How the HSA Competency Assessment Exam Works for Admission to Vietnamese Universities
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 07, 2026 • Study in Southeast Asia
The HSA test from Vietnam National University Hanoi is a 150-question, computer-based exam split into Math, Language and Science sections, scored out of 150 points. More than 70 universities across Vietnam accept the score as an admission route.
🎓 3 sections, 50 questions each: Math and Data Processing, Language and Literature, Science
⏱️ 195 minutes total, computer-based, 4-option multiple choice
📩 Offered several times a year; you can sit it more than once and use your best result
Registration for the 2025-26 cycle opened November 25, 2025, with test slot booking running February 1 to 7, 2026
What HSA tests
HSA stands for Đánh giá năng lực (competency assessment), run by Vietnam National University Hanoi through its Institute for Digital Training and Testing. The test checks how you apply Math, language and general science skills rather than how well you memorize a single subject's syllabus, which puts it closer to an aptitude test than a subject-by-subject exam like the THPT papers.
Format: 3 sections, 195 minutes
The test runs on computer at designated test centers, with 4-option multiple choice questions throughout.
Math and Data Processing: 50 questions, testing calculation, logic and reading data from charts and tables
Language and Literature: 50 questions, testing reading comprehension and Vietnamese language skills
Science: 50 questions, drawing on Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History and Geography
That gives you 150 questions in total, worth 1 point each, for a maximum score of 150 points. The full sitting takes 195 minutes.
How to register
Registration and results run through the official HSA portal at hsa.edu.vn. For the 2025-26 cycle, the registration portal opened on November 25, 2025, and the window to book a specific test slot ran from February 1 to February 7, 2026, according to VNU Hanoi's HSA site . Your admission number and test room get published at least 7 days before your sitting date.
HSA runs multiple sittings a year, and you can register for more than one attempt if your first score does not match what you need. Universities that accept HSA use your best result, so a low first attempt does not lock you out of the route.
Which universities accept HSA
More than 70 universities accepted HSA scores in the 2023 admission cycle, including VNU Hanoi's own member universities plus outside schools like Foreign Trade University and National Economics University, according to a summary of Vietnam's competency assessment tests . The exact list changes every cycle, so check your target university's current admission scheme (đề án tuyển sinh) before you rely on an HSA score for a specific program.
How HSA fits into your admission plan
HSA works as one of several admission routes most universities run side by side with the THPT score method and certificate-based combinations. A strong HSA score usually gets you into an earlier admission round than waiting for THPT results, which matters if you want your university spot confirmed before the main national exam period. Pair it with the THPT score as a backup route rather than relying on either method alone.