2026 Admissions: Ho Chi Minh City National University will use an integrated admissions method.

In 2026, the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) aims to implement a unified, integrated admissions method designed based on a combination of three criteria: high school graduation exam results, competency assessment results, and high school academic performance.

In 2026, the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) plans to implement an integrated admissions method, in which the results of the competency assessment play a pivotal role.

Photo: Nhat Thinh

The policy of implementing a unified, integrated admission method by the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City was outlined at the conference summarizing the 2025 regular university admissions and outlining the 2026 admissions direction, organized by the university on December 10th.

Accordingly, in 2026, the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) has decided to innovate its admissions process towards streamlining, standardizing, and improving quality, in line with the general direction of the Ministry of Education and Training and international trends. Based on an analysis of the effectiveness of current methods, the university advocates for the unified implementation of an integrated admissions method, in which the results of competency assessment play a pivotal role. This approach allows for a reduction in the number of methods, minimizes confusion for candidates, and creates uniformity in the assessment of input quality.

The new integrated method is designed based on a combination of three criteria: high school graduation exam results, competency assessment results, and high school academic performance. The weighting of each criterion is determined based on actual data from the three most recent years to ensure a balance between input and training quality. Bonus points are awarded to students with outstanding achievements at specialized and gifted schools, with strict regulations to maintain fairness among different groups of candidates. Member units are still granted autonomy in implementation details but must adhere to the general framework and ensure transparency and openness throughout the entire process.

2026 will also be the period when the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City strongly promotes the standardization of admission techniques and the digitization of application documents, especially for priority admission groups. At the same time, it will continue to coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training and other units to organize national competency assessment exams to move towards a common standard for entrance quality, preparing for the computer-based testing phase starting in 2027.

Speaking at the conference, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Minh Tam, Vice Director of the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), emphasized that the 2025 high school graduation exam will be the first exam applying the 2018 general education program, bringing with it many new requirements in evaluating the qualities and abilities of candidates. In this context, VNU-HCM has proactively adjusted its plan, strengthened competency assessment methods, and expanded interdisciplinary and inter-university admissions. The university will continue to improve the quality and transparency of the admissions process, while flexibly applying new methods and updating regulations to suit the changes in the education system.

In 2025, the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City simultaneously implemented three admission methods: direct admission and priority admission, admission based on aptitude test results, and admission based on high school graduation exam scores. As a result, 24,549 students enrolled (achieving a rate of 97.57%). Of these, the aptitude test method accounted for 56.32% of the total number of enrolled students.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tuyen-sinh-2026-dh-quoc-gia-tphcm-su-dung-phuong-thuc-xet-tuyen-tich-hop-185251211224916773.htm