Significant drop in candidates registering for English graduation exam exemption

Approximately 6,330 candidates have registered for foreign language exam exemption, a sharp decrease from the 47,000-67,000 seen previously, following the Ministry's decision to remove the mandatory foreign language exam and discontinue the conversion of an IELTS 4.0 score to a perfect 10.

The Quality Management Department, under the Ministry of Education and Training, announced on the morning of 28/4 that most students graduating from high school this year have registered for the exam. Among over one million candidates, those in grade 12 account for 95.25%, with the remainder being independent candidates.

The number of candidates registering for foreign language exam exemption is over 6,330, representing 0.62% of the total. This group consists of students holding foreign language certificates equivalent to IELTS 4.0 or higher. This figure is considerably lower than the 47,000-67,000 candidates recorded during the 2023-2024 period. Last year, the Ministry did not release nationwide data on exemptions.

This significant reduction stems from recent changes in the high school graduation exam regulations.

Before 2025, foreign language was a mandatory subject, alongside mathematics and literature. Many students did not require a score in this subject for university admissions, so they registered for exemption to reduce pressure. Last year, it transitioned into an optional subject.

Additionally, in previous periods, candidates could convert an IELTS 4.0 score into a perfect 10 for the foreign language subject. However, the new regulations from the Ministry of Education and Training have removed this conversion policy.

Under the high school graduation exam regulations, candidates are exempt from the foreign language exam if they possess one of 22 specified certificates. These include 12 English certificates, with the remaining for Russian, French, Chinese, German, Japanese, and Korean. The minimum requirement for candidates is an equivalent of level 3/6 (B1) or higher.

The 2026 high school graduation exam will take place on 11-12/6. Candidates can register until 17:00 on 5/5. Professor Huynh Van Chuong, Director of the Quality Management Department, Ministry of Education and Training, advised that candidates who have already registered still have the right to adjust their information before the deadline. They must carefully read the instructions, declare all information fully and accurately, and pay close attention to details regarding optional subjects, priority candidates, and exam exemptions.

22 certificates eligible for foreign language exemption in the 2026 high school graduation exam