Some schools require IELTS 6.0 to get 10 points, but other schools require 8.0 to get 10 points.

Ho Chi Minh City University of Technical Education converts IELTS from 4.5. Specifically, IELTS score 4.5 is converted to 7.5 points; 5.0 is converted to 8 points; 5.5 is converted to 8.5 points; 6.0 is converted to 9 points; 6.5 is converted to 9.5 points and 7.0 is converted to 10 points.

For TOEFL iBT certificate, level 35-39 is converted to 7.5; 40-45 is converted to 8 points; 46-61 is converted to 8.5; 62-67 is converted to 9 points; 78-93 is converted to 9.5 and 94 and above is converted to 10 points. TOEFL iTP certificate from 466-482 is converted to 7.5; 483-499 is converted to 8 and from 500 and above is converted to 8.5 points.

Meanwhile, at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, IELTS is converted from 5.0 to 8 points; 5.5 is converted to 9 points; 6.0 is converted to 10 points. In addition, this school also converts TOEFL iBT from 63-79 to 9.2 to 10 points; 48-62 to 8.3 to 9 points; 46-47 is converted to 8 points.

TOEIC scores from 610 to 703 (listening and reading), 240 to 280 (speaking and writing) are converted to 9.2 to 10 points; from 490 to 605 (listening and reading) 203 (speaking and writing) are converted to 8.2 to 9 points; 460-485 (listening and reading) 230 (speaking and writing) are converted to 8 points.

At Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry, IELTS from 5.0-5.5 is converted to 8 points; 6.0-6.5 is converted to 9 points; 7.0 or higher is converted to 10 points.

At Saigon University, IELTS is converted from 4.0 and above. IELTS scores of 4.0-5.0 are converted to 8 points; 5.5-6.5 are converted to 9 points, and 7.0 and above are converted to 10 points. TOEFL iTP 450-499 is converted to 8 points; 500-626 is converted to 9 points; 627 and above are converted to 10 points. TOEFL iBT 30-45 is converted to 8 points; 46-93 is converted to 9 points; 94 and above are converted to 10 points. In addition, this school also converts a number of other certificates such as TOEIC, PTE Academic, Linguaskill; Aptis, VSTEP...

Meanwhile, Foreign Trade University only accepts IELTS conversion from 6.5 and above.

student of university of technology hcmc.jpg
Student of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology.

Many schools do not currently convert IELTS or TOEFL scores but use their own calculation methods. Specifically, the National Economics University considers a combination of IELTS with the competency assessment test scores of Hanoi National University, Ho Chi Minh City National University, the thinking assessment of the University of Science and Technology and the high school graduation exam scores of Mathematics and 1 subject other than English in the school's admission combination. Hanoi University of Science and Technology considers a combination of IELTS with the thinking assessment test score; Add bonus points for the talent admission method; University of Information Technology (Ho Chi Minh City National University) adds priority points for candidates with IELTS; Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy considers a combination of high school graduation exam scores and international English certificates. According to the regulations of this school, candidates with IELTS Academic 6.0 or higher or TOEFL iBT 80 or higher can register for admission to the following majors: Medicine; Preventive Medicine; Traditional Medicine; Pharmacy; Dentistry. Candidates with IELTS Academic 5.0 or higher or TOEFL iBT 61 or higher can apply for admission to the following majors: Nursing; Nutrition; Dental Prosthetics; Public Health.

Unfair for candidates, should there be a unified conversion scale?

Some people say that currently, universities convert IELTS, TOEFL... according to their own scales, leading to inconsistency and unfairness for candidates. There should be a unified scale for converting scores, paying attention to the scientific nature of the scoring scales.

Mr. Pham Thai Son - Director of Admissions (Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade) said that we should not impose a common standard for converting English certificates but let schools decide for themselves. According to Mr. Son, some schools will set English according to international standards such as IELTS, TOEFL, but some schools will set TOEIC, and some schools will set it according to Vietnam's 6-level competency framework. Thus, depending on the needs of businesses, schools will have different regulations.

Mr. Son believes that universities should not be required to use international English certificates, but should be encouraged, because each school has different output standards, some schools focus on research, others focus on application. Therefore, some schools will convert IELTS 6.0 to 10 points, but some schools will require 8.0 to convert to 10.

“This is not unfair, because universities now have different outputs. If a university wants high quality, it will require high English scores, and then the employment rate and income will be high. This will be decided by the labor market,” said Mr. Son.

Associate Professor Bui Hoai Thang - Head of Training Department, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology said that the conversion of international English certificates has two purposes: studying and recruiting. Regarding studying, Circular 23/2021 of the Ministry of Education and Training has regulations on the conversion between English scales. However, it needs to be clarified that this is only relative because there is no completely correct linear formula.

As for university admissions, the conversion of scores will be done by the schools, mainly based on two factors: academic results and the similarity between certificates, or it may just be an incentive to increase the number of qualified candidates entering the school.

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