Thang, now a sophomore at a Hanoi university, said he enrolled in an IELTS preparation course when he was an 11th grader, aiming for a score of at least 6.0. The course cost VND55 million (US$2,090).

On having him take the test twice and hiring private tutors for one-on-one lessons to improve his listening and speaking skills, his parents had spent more than VND100 million, despite being far from wealthy.

Eventually, he got an IELTS score of 6.5 on his second attempt, allowing him to convert it into a perfect 10 in English. He was also offered 2.5 bonus points, which was added directly to his total university admission score for holding an international certificate. As a result, he could get into a mid-tier university.

Students can get into university based on national high school graduation scores.

High school students take four subjects for graduation: math, literature, and two electives from among a list of subjects including foreign language, history, physics, chemistry, biology, geography, economics and law education, information technology, and technology.

For admission, universities use the aggregate scores of three subjects out of a maximum of 30 points, high school academic records, international English certificates such as IELTS, or a combination of these.

Thang took the national high school graduation examination in the summer of 2025, and scored only 5.25 out of 10 in English. That year, the English test was widely considered to be "difficult."

"Without the IELTS certificate, I might have had to attend a lower-rated university or even retake the entrance exam," he said.

His experience reflects a pattern among tens of thousands of high school students in recent years as they recognize the advantage of an English proficiency certificate in getting university admission.

Quan, now a 10th grader in Ho Chi Minh City, has yet to decide which university or major to pursue but already persuaded his parents to pay more than VND30 million for a course guaranteeing an IELTS score of 7.0, reasoning that it would be beneficial regardless of his future plans.

Ngoc Hoai, a 12th grader in the northern Phu Tho Province, spent a similar amount and scored 5.5. She is preparing to retake the test, hoping to raise it to 6.5.

"The certificate can be converted into a score of 9 or 10 in English at many universities," she said, adding that achieving comparable marks in the graduation exam would be much more challenging.

Students sit the high-school graduation exam in Hanoi, June 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Giang

The trend began in 2015, when the Ministry of Education and Training allowed students with recognized foreign language certificates to be exempt from the corresponding subject in the high school graduation exam and use their certificates for score conversion in graduation assessment.

Two years later, the National Economics University (NEU) in Hanoi became the first to use such certificates for admissions.

These days, more than 100 universities allow converting IELTS scores into English marks, award bonus points, or incorporate the certificate into combined admission schemes. Many institutions convert IELTS scores of 5.0 or higher, or equivalent qualifications, into English marks of 7-10.

Additionally, students are given bonus points added to their total admission score if they have international language certificates (such as IELTS or TOEFL). The conversion scales are decided differently by each university. Others previously awarded up to three bonus points toward admission scores, before the ministry required the maximum to be reduced to 1.5 for this year.

The number of IELTS certificate holders applying to universities has skyrocketed over the years.

At NEU, applications with IELTS certificates rose from 50 in 2017 to 22,000-23,000 annually in the last two to three years.

Between 2020 and 2026, the number increased 73-fold at the University of Economics and Law under the Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, and sevenfold at the Vietnamese-German University in the former Binh Duong Province.

Data from the Education Ministry shows out of 1.24 million candidates who took the high school graduation exam this year, 874,811 registered for university admissions.

Over 37,300 used English certificates to gain bonus points, with more than 35,900 using IELTS scores.

"When the admissions benefits are substantial enough, the market inevitably responds, creating a race for certificates Dang Thi Ngoc Quyen, a senior manager at the British University Vietnam, said.

"This is also why many intensive IELTS preparation centers have emerged."

The British Council and IDP, the two organizations administering IELTS in Vietnam, do not publish annual candidate numbers, but the latter’s annual reports for 2023 and 2024 identified Vietnam as one of the world's three fastest-growing markets for the test.

The IELTS training network has also expanded, encompassing language centers, high schools, universities, and education companies.

A 2023 report on foreign language teaching and learning in Vietnam by the Institute of Educational Strategy and Policy and National Foreign Languages Project Management Board said the number of IELTS test-takers aged 16-18 increased 20-fold between 2018 and 2022.

A VnExpress survey of more than 10 language centers in Hanoi and HCMC found that in-person courses designed to raise IELTS scores from 5.0-5.5 to 6.0-6.5 typically cost VND10-16 million, with prices increasing for higher target scores.

IELTS preparation classes have also become common even in high schools.

At the private Nguyen Khuyen Secondary and High School in Ho Chi Minh City, around 60-65% of students attend such classes, according to a teacher in charge of the program.

The teacher said the classes have existed for 15 years, but enrollment increased sharply after the ministry allowed an IELTS score of 4.0 to be converted into a perfect 10 in the English graduation exam and universities expanded combined admissions schemes and bonus points for international language certificates.

But Gia Khanh, former academic director at PISA IELTS, a center in the northern Quang Ninh Province, thought university admissions are not the sole reason.

He said the growing awareness among parents and students of the value of an internationally recognized qualification and improving affluence are also catalysts.

Associate Professor Ha Le Kim Anh, vice president of the University of Languages and International Studies at the Vietnam National University, Hanoi, said test preparation encouraged students to develop all four language skills rather than focus primarily on reading comprehension and grammar.

The trend has also supported broader foreign language learning as Vietnam promotes integration into the global economy and seeks to make English a second language in schools.

It has also helped raise students' overall English proficiency.

Students check information to complete their high-school graduation exam procedures in HCMC, June 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tung

Around half of incoming students at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City and Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology already have IELTS scores of 5.5-6.0 or higher, equivalent to the graduation requirements of some academic programs. At NEU, it is around 80%, with scores of 6.5 being common.

Such proficiency gives students a stronger foundation for accessing academic materials and research, participating in international exchanges, and competing in the job market, Quyen of the British University Vietnam said.

But there are also drawbacks.

The education ministry fears bonus points create inequality in university admissions, and so plans to abolish them.

This year more than 51% of university entrants had base scores below the admission cutoff and only gained entry because of bonus points.

Le Dang Hoa, head of admissions and communications at Thu Dau Mot University in Binh Duong, pointed out that even tiny differences in scores determine admission outcomes in highly competitive fields such as teacher training.

Students in urban areas have a clear advantage because their families are more likely to get access to early preparation and lessons with native English-speaking teachers, compared with students in rural areas, he said.

In response to these concerns, the ministry is planning to abolish bonus points for certificates and achievements from next year, only retaining the option to substitute English exam scores with foreign language certificates.

Despite tighter admissions rules, Khanh from PISA IELTS language center believes many students will continue preparing for IELTS for other reasons, including overseas study, international integration and personal development.

Experts say the key is to shift the focus from competing for scores to developing genuine language proficiency.

Band scores should be used to accurately reflect students' language abilities, rather than as a race for bonus points, Quyen said.