The HSA 2025 exam structure includes 50 math and data processing questions, and 50 questions in the field of literature and language. These are two compulsory parts of the exam.

The third part allows candidates to choose between science or English. The time limit for the third part is 60 minutes.

For the science section, candidates choose 3 out of 5 topics: physics, chemistry, biology, history, geography; each topic has 17 questions (including 1 test question).

With the English option, the test consists of 50 objective multiple choice questions designed to serve the admission of foreign language training programs.

The HSA exam contains about 10% of grade 10 knowledge, about 30% of grade 11 knowledge and about 60% of grade 12 knowledge. Physics and biology topics alone can vary by about 5% depending on the program allocation between grades. The English test contains about 45% of the grade 12 program knowledge, and about 15% of the high-level general and applied knowledge in the program.

The HSA exam questions are more than 75% objective multiple choice questions with 4 options. From 2025, the competency assessment exam will add cluster questions in all sections and topics. Cluster questions include general questions and specific questions to develop and assess candidates' competencies from low to high levels. Cluster questions will exploit rich data sources, assess students' thinking in each field and across fields. These are qualitative changes in building a question bank for competency assessment exams.

The sample test provides the question format and test structure for students to build a study plan that meets the requirements of the exam. In the sample test as well as the official test, the questions are not arranged from easy to difficult but are randomly shuffled according to a fixed matrix. Candidates take the sample test to get familiar with the test format, review additional knowledge and skills, and practice time control when taking the test.

The test score is calculated based on the total number of correct answers, with no deductions for incorrect answers. In the official test, the score achieved on the computer will appear after the candidate finishes the test sections. Most universities that use the test results to assess their ability can accept applications based on the total score of the test. However, some universities may have additional requirements for selected topics in the Science section (part 3). The English section is designed to assess foreign language proficiency for admission to foreign language training programs.

Sharing about the HSA reference test, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tien Thao, Director of the Testing Center - Hanoi National University said: The reference test for the competency assessment test is copyrighted and owned by the Testing Center of Hanoi National University. Any act of copying, using, or publishing related to the reference test for the competency assessment test for high school students is not allowed without the approval of the Testing Center of Hanoi National University.

Candidates can access https://tk.cet.vnu.edu.vn/ or https://hsa.edu.vn/ to take the test on computers from September 1, 2024.