Nguyen Ngoc Ngan, a 12th-grade student in Hung Yen, decided to pursue the C00 subject combination (literature, history, geography) in 10th grade. She planned to apply for journalism at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH), Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Ngan was shocked in June when the university announced it would no longer consider C00. Although the university later reinstated it, Ngan still felt uncertain, prompting her to consider switching combinations at the start of the academic year.
Ngan invested in English studies, enrolling in an online course costing approximately 2 million VND, to transition to the D14 block (literature, history, English). According to Ngan's research, several universities use this block, including the Academy of Journalism and Communication.
"I am truly exhausted. I chose the C block because I wasn't good at English. Now, I am practically starting over", Ngan shared.
With this adjustment, Ngan must drop geography from the high school graduation exam, as students are allowed to choose only two subjects in addition to mathematics and literature. Ngan also plans to take the Vietnam National University, Hanoi's competency assessment exam for an additional admission method, despite not having prepared for it yet.
On online forums, many students also report having to study additional subjects to broaden their admission combinations, as numerous universities discontinue traditional exam blocks.
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Students in TP HCM take the 2025 high school graduation exam. Photo: Quynh Tran |
As of December 4, over 20 universities had announced their provisional admission plans for 2026, with many adjusting their subject combinations.
Beyond the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, the Political Officer School no longer uses C00 and A00 (mathematics, physics, chemistry). The Border Guard Academy has dropped C00 and A01 (mathematics, physics, English). The University of Technology, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, expects to discontinue D01 (mathematics, literature, English) and B00 (mathematics, chemistry, biology) for admissions based on graduation exam scores.
According to some experts, this move partly aligns with the Ministry of Education and Training's admission regulations, which require common subjects in combinations to contribute at least 50% of the total admission score weight.
Some universities are making adjustments based on their training realities. For instance, at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vice Rector Dang Hong Son explained that the discontinuation of C00 applies to modern majors that require foreign language proficiency.
However, many students had already chosen their subject combinations in 10th grade. The announcement of these changes just six to seven months before the high school graduation exam, students say, is too abrupt.
Thanh Tuan in Thanh Hoa was surprised that the Political Officer School dropped the A00 combination (mathematics, physics, chemistry). He plans to switch to the C01 block (literature, mathematics, physics).
"The advantage is that literature is a compulsory subject, but it's also difficult because I started focusing on it later than my friends", Tuan said. His initial goal for literature was 5 points; now it is "as high as possible".
Huy Hoang in Hanoi is also confused because the military universities he planned to apply to will not consider C00 next year. Hoang had aspired to these schools since 10th grade and now must study additional mathematics to apply with the C03 block (mathematics, literature, history) or C04 (mathematics, literature, geography). Hoang currently attends two extra classes per week, whereas before, he only studied at school.
Master Pham Thai Son, Director of the Admissions and Communications Center at Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, noted that any changes at this point would disorient students taking the 2026 graduation exam.
He advised students to prepare more to broaden their admission combinations. For example, those initially following C00 could study additional English or economic and legal education, while also researching other universities with their preferred majors as a backup.
"Students need to monitor information closely, choose broadly, and focus on studying well to increase their chances of admission", Son said.
Nguyen Quang Tung, Principal of M.V.Lomonosov High School in Hanoi, stated that the school has proactively advised students to prepare multiple university admission options, such as participating in competency and aptitude assessment exams or obtaining SAT and IELTS certificates if conditions permit.
A survey indicated that due to early preparation, not many of the school's students were affected by the universities' adjustments to admission plans.
Nevertheless, experts and teachers still argue that such changes require a two to three-year roadmap from announcement to implementation to prevent students from being caught off guard.
Explaining this, Doan Thanh, a high school literature teacher in Hai Phong, noted that even with options to "pivot" combinations, it remains extremely difficult due to the short timeframe, especially for rural students who have limited access to English language learning, private exams, or international certificates.
Duong Tam
*Names of some characters have been changed.
