Strong differentiation score distribution
On the morning of July 1st, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) announced the 2026 high school graduation exam scores. Exam score data shows that the score distribution is clearly differentiated, and there is no longer a "rain of 10s".
For example, in Literature, the excellent score rate (from 7 or higher), last year was 65.4%, in previous years it was also 64 - 62%. But this year, the excellent score rate in Literature is only 35%. In Mathematics, the score rate of 8 last year was lower, the excellent score rate was less than 5%. But this year that rate reached about 11%. In previous years it was in the range of around 10%.
Similarly, the excellent scores of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, especially Biology, also maintained a stable rate, around 10% for many consecutive years.
For Geography, last year and many years ago there were "rains of 10s" and many excellent scores, but this year the excellent score rate is only over 2%.
From the perspective of below-average scores, Literature has the lowest percentage of below-average scores, 15%. Mathematics and Physics have a percentage below average of 42%; Informatics is 24%, Chemistry is over 27%, Geography is 50%, and History is over 30%.
These are signals showing that there is a very good differentiation" - Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Duc - University of Technology, Vietnam National University, Hanoi - commented and said that this year's exam questions have had very good improvements in the differentiation of exam quality, shown by the fact that there is no longer a "rain of excellent scores" and a high average score rate.
Regarding the reasons, according to Mr. Duc, in addition to the level of differentiation of exam questions, another reason is that we have boldly aimed at real learning, real talents and thereby correctly assessed the strengths and abilities of candidates.
With such results, I personally - as a university professor and having worked in university admissions - believe that I can completely rest assured to use the high school graduation exam results for university admissions" - he said.
Agreeing with this view, Prof. Dr. Do Duc Thai - Senior Lecturer, Hanoi National University of Education - said that from the figure of 56% of Math below average in 2025, this year at 38%, one happy thing is that teachers, students, schools, and Departments of Education and Training have made efforts to change the teaching, learning, and evaluation methods for Mathematics, closely following the goals of the 2018 General Education Program, and that is a very commendable achievement.
The progress of students is also reflected in the number of good and excellent scores, especially the increase in the number of 10s in Mathematics. That is the inevitable consequence of the progress in teaching and learning in high schools throughout the 2025-2026 school year, not just in whether the exam questions are easier or more difficult.
Predicted benchmark scores with many fluctuations
Mr. Dinh Duc Hien - CEO of FPT School Bac Giang predicts that with this year's high school graduation exam score distribution, overall, university admission scores in 2026 are likely not to increase or decrease simultaneously but will differentiate very strongly according to each admission combination.
Mr. Hien analyzed that compared to 2025, the average score of the A00 combination is almost unchanged, A01 decreased by about 0.46 points, B00 increased by 1.40 points, C00 decreased by 2.49 points and D01 increased by about 0.43 points. For the B00 block, this is the combination with the clearest possibility of increasing benchmark scores. The average score increased by 1.40 points, the center point increased by nearly 2 points, showing that not only a small group of high-scoring candidates but the entire score level has shifted upwards. Therefore, benchmark scores for Medicine, Dentistry - Maxillofacial, Pharmacy majors in the top group of schools may increase by about 0.5 - 1.25 points. For majors such as Nursing, Medical Laboratory Technology, Biotechnology or health majors in mid-range schools, the increase may be about 1 - 2 points.
For block C00, the benchmark score is forecast by Mr. Hien to decrease the most, because the combined average score decreased by nearly 2.5 points, in which Geography decreased very deeply. Majors with benchmark scores in 2025 in the range of 20 - 24 points may decrease by about 2 - 3.5 points.
For block D01, Mr. Hien predicts that the benchmark score is likely to remain stable or increase slightly. For block A01, the benchmark score tends to decrease because the Physics and English scores are both lower than last year.
The actual benchmark score of each major still depends greatly on the number of targets for graduation exam scores, the number of registered candidates, the attractiveness of the major and the proportion of targets switching to methods such as competency assessment, combined admission or international certificates. Therefore, for majors with few targets or strongly attracting students, the benchmark score may still increase higher than the general forecast" - Mr. Hien predicted.
The score distribution of the 2026 high school graduation exam shows a clearer differentiation between subjects and groups of candidates, when the "rain of 10s" decreases, the score distribution shifts to the average level but still maintains a reasonable fairly good and excellent ratio. This reflects that the exam questions have closely followed the goal of just considering graduation.
Continue to strengthen STEM and English education innovation
The English exam in 2026 was assessed by many candidates and teachers as "better" than 2025, but the exam scores decreased compared to the previous year. A notable statistic is that there are 168,105 exam papers below the average score (50.249%). The number of exam papers greater than or equal to 7 is 53,107 (15.874%). And only 311 exam papers achieved a score of 10.
Assessing the figure of more than 50% of students achieving below-average English scores, Prof. Dr. Le Anh Vinh, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences, said that this is an elective exam subject, so many candidates with good English proficiency will be exempted from the exam or have another conversion method - this trend will become increasingly common.
Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Duc said that, in addition to English, the proportion of STEM subjects with below-average scores is still quite high.
This requires continuing to increase the duration and strengthen STEM education innovation," Mr. Nguyen Dinh Duc shared.
