Since previous admission seasons, many domestic universities have considered including the VSTEP foreign language certificate in their admission criteria. However, so far, the number of universities or training institutions using this certificate for admission is very modest.
According to Circular No. 24/2024 of the Ministry of Education and Training promulgating the Regulations on High School Graduation Exams, among the foreign language certificates that candidates can use to be exempted from this subject in the 2025 high school graduation exam, there is a "domestic" foreign language certificate. That is the VSTEP certificate of the 6-level foreign language proficiency framework for Vietnam issued in 2014, based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and a number of English proficiency frameworks in other countries, combined with the reality in Vietnam.
Accordingly, for the English subject, in addition to the TOEFL ITP 450, TOEFL iBT 45, IELTS 4.0 certificates, the Ministry of Education and Training allows exemption from the exam for candidates with B1 Preliminary/ B1 Business Preliminary/ B1 Linguaskill; TOEIC; Aptis ESOL B1; PEARSON PEIC B1; foreign language certificates according to the 6-level foreign language proficiency framework for Vietnam level 3 (VSTEP B1). Among the above certificates, VSTEP is the only "domestic" English certificate. Candidates with a VSTEP B1 certificate can also be converted to a score of 10 in English in the 2024 high school graduation exam like candidates with an IELTS 4.0 certificate.
Although it has been around for 10 years, the VSTEP certificate is still “inferior” to international English certificates. In the past, Vietnam’s 6-level VSTEP foreign language certificate has been accepted in most fields from civil servant recruitment exams, rank promotion, university and postgraduate admissions, etc., but its use in enrollment has not been popular. Since February 2025, according to regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training, 36 universities and academies have been allowed to organize exams and issue English certificates according to the 6-level competency framework for Vietnam (VSTEP).
It is worth mentioning that many schools organize exams and issue VSTEP English certificates but still say no to this certificate when enrolling students, such as Foreign Trade University, National Economics University, etc. For example, in the 2025 Enrollment Project, National Economics University considers international English certificates (IELTS, TOEFL) in combination with high school graduation exam results; combining thinking assessment test results (Hanoi University of Science and Technology), and competency assessment test results (2 National Universities). Foreign Trade University also only uses international foreign language certificates when considering admission in combination with high school graduation exam results in 2025. Meanwhile, Hanoi Medical University, in the admission method combining high school graduation exam results with international foreign language certificates in English or French, only accepts IELTS or TOEFL certificates.
Among major universities, Hanoi University of Science and Technology currently accepts VSTEP certificates. The Academy of Journalism and Communication also accepts VSTEP certificates in university admissions this year. Hanoi University of Science and Technology said that in addition to admissions based on international certificates, candidates with VSTEP English certificates or international English certificates (registered for authentication on the system) can convert them into English subject scores when applying for admission based on high school graduation exam scores (combinations A01, D01, D04, D07) and add bonus points when applying for admission based on talent (types 1.2, 1.3), and applying based on Thinking Assessment exam scores.
According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Phong Dien - Deputy Director of Hanoi University of Science and Technology, from 2023, the VSTEP certificate has started to appear in the admission criteria of Hanoi University of Science and Technology. The Ministry of Education and Training's standardization of the VSTEP exam helps this domestic foreign language certificate increasingly affirm its position. In addition, this action of the Ministry of Education and Training also has social significance, helping to save a lot of time and money, suitable for many learners.
According to Circular No. 01/2014 issued by the Ministry of Education and Training, VSTEP was born to completely replace the previous A, B, C foreign language certificates, which were considered impractical. VSTEP is used by the Ministry of Education and Training as a standard for assessing teachers' foreign language proficiency. In addition, VSTEP is used when considering foreign language requirements for the third year and for university graduation. This certificate is also used in the entrance and graduation examinations of graduate training programs at many universities in the country. Candidates with VSTEP B1 are exempted from the English exam in the master's exam. Some state agencies also require VSTEP certificates in civil servant and public employee recruitment exams.
Source: https://daidoanket.vn/tuyen-sinh-dai-hoc-chung-chi-tieng-anh-noi-van-e-10300991.html
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