On March 1, 2026, Hanoi National University of Education in coordination with the Vietnam Chemistry Association organized the 3rd Chemistry and Natural Science Olympiad for secondary and high school students (from grades 6 to 12).
The exam has nearly 13,000 candidates, taking 7 Chemistry/Natural Science exams from grades 6 to 12.
Dr. Tran Cuong - Deputy Head of the Training Department, Head of the Testing Center of Hanoi National University of Education said that the exam originated from the idea of the Vietnam Chemistry Association, in the face of the reality that students tend to choose fewer Natural Science subjects, partly due to the psychology of "if I don't take the exam, I don't study".
Key members of the Chemistry Association, who are school lecturers, expressed concern because this may have a long-term impact on the training and development of core technology human resources. From there, the exam is organized with the goal of creating a scientific playground, promoting passion and spreading the spirit of learning Chemistry for high school students" - Dr. Tran Cuong shared.
In terms of expertise, Dr. Tran Cuong assessed that this is a highly academic exam, reflected in the scale of organization (the number of candidates taking the exam increased sharply from 4,000 students in the first year to nearly 13,000 candidates in the third year), as well as the score distribution in the past 2 years. The exam results can help educational institutions and policymakers have a broad view of natural science capacity, students' ability to apply knowledge in life and in learning, and promote innovation in teaching - learning and assessment in general schools.
Along with that, discovering and nurturing students with aptitude in Chemistry and Natural Sciences to become talents in science and technology to meet the needs of high-quality human resources for the cause of industrialization and modernization of the country.
The exam questions are built according to the 2018 General Education Program, specifically for each grade from grade 6 to grade 12.
The exam format is objective multiple-choice, candidates do the test on multiple-choice answer sheets. The exam has 60 questions, the exam time is 90 minutes, and the score is 100 points.
To ensure objectivity and fairness, Mr. Cuong said that supervision work is organized in many layers. Exam papers are graded according to the strict procedures and standards of Hanoi National University of Education.
After the exam, candidates' papers are transferred to the Testing Center of Hanoi National University of Education for grading according to a strict process similar to the entrance exam" - Mr. Cuong said.
The exam questions and official answers will be publicly announced on the official information channel after the exam time ends, before March 4, 2026. The closing and award ceremony will be held on March 29, 2026.
