On the eve of the 2026 high school graduation exam, the Ministry of Education and Training has announced important adjustments to the admission regulations. No longer just predictions, the control of minimum admission scores and the use of academic transcripts for admission is presenting students and their families with many strategic options.
(Source: Internet)
Tightening Admission Regulations in 2026
One of the biggest highlights of the 2026 admission regulations is the establishment of a common minimum quality assurance threshold (minimum score) of 15 points for all admission methods.
Requiring candidates to achieve a minimum of 15 points on the graduation exam (whether using academic transcripts or international certificates) helps standardize the quality of incoming students, ensuring they have a basic knowledge foundation to keep up with university programs.
The “15 Choices” Strategy and a Realistic Major Selection Mindset
Each candidate can only register a maximum of 15 choices; this is the first difference in the 2026 admissions regulations. Candidates can no longer register haphazardly or rely on luck.
Instead, they must carefully research the score distribution, major groups, and admission plans of each university. This change also requires candidates to truly know what they want and which major group or field their abilities are best suited for, rather than having the mindset of “getting into any major will do.”
Admission based on academic transcripts is no longer a safe choice
From 2026, academic transcripts will no longer be a safe choice. The admission method based on academic transcripts will require consideration of all 6 semesters of grades 10, 11, and 12. The combination of 3 subjects for admission must include either Mathematics or Literature, with a minimum weight of 1/3 in the admission score.
In cases where a subject in the admission combination is not studied for all 6 semesters of high school due to a change in subject choice, the Ministry allows the use of academic results from another subject in a related field as a substitute.
Issuance of Regulations on Admission to University-Level Training Programs and Early Childhood Education Programs at the College Level
On February 15, 2026, the Ministry of Education and Training issued Circular No. 06/2026/TT-BGDĐT, consisting of 3 chapters and 22 articles, on the Regulations on Admission to University-Level Training Programs and Early Childhood Education Programs at the College Level. The regulations were developed based on the synthesis and incorporation of opinions from experts, educational institutions, and relevant units to improve the admission mechanism in a way that is consistent, transparent, and appropriate to practice.
The issuance of the new regulations is expected to contribute to standardizing the admissions process, ensuring fairness and transparency, while improving the quality of input for university-level training programs and the Early Childhood Education program at the college level.
Each university can use a maximum of 5 admission methods.
To reduce the pressure on the admissions department, this year, the Ministry only allows universities to use a maximum of 5 admission methods. With the streamlining of admission methods, candidates will find it easier to monitor and develop a suitable study strategy. However, this simplicity comes with a higher requirement for proactiveness; candidates cannot “try every door,” but must choose the appropriate method from the beginning.
IELTS’ “power” is reduced.
Also according to the new admissions regulations, the Ministry of Education and Training is tightening the use of international foreign language certificates. While IELTS is still converted and added to scores, its advantage is no longer as overwhelming as in previous admissions seasons.
The IELTS certificate is now considered an incentive, with a maximum bonus of 1.5 points on a 30-point scale. Furthermore, universities must establish a conversion table for foreign language certificate scores to a 10-point scale with at least 5 different levels. This puts an end to the previous practice of treating IELTS scores of 5.0, 6.0, or even 9.0 as the same high score.
Bonus points reduce the emphasis on formal advantages and increase genuine competition.
According to the new regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training, the calculation of priority points is no longer a “straight-up” system but is more flexible, aiming for fairness in admissions. The maximum bonus points (including reward points, consideration points, and encouragement points) is 3 points on a 30-point scale (corresponding to 10% of the admission score), in which:
- Bonus points for candidates admitted directly but not used for direct admission are from 0-3;
- Bonus points for candidates with outstanding achievements or special talents range from 0 to 1.5;
- Encouragement points for candidates with foreign language certificates or international certificates (if any) range from 0 to 1.5.
- Foreign language certificates can only be used to convert the foreign language score in the admission test combination or for incentive points.
According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the adjustments in the draft new regulations are built on the principles of ensuring fairness, transparency, a suitable roadmap, improving the quality of input while simultaneously reducing social pressure and aiming for the stability and sustainability of the admissions process.’
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