The Ministry of Education and Training announced that IELTS bonus points will be capped at 0.5 in 2027 and removed completely from 2028. This change could reshape how Vietnamese students plan their university applications.

Until now, universities could add up to three extra points to a candidate’s admission score if the applicant held an IELTS certificate. Those bonus points were combined with the high‑school graduation exam results, which total 30 points.

Last year more than 37,300 applicants used English‑proficiency certificates, mainly IELTS, to obtain bonus points. A score of 6.0 was the most common, reported by over 8,300 candidates.

The ministry said the conversion of a single IELTS score into 26 different bonus‑point levels created widespread disparities and inequality. It argued that such variation undermined fairness in higher‑education admissions.

From 2028 onward, universities will no longer be permitted to award IELTS bonus points, although students may still convert IELTS results into foreign‑language subject scores if the university accepts the certificate. The 2027 cap of 0.5 points will be the last opportunity to gain any IELTS‑related bonus.

In practice, the removal means that IELTS scores will no longer boost admission totals, so applicants must rely more on their core exam results and other recognised achievements. Prospective students should therefore adjust their preparation strategies accordingly.