Ho Chi Minh City announces 10th grade entrance exam subjects in 2026

According to the leader of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, the policy is to maintain stability in exam subjects and exam structure to help teachers and students be proactive in the teaching, learning and review process.

*Candidates taking the entrance exam in Ho Chi Minh City in 2025. Photo by Pham Tho*

The early announcement is to facilitate parents and students, especially after Ho Chi Minh City merged with Ba Ria - Vung Tau and Binh Duong (old) - localities that have had the same form of exam for the above three subjects for many years.

It is expected that this October, the Department will announce the specific requirements for the ability and thinking level of the exam so that schools can develop appropriate review plans. Particularly for Thanh An island commune and some special areas, students will still be considered for admission to grade 10 based on their academic records.

According to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training , localities are allowed to choose the form of entrance exam, selection or combination. With the entrance exam form, the compulsory exam includes Math, Literature and a third subject or a combined exam. This exam is selected from subjects assessed by scores such as Foreign Language 1, Civic Education, Natural Sciences, History - Geography, Technology, Information Technology.

However, a subject cannot be selected for more than three consecutive years, starting from 2025; the deadline for announcing the third subject is before March 31 every year.

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City is the first locality in the country to announce the 10th grade exam subjects in 2026. After the merger, the city has about 2.5 million students, the largest in the country; high school level has 170 public schools, of which 4 are specialized schools under the Department: Le Hong Phong, Tran Dai Nghia, Le Quy Don and Hung Vuong.