Education in Viet Nam: school stages, the THPT exam and university admission

In short

Viet Nam runs one national school system under the Ministry of Education and Training. Children move from preschool to primary school, then to lower and upper secondary school, and at the end of upper secondary school they sit the national high school graduation exam, known as the THPT exam. The same exam doubles as the main input for university places, although many universities now accept several other routes as well.

School stages

Preschool education serves young children before they start formal lessons. Primary school covers grades 1 to 5, lower secondary school covers grades 6 to 9, and upper secondary school covers grades 10 to 12. Lower secondary is the last stage of compulsory schooling, and a student who completes it can continue in upper secondary school, in vocational training or in a mix of both. Most public schools follow the general education programme issued in 2018, which is being introduced grade by grade and replaces the older programme.

The national high school graduation exam

The THPT exam is organised nationally by the Ministry of Education and Training, and local education departments run the exam sites. Under the new regulation, the exam content follows the 2018 programme. From 2025 each candidate takes four papers: literature and mathematics are compulsory, and the candidate chooses two more from the subjects studied in grade 12, such as a foreign language, history, geography, physics, chemistry, biology, informatics, technology, or economics and law education. Literature is written as an essay paper, and the other papers are multiple choice. Because the choice of subjects is wider than before, students plan their electives early in upper secondary school, together with their teachers. Exact rules and dates are published in the ministry circulars each year, so always read the current one.

University admission

There is no single entrance test for all universities. Each university decides its own admission plan, within ministry rules, and many use more than one method for the same programme. Common routes include:

• Admission by THPT exam results, where the university sets a combination of three subjects for each programme, such as mathematics with two sciences or literature with two social subjects.
• Admission by school records, where the university looks at grades earned in upper secondary school.
• Admission by a competence assessment test. Vietnam National University, Hanoi runs the HSA test, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City runs its own competence assessment, and the Hanoi University of Science and Technology runs the TSA thinking assessment.
• Admission that combines an international English certificate with school results or THPT results.
• Direct or priority admission for students with national awards or other criteria set in ministry rules.

Students normally register their preferences on a national online system and the universities select candidates according to published quotas. Details change from year to year, so the best habit is to read each university's admission notice before choosing a route.

Entry to upper secondary school

Admission to grade 10 is organised by each province or city. Many hold an entrance exam in mathematics, literature and a third subject, often a foreign language, while some admit students on their lower secondary results. Public schools have fixed quotas, so students usually rank their preferences and also look at the cut-off points that schools published in earlier years. Because the rules differ by province, read the local education department notice for the current year.

Language of instruction

Vietnamese is the language of instruction in public schools and in most university programmes. Some universities offer English-taught or joint programmes with foreign partners, and a number of private and international schools teach in English or in two languages. Foreign languages, above all English, are taught as school subjects. The questions on this site are written in English, which suits students who want English practice or plan to study abroad.

Studying for the THPT exam in Viet Nam

A useful plan starts from the subjects you actually chose. Mathematics and the sciences reward steady practice with multiple-choice items, so work through topic sets and then mixed sets under time. For literature, write one practice essay a week and ask a teacher to mark argument and structure before language. Many students attend extra classes after school, and it helps to keep a notebook of mistakes sorted by topic. In grade 12, move to full timed papers in the final months, and rest properly before exam week. If you hope to use a competence assessment test or an English certificate for admission, check the registration window of that test early, because places fill and test dates differ from the school calendar.

Other exams used by Vietnamese students

Students aiming at study abroad often prepare for IELTS or TOEFL to show English ability, and for SAT when applying to some universities in the United States. A smaller group follow the Cambridge A-Level route at international schools. Each test has its own organiser, so confirm the format, fees and dates on the official site of the organiser.

Preparing with GetMyMockTest

GetMyMockTest offers free practice in English for the exams below. Check the official format with each organiser.

• THPT Viet Nam: practice for the national high school graduation exam.
• Grade 10 entrance exam (VN): mathematics, literature and English practice for entry to upper secondary school.
• Cambridge A-Level: subject practice for students on the Cambridge route.
• IELTS: English reading, writing, listening and speaking skills.
• TOEFL: English for academic study.
• SAT: reading, writing and mathematics for undergraduate applications.