The Ministry of Education and Training in Vietnam is currently gathering opinions on a proposal to reduce the number of entrance exams for high school from three to two. Under this new plan, students would only be required to take exams in Mathematics and Literature for admission into the 10th grade.

This initiative is part of the first draft of regulations on the admission and enrollment process for high schools, which has been shared with several provinces and cities for feedback. The Ministry has indicated that it will continue to refine this draft before seeking broader public input.

According to the proposed regulations, there are three potential methods for student admission: selection based on academic records, entrance exams, or a combination of both. If entrance exams are conducted, students would take tests in Mathematics and Literature, covering the curriculum from lower secondary education. Each subject would have a duration of 120 minutes, with Mathematics potentially being allotted 90 minutes. The admission score would be based on the combined scores of the two subjects, each graded on a scale of 10.

Local Departments of Education and Training will determine the specific admission methods for each school based on local circumstances. The current regulations were established two years ago, allowing provinces to choose from three admission methods as outlined in the proposal.

Previously, if entrance exams were held, they included Mathematics, Literature, and a third subject, which could be selected from a range of options including Foreign Language, Civic Education, Natural Sciences, History, Geography, Technology, or Computer Science. The Ministry has stipulated that no single subject can be chosen for more than three consecutive years.

In the previous academic year, approximately 1.5 million students graduated from lower secondary school, with nearly 1.2 million spots available in high schools, resulting in a pass rate of 79.3%. Around 30 provinces and cities conducted entrance exams, with English commonly chosen as the third subject. Other regions opted to conduct exams only for specialized schools, while general schools primarily relied on academic records for admission.

The Ministry is currently reorganizing the network of schools and establishing multi-level schools while adjusting enrollment areas. Some regions have seen a surge in the number of students applying for public high schools, exceeding the available capacity. Therefore, the Ministry believes that updating the regulations is necessary to ensure fairness and alignment with actual conditions.

Students in Hanoi are scheduled to take the 10th-grade entrance exam in May 2026.