Vietnam Universities Express Concerns Over Tightened Admission Methods

Universities in Vietnam are expressing concerns over the Ministry of Education and Training's proposed plan to significantly restrict admission methods from 2027. The ministry intends to limit each major to a maximum of three admission methods in 2027, reducing it to just one method by 2028. Currently, many universities utilize a combination of methods, including the national high school graduation exam, competency assessment tests, and high school academic records, to select students. However, university officials fear that limiting admissions to a single method per major will diminish the diversity of the applicant pool and narrow opportunities for talented students. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Vice Rector of Thang Long University, stated that the restriction "will make it difficult for universities in admissions, as well as for students in choosing their aspirations." She analyzed that if a university organizes its own separate entrance exam, it will prioritize admitting students from this source. When the "pie" shrinks, universities not conducting their own exams may not dare to risk using competency assessment tests, resulting in reduced opportunities for this group of students and a loss of a recruitment source that enhances the quality of incoming students for the universities. Another risk highlighted is that some universities might opt for the academic record method because it is perceived as the easiest to recruit, potentially leading to a surge in admissions based on academic records and a subsequent decline in the quality of incoming students. Associate Professor Vu Van Diem, Vice Director of Hanoi University of Science and Technology, suggested that limiting to one method at this stage could lead to stratification in higher education. Top-tier universities would likely choose methods that effectively differentiate candidates, while lower-tier universities might rely solely on academic records or the national graduation exam scores. Associate Professor Tran Anh Dung, Head of the Training Department at Vietnam Maritime University, noted that methods other than the national graduation exam are crucial for improving the quality of the applicant pool and opportunities for students. "If each major can only be admitted by one method, universities will tend to use the scores from the national high school graduation exam. The regulation of a maximum of 5 methods will no longer have meaning," he observed. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, Head of Communications and Admissions at the University of Transport and Communications, added, "Anything with only one path will also cause concern about risk." Representatives from various universities proposed that each major and training program should be allowed to use at least 2-3 admission methods. Professor Nguyen Tien Thao, Director of the Department of Higher Education, acknowledged the feedback and stated it would be reported to the ministry's leadership. He explained that ensuring fairness when a major uses multiple methods is challenging. Statistics from the ministry for the 2022-2026 period show that over 2,000 training programs (more than 40%) using two or more methods had score discrepancies of 3 points or more between the methods, with academic records often significantly higher than national graduation exam scores for the same major code. Explaining the rationale behind the proposal on September 17, Thao emphasized that the gradual reduction in methods is intended to find the most suitable evaluation method for each major, not to force all universities and majors to use a single type of exam score. He believes this aims to expand equal opportunities, not reduce access. Each method must ensure that all eligible candidates can participate, with clear criteria and a common scoring scale. Universities are responsible for choosing methods that align with their admission requirements, and results from separate exams, academic records, or certificates can still be used if structured transparently within the announced method.