The entrance exam scores for Artificial Intelligence, Microchip Design, Computer Science, and Data Science in 2026 were very high, with some schools even achieving a perfect score of 30/30.
At the University of Information Technology (UIT) (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), the Artificial Intelligence major leads with a perfect score of 100/100, equivalent to 30/30 points when converted. This is the first time in UIT’s history that it has achieved a perfect score. Following closely behind are Data Science with 91.7 points, Microchip Design with 90.5 points, Information Security with 88.7 points, and Computer Science with 88.5 points, equivalent to 26.55 points or higher on a 30-point scale.
At Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), many majors also have admission thresholds close to 30. Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (advanced program) leads with 29.54 points. Computer Science and Cybersecurity (advanced program) also have thresholds above 29 points.
At the University of Technology (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), most majors saw an increase in their admission scores, ranging from about 0.5 to over 13 points per 100 compared to last year. Notably, Semiconductor Engineering achieved an admission score of 85.8/100 in its first year of enrollment. Majors with admission scores of 80 or higher include Computer Science, Computer Engineering, the Electrical – Electronics – Telecommunications – Automation – Integrated Circuit Design group of majors, and Mechanical Engineering.
At the University of Science (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), the Computer Science – Advanced Program had the highest admission score, reaching 29.32 points. Artificial Intelligence ranked second with 28.68 points. Other majors and programs with high admission scores included Microchip Design (27.93 points); Data Science and Statistics (27.63 points); Data Science – English-enhanced program (27.48 points); and Semiconductor Technology (27.34 points). At the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Data Analytics achieved 91.50 points and Data Science achieved 88.10 points/100…
The boost from scholarship policies under Decree 179
According to Dr. Tran Dinh Ly, Vice Rector of Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry, there are three main reasons leading to the surge in admission scores for Artificial Intelligence, Microcircuit Design, Computer Science, and Data Science majors.
Firstly , AI and digital transformation are becoming the driving force of growth for most economies. Many major policies of the Party and State identify science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as the foundation for development in the new era. This creates great confidence among students regarding career opportunities.
Secondly , the labor market is experiencing high demand for technology professionals, ranging from AI, big data, semiconductors, and automation to cybersecurity. Income levels and global job opportunities are also significantly more attractive than in many other sectors.
Thirdly , the perceptions of parents and students have changed. They no longer choose majors based solely on interest but also consider their adaptability to the future. Therefore, technology-related fields have become a preferred choice.
Mr. Ly believes that the high admission scores reflect two factors. First, there is a huge demand for technology professionals. However, it cannot be denied that some candidates choose based on trends, media hype, or expected salaries without fully understanding the industry’s requirements. It’s important to note that the market doesn’t lack AI professionals, but rather high-quality AI professionals. Those with a strong mathematical background, logical thinking, foreign language skills, and problem-solving abilities will always have an advantage. If many people only study based on trends, lack competence, or fail to keep up with technology, the risk of a surplus of average-skilled labor is entirely possible in the next few years.
On the other hand, there is the boost from scholarship policies. Besides the demand for human resources, AI, semiconductor microchips, and several strategic technologies are receiving many preferential policies. According to Decree 179/2026/ND-CP, students studying semiconductor microchips, basic sciences, key engineering, and strategic technologies are eligible for scholarships from the State budget.
According to Associate Professor Bui Hoai Thang, Head of Training Department at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, there are two different issues to consider when explaining the attractiveness of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and semiconductor majors, and the high admission scores this year.
Firstly , the number of students choosing to study AI and semiconductors has been steadily increasing in recent years, with AI truly booming since the advent of ChatGPT. This year, the number of students interested in AI has surged dramatically. There are many reasons for this, including the increasingly prominent presence of AI in all aspects of human life, along with the growing demand for AI engineers.
In the semiconductor field, this trend has been developing for about two years now, coupled with very impressive information about workforce demand, such as the forecast that Vietnam will need approximately 50,000-100,000 semiconductor and microchip professionals by 2030. In addition, there is information about Vietnam’s ability to design chips and the investment in chip manufacturing plants… All of this creates new appeal for this field of study.
While in 2024, the University of Technology first opened a general Integrated Circuit Design major within the Electrical – Electronics – Automation – Integrated Circuit Design group of majors, the opening of a separate program in English in 2025 created momentum for this major to rise to second place in terms of admission scores in 2026. The “crown jewel” is the Semiconductor Engineering major, which was opened for the first time. This can be seen as a “trend” in students’ choice of majors. A strong boost, or perhaps a “knockout punch,” came from Decree 179 on scholarship policies for students in STEM fields. This policy further increased the attractiveness of AI, semiconductor, and other technology fields.
Secondly , the number of high-achieving students applying to these majors has increased, while the enrollment quotas have not increased dramatically. When a large number of capable students are concentrated in one major but the number of available places remains relatively stable, the level of competition increases, driving up the cut-off scores.
In addition, Mr. Thang suggested that another reason might stem from the admission scoring formulas of some universities. “Perhaps some universities have rather lenient admission score calculation formulas, especially when applying bonus points policies generously.” Therefore, when looking at the very high admission scores this year, it’s necessary to distinguish between the actual appeal of the major, the quality and number of applicants, and the way each university constructs its admission formula.
Changes in the quality of recruitment sources
As the university with a major that achieved a perfect 30/30 admission score, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Tan Tran Minh Khang, Rector of the University of Information Technology (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), believes this is a noteworthy shift in the quality of student recruitment.
“The number of applicants has decreased, but the quality of the pool of applicants has increased. The average score of applicants this year is the highest in the past 5 years. This shows that UIT’s appeal is clearly shifting from scale to quality, as the university is increasingly attracting students with strong academic abilities and a clear orientation towards the field of technology,” Associate Professor Dr. Khang said.
According to Mr. Khang, in the context of increasingly high-quality applicants, the number of applications is no longer the sole indicator of an educational institution’s attractiveness. More importantly, it is the distribution of scores and the competitiveness of candidates in the high-scoring range that matters.
[Photo] General Secretary and President To Lam attends the Tech Connect Forum at the University of Technology Sydney.
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