VSTEP · Guides · November 6, 2026 · 6 min read
VSTEP registration and fees: where to take the test, how much it costs and when results come
VSTEP is not run by a single national body that sells test dates online. It is held by universities and centres that the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has licensed to organise it, and each of them publishes its own sessions, fees and deadlines. That makes registration slightly different from IELTS or TOEIC, where you book through one provider. This guide covers what is the same everywhere, gives the figures that were public as of November 2026, and shows how to plan your dates so the certificate arrives in time.
Who organises VSTEP
About 36 universities and centres were licensed to organise VSTEP by February 2025. They include large public universities in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hue, Can Tho and other cities. The University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS), part of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, is one of the best known and publishes its sessions at vstep.vnu.edu.vn.
The list of licensed organisers changes as licences are granted, suspended or withdrawn, so do not rely on a list copied into a forum post or a prep group. Check that the centre you choose appears on MOET’s current list or states its licence in its notice. A certificate from an unlicensed organiser is worthless to a university or an employer.
The rules: Circular 09/2026
The format of the test (the parts, questions and timing) comes from Decision 729/QĐ-BGDĐT of 2015 and has not changed. How the exam is organised is a separate set of rules. For several years this was Circular 23/2017/TT-BGDĐT, amended by Circular 24/2021/TT-BGDĐT. In March 2026 they were replaced by Circular 09/2026/TT-BGDĐT, which governs how licensed organisers run foreign language proficiency tests, including partnerships and holding the exam abroad.
If you need a precise point from the new circular (for example, a rule on re-sits or on recognising certificates), read the current text on moet.gov.vn or thuvienphapluat.vn, or ask the centre. Older articles that quote Circular 23 may be out of date.
How much it costs
Fees are set by each organiser. Published examples:
| Organiser | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ULIS (VNU Hanoi) | 1,800,000 VND | for the session of 21 May 2025; re-marking 800,000 VND per request |
| Văn Lang University | 1,400,000–2,000,000 VND | range announced for 2026 sessions |
| Other licensed centres | roughly 1,200,000–2,000,000 VND | depends on the centre and the session |
These figures change. Check the centre’s current notice before you pay, and keep the payment receipt until you have your certificate.
A worked budget helps when choosing a session. Suppose you live in Can Tho and need B1 to graduate in July. A local centre charges 1,500,000 VND. A Hanoi centre has an earlier date at 1,800,000 VND, but adds a return trip and a night’s stay. If the local date leaves at least a month before your graduation deadline, the cheaper, nearer option is better; the extra cost only makes sense if no local date fits the timetable. Remember too that one re-marking request at ULIS costs nearly half a test fee, so it is worth requesting only when a skill is just below a boundary that matters to you.
How to register
The steps are broadly similar across centres, though the details belong to each centre’s notice:
- Find a session. Look at the news or “thông báo” section of the centre’s website for the next VSTEP.3-5 session, the registration deadline and the fee.
- Fill in the registration. Many centres use an online form; some also want a paper form. Your name and date of birth must match your identity document exactly, because they will be printed on the certificate.
- Prepare the documents in the notice. These typically include an identity document and portrait photos; follow the centre’s list precisely.
- Pay the fee by the method and deadline stated.
- Check your confirmation: the test date, time, room and the arrival time. Bring the same identity document on the day.
Centres can cancel a session if too few people register; ULIS, for example, may cancel when fewer than 100 candidates sign up. Register early, and ask what happens to your fee if a session is cancelled.
Computer-based testing
ULIS and several other centres run VSTEP on computer. This matters for preparation: you will read passages on a screen, choose answers by clicking, and type your Writing tasks. If you have only practised on paper, spend a few sessions typing a 250-word essay against the clock, because typing speed and on-screen editing change how much you can write in 40 minutes.
Results and certificates
Timing depends on the centre. At ULIS, results of the computer-based test are usually available within 3–5 days, and the certificate follows in about 14 days. Other centres may take longer.
Plan backwards from your deadline. If your university’s deadline for submitting a language certificate is 30 June, a session in early June is risky: a delay in issuing the certificate, or a result just below the level you need, leaves no time for a second attempt. A session six to eight weeks before the deadline gives room for one re-sit if necessary.
The certificate shows your scores for the four skills, the overall score and the level. How the overall score is calculated is explained in VSTEP scores and levels.
How long is it valid?
VSTEP certificates have no legal expiry date. In practice, many universities and employers accept only certificates issued within the last two years. Always check with the institution that will receive yours; a certificate from three years ago may be perfectly acceptable to one and rejected by another.
Who needs it
The most common reasons to take VSTEP are:
- university graduation requirements (often bậc 3/B1, and bậc 4/B2 for many programmes);
- admission to and graduation from master’s and doctoral programmes;
- language standards for teachers;
- public sector recruitment and promotion.
Some candidates also ask about exemption from the English paper of the national high-school graduation exam. Certain foreign-language certificates have been accepted for this, but the list and conditions are set in each year’s regulations. Verify the current rule with your school or the Department of Education before relying on a VSTEP certificate for it.
For international readers (employers or universities abroad): VSTEP is a domestic Vietnamese test. Its levels are aligned with CEFR B1–C1, but recognition outside Vietnam is a decision for each institution.
Before you pay
A short checklist:
- the centre is currently licensed by MOET;
- the session date leaves time for results, the certificate and, if needed, a second attempt;
- you know the fee, the payment deadline and the cancellation policy;
- your name and date of birth match your identity document;
- you have done at least one full timed practice test.
For the last point, our VSTEP mock tests give an estimated score and level for each skill. They are practice estimates, not results. If the estimate is still well below the level you need, see the preparation plan before booking a date.
Nomto is an independent preparation platform. We do not register candidates, sell test places or issue results, and we are not affiliated with MOET or any test centre.
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