The reference test for the 2025 competency assessment exam is designed to serve test takers who are students studying the new 2018 high school program participating in exams held from 2025. Candidates can access the address https://tk.cet.vnu.edu.vn/ or https://hsa.edu.vn/ to take the test on the computer from September 1, 2024.

Accordingly, the exam structure includes 50 questions on Mathematics and data processing, 50 questions on Literature - Language. These are two compulsory parts of the HSA exam. The third part allows candidates to choose Science or English.

The time limit for the third part of the test is 60 minutes. Candidates choose 3 out of 5 topics: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography; each topic has 17 questions (including 1 test question) to complete the Science test. The English option consists of 50 objective multiple-choice questions designed to serve the admission of foreign language training programs.

According to the leaders of the Hanoi National University Examination Center, over 75% of the questions in the HSA exam are 4-choice objective multiple-choice questions. The new point in the structure of the 2025 competency assessment exam will be to add cluster questions in all exam sections and exam topics.

Cluster questions include general questions and specific questions that develop and assess candidates' abilities from low to high levels. Cluster questions will exploit rich data sources, assessing students' thinking in each field and across fields.

In particular, from 2025, in addition to the Science exam, the structure of the competency assessment exam will include an English exam so that candidates registering for language-related majors can choose to serve the admission process.

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, no points are deducted for incorrect answers. In the official test, the score achieved on the computer will appear after the candidate finishes the test.

Most universities that use the test can accept applications based on the total score on 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.