2026 university entrance exam schedule pushed 2 weeks earlier

The Ministry of Education and Training has just sent Decision 3037/QD-BGDDT to universities and colleges nationwide promulgating the plan to implement university and college admissions in 2026. Accordingly, the admission schedule on the common system is pushed up 2 weeks compared to 2025, and schools have about 3 days of virtual filtering.

A new point in the general plan for enrollment in 2026 is to unify the criteria for assessing the capacity of higher education institutions (unifying the principles, criteria, content, expertise, ensuring input quality standards between university admission methods). This unification is carried out before the time when training institutions organize exams (competency assessment tests, thinking assessment tests, exams for enrollment). The Ministry of Education and Training will organize supervision of the organization of capacity assessment tests of institutions during the time these institutions organize exams.

Successful candidates submit their applications for university admission in 2025. In 2026, the Ministry of Education and Training plans to have an earlier admission schedule than last year.

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

The processing of applications is still carried out on the common system, the admission process is the same as before. Colleges that participate in processing applications on the common admission system must also follow the general plan prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training.

According to the request of the Ministry of Education and Training, in the coming time, training institutions (generally referred to as universities) will develop specific implementation plans and ensure consistency with the general plan, develop full, public and transparent enrollment information so that candidates can access and prepare for enrollment early; ensure fairness in enrollment. The enrollment information that universities provide to candidates and society must be consistent in terms of expected enrollment methods, and implement counseling and communication activities on enrollment in 2026.

The Ministry also requires universities to develop enrollment plans and promptly announce enrollment information (with key points as a basis for students to have study and exam preparation plans to take the 2026 high school graduation exam). In addition, they must comply with the regulations of the enrollment regulations and current legal regulations and the Ministry's plan.

IMPORTANT TIMELINES

According to the plan, before February 15, 2026, universities must complete the announcement of enrollment information on their websites.

Candidates must complete the submission of their applications for direct admission and priority admission to universities and colleges before 5:00 p.m. on June 20, 2026. Universities and colleges will notify candidates of the results and update the list of candidates admitted directly to the system before June 30, 2026.

Candidates can register and adjust their admission wishes from July 2 to 5:00 p.m. on July 14, 2026, unlimited times within the prescribed time. Candidates can pay the admission fee (online) from July 3 to 5:00 p.m. on July 21, 2026.

On July 8 , the Ministry of Education and Training announced the threshold to ensure (floor score) the quality of input for teacher training majors and the health and law fields. Before 5:00 p.m. on July 10, universities will adjust and announce the scores for receiving application documents and equivalent converted admission scores on their systems and electronic information pages.

The Ministry of Education and Training and universities and colleges will conduct the first round of admission (processing applications on the system to determine the highest application among the applications that the candidate is eligible to receive) from August 4 to 5:00 p.m. on August 10, 2026. Before 5:00 p.m. on August 13, 2028, universities and colleges will notify candidates who have passed the first round of admission. Thus, the schools have 3 days to process applications.

Candidates confirm their first round of online admission on the system before 5:00 p.m. on August 21, 2026. From August 22, 2026, schools that are still short of enrollment quotas can announce additional enrollment.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/lich-xet-tuyen-dai-hoc-2026-duoc-day-som-hon-2-tuan-185251104222310609.htm