10th grade admission in Ho Chi Minh City: Pressure decreases, opportunities increase

More than 90% of students taking the exam will be admitted to public grade 10.

According to statistics from the Ho Chi Minh City Departmentof Education and Training, this year, more than 76,000 9th grade students registered to take the entrance exam to 10th grade at public high schools, including specialized schools, schools with integrated English classes, and regular schools. Of these, 5,550 candidates applied to specialized 10th grade and 1,169 candidates applied to integrated 10th grade.

Public high schools will enroll 70,070 students in grade 10 for the 2025-2026 school year. Thus, only more than 6,000 students failed the exam this year, a significant decrease compared to previous years when about 20,000 students failed the exam.

According to the number of candidates applying for admission to each high school, this year's competition ratio of schools has decreased compared to last year. According to general statistics, this year, there are 64 schools with a competition ratio of over 1 (last year this number was 77 schools) and 45 schools with a competition ratio of under 1 (meaning the number of candidates applying for admission to the school is lower than the enrollment quota).

In the regular system, Tran Dai Nghia Secondary and High School has the highest competition ratio of 1/4.61 (that is, nearly 5 candidates registering for the exam will have 1 student admitted). Some schools that are usually in the top 10 schools with high competition ratios such as Ho Thi Bi High School, Nguyen Thuong Hien High School, Gia Dinh High School... are no longer in this group this year.

Schools with high admission scores every year have relatively low competition ratios this year, such as Bui Thi Xuan High School with a competition ratio of 1/1.55; University of Education Practice High School with a competition ratio of 1/1.58; Mac Dinh Chi High School with a competition ratio of 1/1.68...

In the specialized group, Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted (District 5) has the highest competition ratio of 1/4.88. Next is Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted (Thu Duc City) with a competition ratio of 1/3.57.

Don't be subjective.

With the change in competition and admission rates, the race for a place in grade 10 this year will cool down and not be as tense as in previous years.

Ms. Tran Thi Hang, a parent of a 9th grade student in Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City, expressed her joy at this. Ms. Hang said that for many years, the 10th grade entrance exam in the city has always been considered more difficult than the university entrance exam because of the great competition. If the child does not pass the public school entrance exam, the child can only study at a private school, a continuing education center, etc.

“Tuition fees at private schools are often high, not suitable for my family's economic conditions when both my husband and I are workers with low incomes,” said Ms. Hang.

Mr. Cao Duc Khoa - Principal of Huynh Khuong Ninh Secondary School (District 1) - said that the adjustment and increase in enrollment rate is an advantage, helping to increase the chance of being admitted to public schools. However, parents and students must not be negligent or subjective, but must closely monitor information from each school, because not all schools have increased.

“Regardless, I advise students to still focus on studying, reviewing well, and mastering the knowledge to enter the exam in the best way possible. This year's exam will certainly have changes compared to previous years because this is the first year students will take the exam according to the 2018 education program,” said Mr. Khoa.

The 10th grade entrance exam in Ho Chi Minh City will take place on June 6 and 7. Candidates will take 3 subjects: Math, Literature (120 minutes/subject) and Foreign Language (90 minutes, according to the first foreign language they are studying at school). Candidates registering for specialized schools or integrated classes will take an additional specialized or integrated subject (150 minutes).

Source: https://ttbc-hcm.gov.vn/tuyen-sinh-lop-10-o-tphcm-ap-luc-giam-co-hoi-tang-1018727.html