Universities announce admission methods for 2026; will academic transcripts still be given priority?

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - A number of universities in the South have announced their admission methods for 2026, with many continuing to use academic transcripts for entrance examinations.

According to the 2026 enrollment plan, the Ministry of Education and Training requires educational institutions to develop enrollment plans and promptly announce enrollment information so that students can plan their studies and preparation for the 2026 high school graduation exam.

12th grade students in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: Hoai Nam).

To date, several universities have announced their 2026 admissions methods. Many continue to use academic transcripts for admissions in various ways.

The Ho Chi Minh City University of Banking will use four admission methods for 2026, including: direct admission and priority admission according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training; admission based on a combination of academic results and achievements at the high school level; admission based on the results of the 2026 V-SAT computer-based university entrance assessment; and admission based on the results of the 2026 high school graduation exam.

Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH) will use 6 admission methods in 2026. Accordingly, the admission methods include:

Admission is based on the following criteria: the results of the high school graduation exam; the results of the National University of Ho Chi Minh City's aptitude test; the results of the V-SAT computer-based university entrance exam; academic transcripts based on the average score of 3 subjects in grade 12 according to the chosen subject combination; academic transcripts based on the average score for the entire grade 12 year; and a combination of high school graduation exam scores and high school academic transcripts.

Compared to previous years, a new feature in this year's admissions plan is the method of selecting students based on a combination of high school graduation exam scores and high school academic transcripts.

With this method, the admission score is calculated using the formula: (High School Exam Score + High School Transcript Score)/2. In this formula, the High School Exam score is the total score of the 3 subjects in the chosen subject combination (on a 30-point scale), and the High School Transcript Score is the average score for the entire 12th grade year multiplied by 3.

According to the school, using multiple admission methods aims to diversify admission opportunities and meet the needs of different groups of candidates.

Many universities will use academic transcripts in their admissions process in 2026 (Photo: XD).

University of Management and Technology (UMT) will use five admission methods for the 2026 enrollment season and will continue to consider academic transcripts.

The admission methods include: considering high school academic results; considering the 2026 high school graduation exam scores; considering the National University of Ho Chi Minh City's aptitude test scores; direct admission according to the school's regulations; and direct admission according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine uses three admission methods for its 13 training programs: admission based on high school graduation exam results, direct admission according to the regulations of the admissions policy, and other methods.

Representatives from Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade stated that the university will continue to use the high school transcript-based admission method in 2026.

This aims to maintain multiple admission methods, expand opportunities for candidates, and give them more avenues to enter university. At the same time, it reduces pressure on candidates by not having to rely entirely on a single exam.

In addition, offering multiple admission options helps the school adapt quickly to changes in the high school graduation exam and aptitude tests in the coming years.

Specifically, the university's admission methods for 2026 include: admission based on high school graduation exam results; admission using high school academic results from grades 10, 11, and 12; admission using the results of the aptitude test organized by the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City; direct admission according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training; and admission based on the results of the specialized aptitude test of Ho Chi Minh City University of Education combined with high school academic results according to the subject combination corresponding to each major.

According to the roadmap starting in 2028, Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade will discontinue the independent selection of high school transcripts, replacing it with a comprehensive competency assessment method that combines multiple factors, including academic transcript scores.

As of now, more universities nationwide are continuing to apply independent academic transcript evaluation in the 2026 admissions season, such as Hanoi Pedagogical University 2, Tan Trao University, Yersin University in Da Lat, etc.

Each school has its own admission process, such as applying specific criteria to certain majors, using 12th-grade scores, or considering scores from all three years of high school…

Some universities do not use academic transcripts as a separate admission criterion but continue to use them as one of the components in their combined admission methods, such as the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, etc.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training, the highest percentage of candidates applying to universities in 2025 was those using their high school transcripts. The percentage of candidates using transcripts was 42.4%, followed by those using high school graduation exam scores at 39.1%, and other methods at 18.5%.

Given the overwhelming dominance of academic transcripts in the 2025 university admissions process, the Ministry of Education and Training also proposed soliciting opinions from over 500 universities and colleges nationwide on whether to abolish or retain the use of academic transcripts for admissions.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/loat-truong-cong-bo-phuong-thuc-xet-tuyen-2026-hoc-ba-con-duoc-uu-tien-20251211123041512.htm