On 17/12, Associate Professor Dr. Vu Duy Hai, Head of Admissions and Career Guidance at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, announced that registrations had increased by 22% compared to the first round in 2025.

The number of 10th and 11th grade students also saw a 10% rise. With results valid for two years, high-scoring 11th graders can utilize their scores for 2027 admissions.

All candidates will take the exam on 24-25/1/2026.

Starting in 2026, Hanoi University of Science and Technology will introduce a new scoring formula for admissions that combines a competency profile with an interview. TSA exam scores will replace academic transcript scores in this method, potentially contributing to the surge in registrations.

The three rounds of the 2026 thinking assessment exam are as follows:

The thinking assessment exam maintains a consistent structure, comprising three parts: mathematical thinking (60 minutes), reading comprehension (30 minutes), and science/problem-solving thinking (60 minutes). The questions are designed to evaluate candidates' thinking abilities, not to directly test specific subject knowledge, with a maximum score of 100.

Candidates will complete the exam as a computer-based multiple-choice test. To accommodate the large number of participants, Hanoi University of Science and Technology has partnered with various institutions, planning to administer the exam at 30 locations across 11 provinces and cities: Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Thai Nguyen, Hung Yen, Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh, Lao Cai, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, and Da Nang.

All necessary infrastructure, technology systems, personnel, and operational procedures are in place, ready for the exam at the end of January.

Specifically at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, one thousand computers are available for the exam. The university has also installed 10 automatic check-in systems and surveillance cameras to deter cheating.

Candidates taking the TSA thinking assessment exam at Hanoi University of Science and Technology on 18/1. *Photo: Duong Tam*

In 2025, Hanoi University of Science and Technology also held three rounds of the TSA exam in Ha Noi, attracting over 28,000 candidates with nearly 57,000 test sessions.

The average score across all candidates was 55.23 out of 100. Vu Minh Duc, a 12th-grade student specializing in Math at Bac Ninh Specialized High School, achieved the highest score of 98.61 out of 100, setting a new exam record.

Over 50 universities utilize TSA results for admissions. At Hanoi University of Science and Technology, admission cutoff scores based on the TSA exam ranged from 46.48 to 86.97, with the data science and artificial intelligence program requiring the highest scores.

Duong Tam