2026 Enrollment, many universities continue to "tighten" academic records

(Dan Tri) - In 2026, while some universities still maintain admission based on high school transcripts, many schools will strongly "tighten" this method in admission.

To date, several universities have announced their 2026 admissions plans. Regarding the method of admission based on high school transcripts, some universities will continue to use this method, while others will utilize transcript scores in their own unique ways.

In 2026, at Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry, high school transcripts will no longer be an independent admission method as in previous years.

The Ministry of Education and Training requires schools to finalize their 2026 admission methods by October (Photo: Hoai Nam).

Dr. Nguyen Trung Nhan, Head of the Training Department at Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry, said that in 2026 the university plans to use only one admission method, which is comprehensive admission, in addition to the direct admission method as regulated by the Ministry of Education and Training.

This comprehensive admission method includes component scores such as high school graduation exam scores, aptitude test scores, high school academic performance, and other outstanding achievements.

Of the above components, the high school graduation exam score and the competency assessment score carry the main weight.

The goal of this method is to achieve a more comprehensive and fair assessment in the admissions process.

At Hanoi University of Science and Technology, one of the new features in this year's planned admissions plan is to reduce the use of academic transcripts, replacing them with scores from a critical thinking assessment exam.

The three proposed admission methods include talent-based selection; selection based on aptitude test scores; and selection based on high school graduation exam scores.

At the University of Finance - Marketing, in 2026, admission based on academic transcripts will remain one of the university's admission methods, alongside direct admission, admission based on high school graduation exam scores, scores from the National University of Ho Chi Minh City's aptitude test, and scores from the V-SAT university entrance exam.

According to an announcement from Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, in 2026 the university will continue to apply the same five admission methods as in 2025.

These methods 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.

Therefore, in addition to being used for the combined admission method, high school transcripts are still used for admission consideration at this university.

According to Mr. Pham Thai Son, Director of the Admissions and Communications Center at Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, maintaining multiple admission methods is a trend that aligns with the current university admissions landscape, expanding opportunities for candidates and giving them more avenues to enter university.

At the same time, it aims to reduce pressure on candidates by not having to rely entirely on a single exam.

According to the reform roadmap, from 2028, Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade will abolish the high school transcript-based admission method, replacing it with a comprehensive competency assessment method that combines multiple factors such as high school transcripts, high school graduation exam scores, and the results of the competency assessment exam of the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City to comprehensively evaluate academic ability.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training, the 2025 university admissions season will have a total of 17 admission methods. Of these, the method of admission based on academic transcripts accounts for 42.4% of candidates, which is 3% higher than the method of admission based on the high school graduation exam.

On September 18th, the Ministry of Education and Training also sought opinions from over 500 universities and colleges nationwide on whether to abolish or retain the use of academic transcripts for admissions.

Many schools are tightening regulations on academic transcripts for the 2026 admissions season (Photo: Hoai Nam).

The Ministry's leadership believes that admissions based on academic transcripts have been in place for some time and need to be reviewed and evaluated fairly to ensure effectiveness and to make the admissions process more substantive and high-quality.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training's requirements, universities and colleges must announce their admission methods for 2026 starting in October. Therefore, there is only one week left for schools to finalize their 2026 admission plans.

In previous years, the deadline for universities to announce their admission plans was March.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/tuyen-sinh-2026-nhieu-truong-dai-hoc-tiep-tiep-siet-diem-hoc-ba-20251024140628053.htm