According to the principal of one high school, this phenomenon is partly due to Nguyen Thuong Hien being one of the regular schools previously allowed to admit students to specialized classes, alongside elite schools like Le Hong Phong and Tran Dai Nghia.

Being included in the first admission round gave it an edge that other regular schools did not have. Another reason is population density - Tan Binh, Tan Phu, and Binh Tan districts are highly populated, yet public high schools are fewer compared to other areas.

Tan Binh District, for instance, has only three public high schools: Nguyen Thuong Hien, Nguyen Thai Binh, and Nguyen Chi Thanh. Meanwhile, Tan Phu has schools like Tan Binh, Tay Thanh, Tran Phu, and Le Trong Tan.

Due to the scarcity of options, many students choose to apply to Nguyen Thuong Hien, pushing its admission scores even higher - especially since it participated in early rounds of enrollment.

In Binh Tan District, which is one of the city’s most populous areas, public schools include Vinh Loc, Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Hung Hoa, Binh Tan, and An Lac. This year, the district proposed adding nearly 700 additional grade 10 slots for Binh Tri Dong B High School.

Starting in 2025, Nguyen Thuong Hien, along with three other regular high schools - Gia Dinh, Nguyen Huu Huan, and Mac Dinh Chi - will discontinue their specialized class admissions.

Other high schools known for their exceptionally high entry scores include Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Le Quy Don, and Bui Thi Xuan, thanks to their long-standing academic reputations and central locations in Districts 1 and 3.

Gia Dinh High School (Binh Thanh District) attracts students not only from within the district but also from neighboring areas. Nguyen Huu Huan High School (Thu Duc City) is considered the best high school in the area, home to more than 1.2 million residents.

Elsewhere, each district has a focal school of interest: Nguyen Huu Cau High School (Hoc Mon District) draws students from both Hoc Mon and District 12.

Other popular schools include Phu Nhuan High School (Phu Nhuan District), Mac Dinh Chi (District 6), the High School of Education Practice - HCMC University of Education (District 5), and Tran Phu High School (Tan Phu District).

Below is the list of the top 10 high schools with the highest annual grade 10 admission scores in Ho Chi Minh City:

Conversely, several high schools in Ho Chi Minh City have much lower entry scores, particularly in the outlying districts of Binh Chanh, Nha Be, Cu Chi, and Can Gio. Students only need to score about 3 to 4 points per subject to gain admission at schools such as Duong Van Duong, An Nhon Tay, Quang Trung, An Nghia, Can Thanh, Binh Khanh, Da Phuoc, and Phong Phu.

Grade 10 enrollment 2025

Eighteen schools in HCMC had very low grade 10 entry scores in 2024. From 3 p.m. on May 2, students and parents can access the official enrollment portal at ts10.hcm.edu.vn to register their online applications for the 2025-2026 academic year.

The deadline to complete registration is 5 p.m. on May 10. Middle schools are responsible for entering graduation and priority data and providing assistance to students in case of technical issues.

On May 14, the Department of Education and Training will publish preliminary registration data. Students will be allowed to adjust their choices until 5 p.m. on May 19 if needed.

Le Huyen