VietNamNet Bridge – The last day to submit registrations to take university entrance exams was April 17. More students have applied to study at non-state universities. In previous years, state-owned universities were the top choice.

Students had one month to make applications indirectly through general schools and local education and training departments; but this suggests that more students have registered to take exams to get into non-state universities.

Lac Hong University has also reported a higher number of direct applications. According to Lam Thanh Hien, MA, Deputy President of Lac Hong University, over 1,000 applications were made under the direct mode, more than in 2008.

Among the non-state universities which will organise entrance exams to select students, only the HCM City Technique and Technology University has reported a decrease in the number of applications. As of April 17, the university had reportedly received some 200 applications, or 1/3 less than in 2008.

Experts have predicted that the number of registrations to enter non-state universities which will not organise entrance exams will soar significantly.

According to the representative office of the Ministry of Education and Training in HCM City, the number of applications for Van Hien, Van Lang and Hong Bang universities proves to be very big.

Nguyen Quoc Cuong, Enrolment Expert of the Ministry of Education and Training, said that on the last day of receiving applications, the office received a lot of applications for universities which will not organise entrance exams.

“The number of students who came to apply on the last day and seek consultancy was so high that the officers had to work until 8 pm,” Cuong said.

Explaining the high number of applications for non-state universities, experts say that non-state universities set lower requirements and lower marks on the university entrance exams than state-owned universities. Meanwhile, most students want to be sure that they have seats at universities.

In principle, students who fail the university entrance exams this year can take exams next year. However, most students do not want to do that because they do not know about the new examination scheme which will be applied as of next year.

The Ministry of Education and Training has announced that from 2010, one exam only will be organised for general school graduation and university admission, instead of two separate ones under the current scheme.

VietNamNet/TP