Vietnam: Will foreign language papers no longer be mandatory in the High School Graduation Exam 2025

Will foreign language papers no longer be mandatory in the High School Graduation Exam 2025 in Vietnam?

Under Article 3 of Circular 15/2020/TT-BGDDT (amended by Clause 1, Article 1 of Circular 02/2024/TT-BGDDT), the papers are defined as follows:

 Papers

The exam consists of 5 papers, including: 3 independent papers are Mathematics, Literature, and Foreign Language (English, Russian, French, Chinese, German, Japanese and Korean); 1 paper of natural science (a combination of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology); 1 paper of social science (a combination of History, Geography, and Civic Education) with respect to students of compulsory education program at high school level or the papers of History and Geography with respect to students of continuing education program at high school level.

According to the above regulation, the Foreign Language is one of the three independent and mandatory papers in the high school graduation exam.

However, under Article 3 of the most recent High School Graduation Exam Regulation issued with Circular 24/2024/TT-BGDDT (effective from February 8, 2025), the papers in the High School Graduation Exam 2025 are defined as follows:

Paers

The exam is organized in 03 sessions: 01 session for the Literature paper, 01 session for the Mathematics paper, and 01 session for the elective paper comprising 02 subjects chosen from Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Economics and Law Education, Informatics, Industrial-oriented Technology (abbreviated as Industrial Technology), Agriculture-oriented Technology (abbreviated as Agricultural Technology), Foreign Language (English, Russian, French, Chinese, German, Japanese, and Korean).

Thus, from the High School Graduation Exam 2025 onwards, Foreign Language is no longer a mandatory subject but is one of the elective subjects, leaving Mathematics and Literature as the only 02 mandatory papers.

Will foreign language papers no longer be mandatory in the High School Graduation Exam 2025? (Image from the Internet)

What are the cases of exemption from foreign language papers in the High School Graduation Exam in Vietnam?

Under Clause 2, Article 39 of the High School Graduation Exam Regulation issued with Circular 24/2024/TT-BGDDT, the cases of exemption from foreign language papers in the High School Graduation Exam are as follows:

- Members of the national team participating in international foreign language Olympiads as per the Decision of the Minister of Education and Training shall be exempted from the foreign language paper in the high school graduation assessment;

- Individuals possessing one of the foreign language certificates stipulated in Appendix 1 issued with Circular 24/2024/TT-BGDDT or foreign language certificates recognized by the Ministry of Education and Training equivalent to the 6-level foreign language competency framework used for Vietnam (achieving level 3 or above and valid until the date of exam procedures) shall be exempted from the foreign language papers in the high school graduation assessment;

- Individuals eligible for exemption from foreign language papers but still wish to take the foreign language paper in the graduation exam must use the exam results to calculate the high school graduation assessment score.

When are candidates in Vietnam granted an exception of high school graduation recognition in 2025?

Under Article 40 of the Regulation on High School Graduation Exam issued with Circular 24/2024/TT-BGDDT (effective from February 8, 2025), the cases for granting an exception of high school graduation recognition in 2025 are as follows:

(1) Learners belonging to the categories stipulated in points a and b, Clause 1, Article 19 of the Regulation on High School Graduation Exam issued with Circular 24/2024/TT-BGDDT are granted an exception of high school graduation recognition in cases of accidents, sickness, or unexpected special situations before the exam date by no more than 10 days or during the first exam session, preventing them from attending the exam.

- Conditions: Meet the conditions for exam participation, with both training and academic results of the entire year in grade 12 being assessed at a fairly good level or higher;

- Application includes: Admission and discharge hospital records (or certification of ongoing treatment) issued by hospitals from the district level or higher (if involved in accidents, sickness) or certification from the People's Committee of the commune where they reside (if there are unexpected special situations); the school’s minutes proposing an exception of high school graduation recognition where the exam registration was done and proof of training and academic results in grade 12.

(2) Learners belonging to the categories stipulated in points a and b, Clause 1, Article 19 of the Regulation on High School Graduation Exam issued with Circular 24/2024/TT-BGDDT are granted an exception of high school graduation recognition if they are involved in accidents, sickness or unexpected special situations after having completed at least one exam subject and cannot continue the exams or if they voluntarily sit the remaining exams after being involved in accidents, sickness or unexpected special situations.

- Conditions: Meet the conditions for exam participation, scoring at least 5.0 (five) points in all completed exam subjects to consider high school graduation recognition, training of the entire year in grade 12 being assessed from a fairly good level or higher, and academic results at a satisfactory level or higher;

- Application includes: Candidate's application for an exception of high school graduation recognition; admission and discharge hospital records from district-level hospitals or higher (if involved in accidents, sickness) or certification from the People's Committee of the commune where they reside (if there are unexpected special situations) and proof of training and academic results in grade 12.

(3) Athletes eligible for an exception of high school graduation recognition as per regulations in Article 5 of Decree 36/2019/ND-CP.

- Conditions: Meet the conditions for exam participation; achieve outstanding achievements in national or international sports competitions; the time of the high school graduation exam coincides with the time athletes are training abroad or participating in international sports competitions;

- Application includes: Candidate's application for an exception of high school graduation recognition; evidence of outstanding achievements in national or international sports competitions; evidence of the coincidence between the high school graduation exam schedule and the time athletes are training abroad or participating in international sports competitions.

(4) Procedures:

- No later than 7 days after the last exam session, candidates must submit the application for granting an exception of high school graduation recognition to the Head of the unit where the candidate is registered. The Head of the unit where the candidate is registered is responsible for collecting and handing over the application for granting an exception of high school graduation recognition to the Department of Education and Training;

- Within 30 days after the last exam session, the Council for High School Graduation Recognition Assessment will consider and decide to grant an exception for candidates based on the applictaion and provisions in (1), (2).