Vietnam to end IELTS bonus points in university admissions from 2028

Vietnamese students holding IELTS certificates or academic competition awards will soon see a significant reduction in their university admission advantages.

The Ministry of Education and Training announced on Friday that the bonus will be capped at 0.5 points out of 30 in 2027 and abolished from 2028.

Vietnamese universities use scores from the high school graduation exam to assess applicants, typically combining results from three subjects relevant to their chosen majors, for a maximum of 30 points. Applicants may also receive bonus points for achievements in academic competitions, such as the national gifted-student exam, or for holding international language certificates such as IELTS.

IELTS holders can now receive up to 3 additional points toward their university admission scores.

Students sit the national high school graduation exam in Ho Chi Minh City in June 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

However, the maximum combined bonus across these categories will now be strictly capped at 0.5 points next year.

From 2028 onward, universities will no longer be permitted to award these bonus points.

This move is aimed at ensuring fairness and leveling the playing field in higher education admissions.

Students will still be able to convert their IELTS results for foreign language subject scores, provided the respective universities accept the certificates.

Last year, more than 37,300 applicants used English proficiency certificates, primarily IELTS, to earn bonus points. The most common score submitted was a 6.0, held by over 8,300 candidates.

Because universities converted this single score into 26 different bonus-point levels, the system created widespread disparities, according to the ministry.

Many students interviewed by VnExpress said their parents paid for thousand-dollar courses to help them secure a certain IELTS score in order to earn admission bonus points.

Nguyen Tien Thao, director of the Department of Higher Education, highlighted these issues in September, noting that the existing framework fosters inequality.

He explained that a student's ability to access international language tests and similar academic activities relies heavily on their geographic location and economic background.

The varying conversion rates and bonus levels applied by different universities only exacerbated the problem.