Ho Chi Minh City changes regulations for gifted student competitions after merger.

học sinh giỏi - Ảnh 1. — Students in Ho Chi Minh City participate in the selection exam for the national excellent student team to compete in the 2025-2026 school year - Photo: NHU HUNG

Competition for outstanding 12th-grade students

Accordingly, the city-level selection exam for outstanding 12th-grade students in the 2025-2026 school year will take place on March 4, 2026.

The exam content is based on the 2018 general education curriculum, with a focus on assessing students' critical thinking skills and practical application abilities.

Exam format:

Essay-based exams are required for the following subjects: mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, literature, history, geography, economics and law education, English, Japanese, French, Chinese (foreign languages include a listening comprehension section), technology (industrial orientation), and technology (agricultural orientation).

Computer programming exam: computer science subject using C++, Pascal, and Python programming languages.

Exam duration: 120 minutes.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training announced that students currently in 12th grade at high schools in the 2025-2026 school year, with academic and behavioral results of "good" or higher in the first semester of the 2025-2026 school year, and who are members of the gifted student teams of their respective schools, will be eligible to participate in the competition.

Only 12th-grade students in the city's (official) gifted student team participating in the national-level competition are not allowed to participate in this exam. All other 12th-grade students in specialized classes must participate.

Specifically, the High School for the Gifted - Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City: can send a maximum of 10 students per subject.

High schools and multi-level schools (including high school level): each school may send a maximum of 5 students per subject (for mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, literature, history, geography, economics and law education, computer science, and English), and a maximum of 10 students per subject (for French, Japanese, and Chinese).

For continuing education students: those with academic and training results of "good" or higher in the first semester of the 2025-2026 school year, and who are members of the unit's outstanding student team, will be eligible to participate in the competition.

City-level competition for outstanding 9th-grade students

The city-level Grade 9 excellent student competition will take place on March 18, 2026. The competition content will be based on the 2018 general education curriculum, with a focus on assessing students' critical thinking skills and practical application abilities.

The exam will be essay-based for the following subjects: Literature, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, History and Geography, English, French, Chinese, Japanese (foreign languages will include a listening comprehension section), Technology (Industrial Orientation), and Technology (Agricultural Orientation).

Computer programming exam: computer science subject using C++, Pascal, and Python programming languages.

Exam duration: 120 minutes.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, students currently in grade 9 at high schools in the 2025-2026 school year, with academic and behavioral results of "good" or higher in the first semester of the 2025-2026 school year, and who are members of the gifted student teams of their respective schools, will be eligible to participate in the competition.

Each ward, commune, or special zone is a participating unit, registering directly on the department's management website. For participating units with 1 to 3 junior high schools or multi-level schools (including junior high school level): a maximum of 3 students per subject will be nominated (for Vietnamese language and literature, mathematics, computer science, English, French, Chinese, Japanese, and technology (industrial or agricultural orientation)); a maximum of 6 students (for natural science); and a maximum of 4 students (for history and geography).

For participating units with 4 to 6 junior high schools or multi-level schools (including junior high school level): a maximum of 5 students per subject (for Vietnamese language and literature, mathematics, computer science, English, French, Chinese, Japanese, and technology); a maximum of 9 students (for natural science); a maximum of 6 students (for history and geography).

For participating units with more than 6 junior high schools or multi-level schools (including junior high school level): a maximum of 8 students per subject (for Vietnamese language and literature, mathematics, computer science, English, French, Chinese, Japanese, and technology); a maximum of 12 students for natural science; and a maximum of 8 students for history and geography).

Specifically for Tran Dai Nghia Specialized High School: For subjects such as Literature, Mathematics, Informatics, English, French, Chinese, Japanese, Technology (Industrial Orientation), and Technology (Agricultural Orientation): a maximum of 10 students per subject; for Natural Sciences: a maximum of 24 students; and for History and Geography: a maximum of 16 students.

học sinh giỏi - Ảnh 2. — Students in Ho Chi Minh City participate in the selection exam for the national excellent student team to compete in the 2025-2026 school year - Photo: NHU HUNG

The exam locations are as follows:

Area 1:

Nguyen Van To Secondary School (140 Tam Dao Street, Dien Hong Ward) is holding exams in foreign languages (English, French, Chinese, and Japanese).

Marie Curie High School (159 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, Xuan Hoa Ward) is holding exams in Vietnamese language and natural sciences.

Tran Dai Nghia Junior and Senior High School (20 Ly Tu Trong Street, Saigon Ward) is holding exams in mathematics, history, and geography.

Le Hong Phong Specialized High School (235 Nguyen Van Cu Street, Cho Quan Ward) is holding an exam in computer science.

Tran Van On Secondary School (161B Nguyen Van Thu Street, Tan Dinh Ward) is holding exams in technology subjects.

Area 2:

Vo Minh Duc High School (30th April Street, Thu Dau Mot Ward, Ho Chi Minh City).

Area 3:

Le Quy Don Specialized High School (3rd of February Street, Phuoc Thang Ward, Ho Chi Minh City).

Mathematics Olympiad using Handheld Calculators

The exam will take place on January 11, 2026. The format will be multiple-choice (fill-in-the-blanks) or problems requiring a summary of the solution. The exam duration is 60 minutes.

Students currently in grades 9 and 12 at high schools during the 2025-2026 school year, with academic and behavioral results rated as "good" or higher in the 2024-2025 school year, and who are members of their school's gifted student team, will be eligible to participate in the competition.

For 12th grade mathematics, 12th grade physics, 12th grade chemistry, and 12th grade biology: High schools and multi-level schools (including high school level) may nominate a maximum of 3 students per subject to participate in the competition.

For 9th grade mathematics: Each ward, commune, or special administrative region is a participating unit, registering directly on the Department of Education and Training's management website. Units with 1 to 3 junior high schools or multi-level schools (including junior high school level) can send a maximum of 8 students. Units with 4 to 6 junior high schools or multi-level schools (including junior high school level) can send a maximum of 10 students. Units with more than 6 junior high schools or multi-level schools (including junior high school level) can send a maximum of 12 students.

Specifically, Tran Dai Nghia Specialized High School will send a team of 9th-grade math students with a maximum of 10 students.

HOANG HUONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tp-hcm-thay-doi-quy-dinh-thi-hoc-sinh-gioi-sau-sap-nhap-20251030194758016.htm