Vietnam Ends IELTS Bonus Points for University Admissions From 2028: What Students Should Do

Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training announced on 13 November 2026 that bonus points for IELTS and other international language certificates in university admissions will be capped at 0.5 points (out of 30) in 2027 and abolished from 2028. Today, IELTS holders can receive up to 3 bonus points. Students will still be able to convert an IELTS result into their foreign language subject score where a university accepts it. The ministry says the change is about fairness: access to international tests depends heavily on where a student lives and how much their family can pay. For students and parents, the message is not that English matters less, but that a certificate alone will no longer buy a large admissions advantage. This guide explains the old and new rules, the reasons, and how to plan English study from now on.

What the ministry has decided

Vietnamese universities mainly select students using results from the national high school graduation exam. Applicants usually combine scores from three subjects relevant to their chosen major, for a maximum of 30 points. On top of that, applicants can receive bonus points for achievements such as prizes in academic competitions (for example the national gifted-student exam) or for holding international language certificates such as IELTS.

The new decision changes those bonus points in two steps:

Admissions year	Bonus for IELTS and other certificates	Combined bonus cap
Up to 2026 (current rules)	Up to 3 points for IELTS holders	No 0.5-point cap
2027	Allowed, but limited	0.5 points maximum across all bonus categories combined
2028 onwards	Not allowed	Universities may no longer award these bonus points

Source: VnExpress International, 13 November 2026, reporting the Ministry of Education and Training announcement.

What stays: students will still be able to convert IELTS results into a foreign language subject score, as long as the university accepts the certificate. In other words, an IELTS score can still replace an English exam mark in the subject combination; what disappears is the extra bonus on top.

Why Vietnam is making the change

The ministry gives fairness as the main reason. VnExpress reports several problems with the old system:

• Scale. In the last admissions season, more than 37,300 applicants used English proficiency certificates, mainly IELTS, to earn bonus points.
• Inconsistency. The most common score submitted was IELTS 6.0, held by more than 8,300 candidates. Different universities converted that single score into 26 different bonus-point levels.
• Unequal access. Nguyen Tien Thao, director of the ministry's Department of Higher Education, said in September that a student's ability to take international tests depends heavily on their location and economic background.
• Cost to families. Many students interviewed by VnExpress said their parents had paid for expensive courses, sometimes costing thousands of dollars, to reach a certain IELTS score for the bonus.

In September 2026 the ministry had proposed removing the bonus from 2027. The final decision gives one transition year with a 0.5-point cap, which means students currently close to their exams have a little more time to adjust.

Who is affected

Student	What it means
Applying in 2027	An IELTS certificate can still add a bonus, but only up to 0.5 points in total. It can still be converted to your English subject score where accepted.
Applying in 2028 or later	No bonus points for IELTS. Conversion to the English subject score may still be possible, depending on the university.
Planning to study abroad	No change. Universities abroad set their own English requirements, and IELTS remains widely accepted for study visas and admissions.
Adults using IELTS for work or migration	No change. This decision only concerns domestic university admissions.

If you are studying abroad, check the English requirements of your target country. We have recent guides to the UK's approved English tests, Australia's student visa changes and New Zealand's English checks.

How students should plan their English study now

The change removes a shortcut, not the value of English. Students will still need good English for university courses taught partly in English, for scholarships and exchanges, and for work. Here is a practical plan.

1. Think "skills first, certificate second"

A certificate is a snapshot of your English on one day. The skills behind it, such as reading academic texts, writing clear paragraphs and speaking with confidence, are what help you at university. If you were preparing only to "hit 6.0", consider broadening your study to all four skills.

2. Decide whether you still need IELTS, and when

• Applying in 2027: an IELTS score can still help, through conversion to your English subject score and a small bonus. If you are already close to your target, taking the test may still be worthwhile.
• Applying in 2028 or later: ask your target universities whether they will accept IELTS for subject-score conversion. If they do not, focus on the national exam.
• Planning to study abroad later: most institutions accept IELTS results for about two years, so time your test for your application, not for domestic bonus points.

3. Use a level framework to track progress

The CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) describes English from A1 to C2. Knowing your level helps you choose the right materials and measure progress without paying for a test every few months. Try our English level test and see our guide on how long it takes to learn a language.

4. Spend money where it helps most

Expensive courses aimed only at reaching a target score made more sense when that score could add up to 3 admission points. Without the bonus, consider more balanced options: regular reading and listening, a speaking partner or tutor, and writing feedback. Our free lessons and free English PDF books are a low-cost starting point.

5. Know your target band if you do take IELTS

If you still take IELTS, use our IELTS score calculator to understand how your four skill scores combine into an overall band, and our exam preparation courses for structured practice.

The wider picture for IELTS

IELTS is very popular among Vietnamese high school students, partly because of admissions bonuses: more than 37,300 applicants used English certificates for bonus points last year. Removing the bonus may reduce that demand, although nobody has published a forecast. The change comes at a difficult time for the test's owners: IDP Education, one of the three IELTS partners, is considering a takeover proposal after a sharp fall in profits. See our explainer on Blackstone's bid for IDP and who owns IELTS.

What this article cannot tell you

• The official text. Our summary is based on VnExpress reporting of the ministry's announcement. The final regulation may contain details we have not seen, such as exceptions or conversion rules.
• Each university's conversion table. Universities decide whether and how to convert IELTS into an English subject score; check their admissions pages.
• Effects on competition awards. The cap also applies to academic competition bonuses; this article focuses on English certificates.
• Your individual chances. Admissions depend on your scores, your chosen major and each university's cut-off.

This page is independent guidance from Oxford English Global. It contains no affiliate or sponsored links.