provincial-level excellent student competitions. Additionally, these applicants must achieve a minimum of 24 points on their high school graduation exam for the chosen subject combination.

Many institutions are adopting diverse combined assessment methods. Several, such as Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and Hanoi University of Pharmacy, integrate academic transcript evaluations with international certificates. Others, including Hanoi University of Science and Technology and University of Banking Ho Chi Minh City, combine academic transcripts with interviews. Some universities also consider academic transcripts alongside other achievements, such as competency assessment test scores or awards from student competitions.

The exact list of over 100 universities considering academic transcript scores for 2026 admissions will be made public, with all applicants needing to meet the graduation exam score requirements set by the Ministry.

Looking back at last year, universities employed 17 different admission methods, all processed in a single phase after applicants received their high school graduation exam results. This was a change from previous years, which often included early admissions for certain methods. At the conclusion of that initial admission phase, approximately 625,500 students confirmed their enrollment. University admission cut-off scores for undergraduate programs ranged from 13 to 30, with an average score of 19,11, representing a three-point decrease compared to the 2024 admissions period.

While the precise number of students admitted via academic transcripts for the current cycle has not yet been released, this method historically accounted for approximately 30-50% of total admissions in previous years. In light of the Ministry of Education and Training's stricter regulations on academic transcript admissions this year, many institutions have adapted their strategies, shifting from independent transcript evaluations to combined assessment methods. Notable examples of this shift include Academy of Journalism and Communication and Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry.