Hanoi University of Science and Technology explains

On December 1st, Hanoi University of Science and Technology officially opened registration for its own entrance exam to be used for university admissions in 2025. This is also the first institution to open registration for its own entrance exam next year.

However, in just one day, the number of candidates registering for the Hanoi University of Science and Technology's aptitude test tripled, and many places were already full.

Speaking to a reporter from Dan Viet newspaper, Associate Professor Vu Duy Hai, Head of the Admissions and Career Guidance Board at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, said that after only one day of opening the registration portal, more than 13,000 candidates had registered to take the exam, nearly three times higher than the number of registrations last year.

Thí sinh đăng ký thi tư duy tăng gấp 3 lần, nhiều nơi hết chỗ: Đại học Bách khoa Hà Nội lý giải - Ảnh 1. — Candidates participating in the Hanoi University of Science and Technology's aptitude test. Photo: HUST

Mr. Hai explained that the high number of candidates registering for the exam could be due to the fact that the 2024 exam was divided into 6 sessions, while the 2025 exam was reduced to 3 sessions, thus each session had more candidates.

"Instead of holding the exam once a month, this year we've reduced it to once every two months, which will make the organization process less burdensome. Each exam will have more examination teams, ensuring that even with six or three exam sessions, the organization remains smooth," Mr. Hai said.

The unexpectedly high number of applicants this year also caused network congestion when the registration portal first opened. This situation was resolved after about 30 minutes.

Reportedly, after the first day of registration, many exam locations were fully booked or nearly full, such as Hanoi, Hung Yen, Hai Phong , and Nam Dinh. Some locations still have many spots available, such as Thai Nguyen and Lao Cai. Currently, Hanoi University of Science and Technology has opened additional exam slots for candidates in this first phase. Therefore, candidates can continue to register. In case all exam slots are taken in their desired province, candidates can register in neighboring provinces.

In 2025, the TSA exam is expected to be held in 3 sessions on weekends, with 3-4 testing teams per session at 30 testing locations. In addition to the existing testing locations, Hanoi University of Science and Technology will open a new testing location to support students in the Northwest provinces (a testing location in Lao Cai province). Accordingly, the exam can accommodate approximately 75,000 test-takers. Specific information on the testing sessions is as follows:

Phase 1: Exam dates: January 18-19, 2025; Registration opens: December 1-6, 2024.

Phase 2: Exam dates: March 8-9, 2025; Registration opens: February 1-6, 2025.

Phase 3: Exam dates: April 26-27, 2025; Registration opens: April 1-6, 2025.

To align with the Ministry of Education and Training's new general education curriculum, since 2023, the content and format of the TSA exam have been implemented as designed and will remain stable for many years to come. Accordingly, the exam consists of three parts: Mathematical Thinking (60 minutes), Reading Comprehension Thinking (30 minutes), and Scientific Thinking/Problem Solving (60 minutes). These are three independent parts; the exam questions will focus on assessing the candidate's thinking ability in each part, not directly testing knowledge of any particular subject. The exam is computer-based multiple-choice, and the results will be valid for two years to be used for university admissions.