On the afternoon of 21/9, the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Training, hosted a seminar on the draft admissions regulations. These proposed changes have garnered significant attention due to their substantial differences from current policies. Specifically, the ministry plans that by 2027, each major and program will be allowed to use a maximum of three admission methods. From 2028 onwards, this number will be reduced to one.

For example, if University A admits students to its Information Technology major in 2028, it would only be permitted to use one method, such as high school graduation exam scores, competency assessment exam scores, or academic record review. This contrasts with the current system where universities can simultaneously use three or more methods.

Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Vice Rector of Thang Long University, stated that this restriction creates difficulties for universities in student recruitment and for students in selecting their desired programs.

"The limitation will reduce diversity and overlook capable students", Ha observed.

Ha explained that if a university organizes its own entrance exam, it will prioritize filling its enrollment quotas from that source. When the "pie" of admission methods shrinks, universities that do not conduct their own exams will be hesitant to risk using competency assessment methods. This could result in reduced opportunities for students in this group, while universities lose a valuable applicant pool that could enhance the quality of their intake.

Another potential risk is that some universities might opt solely for academic record review, as it is often the easiest method for recruitment. This could significantly increase the proportion of students admitted via academic record review, potentially lowering the overall quality of incoming students.

Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Vice Rector of Thang Long University, shared her views at the seminar on the afternoon of 21/9. Photo: Duong Tam

Many other experts expressed similar opinions.

Professor Vu Van Yem, Deputy Director of Hanoi University of Science and Technology, suggested that limiting to one method at this time could lead to a stratification of higher education. Top-tier universities would likely choose methods that effectively differentiate applicants, while lower-tier universities might resort to using only academic record review.

Associate Professor Tran Anh Dung, Head of Admissions at Vietnam Maritime University, noted that many universities currently use high school graduation exam scores as their primary admission method. Other methods serve to enhance the quality of the applicant pool and expand opportunities for students.

"If each major is limited to one admission method, universities will tend to use high school graduation exam scores. The regulation allowing a maximum of five methods will become meaningless", he said.

Truong Dai Luong, Vice Rector of Hanoi University of Culture, and Nguyen Thi Hoa, Head of Communications and Admissions at the University of Transport and Communications, also expressed concerns about limiting the number of methods.

Hoa remarked that "anything with only one path will raise concerns about risk". Luong added that one method per major would "make things difficult for universities and restrict student opportunities".

University representatives proposed that each major and training program should be allowed to use a minimum of two to three admission methods.

Parents and students are left bewildered by the proposed tightening of admission methods.

Professor Nguyen Tien Thao, Director General of the Department of Higher Education, acknowledged the feedback and stated that he would report it to the ministry's leadership. From the drafting committee's perspective, Thao argued that ensuring fairness is challenging when a major uses multiple methods.

According to ministry statistics from the 2022-2026 period, over 2,000 training programs (more than 40%) using two or more methods showed a discrepancy of 3 points or more between these methods. Academic record scores within the same major code were significantly higher than high school graduation exam scores.

Explaining the proposal on 19/9, Thao emphasized that the phased reduction of methods aims to allow each major to adopt the most suitable assessment approach. He clarified that it is not a policy to compel all universities and majors to use a single type of exam score.

According to Thao, this measure is intended to broaden equal opportunities, not to reduce access. Each method must ensure that all eligible students can participate, with clearly announced criteria and a common scoring scale.

Universities are responsible for selecting methods that align with their admission requirements. Scores from separate exams, academic records, or certificates can still be utilized if transparently structured within the publicly announced method.

Duong Tam