IELTS scores of Vietnamese candidates downgraded

Candidates taking the IELTS exam. Photo: National Economics University.

Accordingly, in 2023 - 2024, the IELTS scores of Vietnamese people in each skill of Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking are 6.3, 6.4, 6.0, 5.7 respectively. Compared to the world average, the Listening and Speaking scores of Vietnamese candidates are lower (the world average is 6.6 and 6.3 respectively); the remaining 2 skills are equal.

According to statistics, the most common IELTS score achieved by Vietnamese candidates is 6.0, accounting for 21%. Following that are 5.5 and 6.5, both accounting for 18%. Only 5% of candidates achieved 8.0 or higher.

Among the 39 countries and territories surveyed, Malaysia and Spain lead in average IELTS scores with 7.1. Italy follows with 7.0. These are also the 3 countries with the highest percentage of test scores of 8.0 or higher, of which Malaysia accounts for 25%, Spain accounts for 23%, Italy accounts for 19%... In Southeast Asia, in addition to Malaysia with an average IELTS score of 7.1, some countries with higher average IELTS scores than Vietnam are the Philippines with 6.8, Indonesia with 6.7, Myanmar with 6.6. Vietnam's score is higher than China and Japan with both reaching 5.9.

In Vietnam, there are more than 100 universities and educational institutions that accept IELTS certificates as a substitute for English language test results.

Previously, the Report on Teaching and Learning Foreign Languages ​​in Vietnam in 2023, published by the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences and the Management Board of the National Foreign Language Project, stated that the age of IELTS test takers in Vietnam is getting younger and younger. Specifically, in 2018, more than 50% of IELTS test takers were over 23 years old. Only nearly 1.5% of IELTS test takers were between 16 and 18 years old, more than 13% in the 19-22 age group. After 5 years, the proportion of students aged 16-22 in the total number of IELTS test takers increased to 62%. In particular, the 16-18 age group accounted for 30%, an increase of 20 times compared to 2018; the 19-22 age group increased by more than 2 times; and the group over 23 years old decreased by more than half, from nearly 52 to 20%.

Since 2017, the Ministry of Education and Training has exempted candidates from the high school graduation exam and calculated the 10th grade foreign language score for candidates with an IELTS certificate of 4.0 or higher or equivalent. In 2021, more than 28,600 candidates were in this category, increasing to more than 35,000 in 2022 and nearly 47,000 in 2023. Since 2020, a series of universities in the fields of engineering, medicine and public security have also added priority points or combined admission with candidates with international foreign language certificates. In addition, the trend of universities considering candidates with IELTS certificates and equivalent is the reason for the increase in candidates in this age group.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/diem-thi-ielts-cua-thi-sinh-viet-nam-xuong-hang-10292313.html