The number of candidates using international certificates has surged.
At the Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, the admissions council has finalized the list of 264 eligible candidates who submitted additional international certificates through the Ministry of Education and Training's system to receive bonus points (after reviewing 266 cases requiring verification). Previously, 1,744 candidates had submitted international certificates directly to the university and were declared eligible. Thus, this year the university has 2,008 candidates with international certificates eligible for bonus points - a significant increase compared to the 1,300 in 2024.
Most candidates possess an IELTS certificate; many have both IELTS and SAT. According to regulations, candidates with international certificates will receive bonus points in all majors when applying through the combined method of high school graduation exam results in 2025 and the international certificate. Bonus points are only awarded when submitting a certified copy of an IELTS Academic score of 6.0 or higher, a TOEFL iBT score of 80 or higher, or an SAT score of 1,340 or higher.
A similar trend is occurring at Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, where the number of applications with international foreign language certificates has reached nearly 2,500, up from 1,600 last year. According to the 2025 admissions plan, the university will convert foreign language certificates into English scores for two methods: based on the 2025 high school graduation exam results and based on high school academic performance in grades 10, 11, and 12.
At the University of Economics and Law (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), nearly 8,900 candidates submitted international English certificates to have their scores converted to replace their English exam scores in their chosen subject combination, or to be used as bonus points for admission. This group of candidates received 0.5 - 1.5 points in various admission methods; if applying based on high school graduation exam results, the certificate could be converted to 8 - 10 points for the English subject.
The number of candidates using international foreign language certificates for admission to the university increased 3.7 times compared to last year. Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry also recorded more than 8,000 candidates using international foreign language certificates to convert into English scores, an increase of about 2.6 times compared to last year.
Overall, from medical and pharmaceutical schools to economics and engineering schools, the 2025 admissions plans are encouraging and facilitating the use of international language certificates, especially IELTS, in the selection process. According to preliminary statistics, in 2025, more than 70 universities nationwide will allow the conversion of international language certificate scores to a 10-point scale to replace English scores in the High School Graduation Examination or to combine with academic transcripts and other admission criteria. However, each school has a different conversion method.
Specifically, Saigon University provides a fairly detailed conversion framework: IELTS 4.0 - 5.0 or TOEFL 450 - 499 is converted to 8 points for English; IELTS 5.5 - 6.5 or TOEFL 500 - 626 is equivalent to 9 points; and scores of 7.0 IELTS or TOEFL 627 or higher are rounded up to 10 points. In some other universities, the conversion methods continue to show differences in thresholds and coefficients: Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry stipulates that IELTS 4.5 is equivalent to 7.5 points in the high school graduation exam and 8 points in the high school transcript, while IELTS 6.5 or higher is rounded up to 10 points...
Some universities set narrower conversion ranges: Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade converts IELTS 5.5 - 6.0 to 8 points, 6.5 - 7.5 to 9 points, and 8.5 - 9.0 to 10 points. Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education converts IELTS 4.5 to 7.5 points; IELTS 6.5 to 9.5 points, and 7.0 and above to 10 points. In addition, some universities apply completely different scoring scales to suit their specific admission methods.
The University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) uses international certificates (foreign languages, SAT) for candidates who graduated from high school abroad and possess international certificates. Additionally, the university awards points to candidates based on their high school academic results, the results of the National University of Ho Chi Minh City's aptitude test, and their high school graduation exam scores. Candidates are required to have an international English certificate equivalent to IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 73 or higher.
Candidates take advantage of their strengths.
According to admissions experts, today's students are exposed to foreign languages from an early age. Therefore, mastering and obtaining international certificates has become "within reach" for many students. In addition, the expansion of the scope of conversion and point allocation across most methods by many schools, coupled with fluctuations in English scores in the high school graduation exam, has driven a surge in demand for international certificates.
According to Mr. Cu Xuan Tien, Head of Admissions and Student Affairs at the University of Economics and Law (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), this year the university is awarding bonus points to groups with international English certificates or equivalent scores in combination with high school graduation exam scores; whereas last year, certificates were mainly used in combination with academic transcripts or for priority direct admission. In addition, the English exam scores in the high school graduation exam have decreased. These two factors have led to an increased trend among candidates to use international certificates to convert into admission scores.
According to Mr. Pham Thai Son, Director of the Admissions and Communications Center at Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, taking certification exams like IELTS is becoming increasingly popular among candidates in major cities and provinces. At this university, approximately 70% of candidates using foreign language certificates come from Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province.
Mr. Son further commented that in the first year of the high school graduation exam and university entrance exam under the 2018 General Education Program with many changes, candidates tend to take exams to obtain certificates to increase their advantage. "Low English scores in the high school graduation exam are also a reason why many students use foreign language certificates to convert into admission points or to add points to their scores," he said.
Although using the IELTS certificate for university admissions, candidate Tran Gia Huy from Dong Nai (IELTS 6.5) believes that universities' use of international language certificates may be unfair to candidates from remote areas. “As someone who has experienced this firsthand, I understand that the cost of preparation and taking the exam is quite high, so students in disadvantaged areas are at a disadvantage. I hope there will be a more unified conversion framework to ensure fairness among candidates,” Huy said.
According to the score distribution of the 2025 High School Graduation Exam in English for nearly 353,000 candidates, the average score was 5.38, a decrease of 0.13 points compared to last year. Only 141 students nationwide achieved a perfect score of 10 in this subject. Approximately 15% of candidates scored above 7 points, compared to over 25% last year.
Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/cuoc-dua-ielts-ngay-cang-nong-post745416.html
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