The Ministry of Education and Training reported on 20/4/2025 that nearly 681,700 students were admitted to universities last year, achieving 90% of the enrollment targets. Admissions based on high school graduation exam scores accounted for 50,32% of these. This rate marked a decrease of 1,86% compared to 2024.

In contrast, the percentage of students admitted through independent exams, such as competency and critical thinking assessments, climbed to 5,08%. This represents a notable increase from the 2-3% observed in previous years. Similarly, admissions based on academic transcripts also saw an uptick, rising from 27,86% in 2024 to 29,24%. This figure specifically refers to candidates using only academic transcript scores, excluding those who combined these scores with other criteria such as: high school graduation exam scores, international certificates, or interviews.

Two other primary admission methods were combined admission, making up 15,03%, and direct admission, at 0,32%.

These admission figures may change further after the 2026 admissions season. This is due to new Ministry regulations requiring each university to utilize a maximum of 5 admission methods, a significant reduction from the 17 previously allowed. For academic transcript evaluations, students must possess an average score across 6 semesters (grades 10, 11, and 12) in at least three subjects, which must include Mathematics or Literature, and achieve a high school graduation exam score of 15/30 or higher. Many universities are also moving away from relying solely on academic transcript scores, opting instead to combine multiple score components. This shift coincides with a record high number of students registering for independent exams.

Tam Le