With IELTS bonus points removed, will parents reconsider their investment strategy?

Tens of millions of VND invested in IELTS.

Over the years, IELTS has gradually become a familiar goal in the academic plans of many high school students. For many families, achieving an IELTS score of 6.5, 7.0, or 7.5 is expected to broaden their opportunities for university admission.

Achieving a band score may require several years of study. This investment includes not only tuition at language centers but also supplementary classes, private tutors, materials, exam fees, and re-examination costs if the desired score is not reached.

Some families have calculated that the cost of their child's IELTS preparation over several years alone can amount to tens of millions of VND. For students aiming for a score of 7.0 or higher, the investment can even reach hundreds of millions of VND.

Many parents accept such a large expense because they see a fairly specific goal: the IELTS certificate can be used by some universities to convert English scores or add points to their admission criteria.

Therefore, IELTS is gradually being seen not only as a language learning program. For many families, it's also an investment in their college application. But as admissions policies change, this calculation also begins to change.

The Ministry of Education and Training is seeking feedback on a draft amendment to several articles of the University Admission Regulations. According to the proposal, from 2027, the role of IELTS in providing a direct advantage in university admission scores will change. This is one of the issues of particular concern to parents.

Ms. Vu My Hanh (45 years old, residing in Xuan Phuong ward, Hanoi ) has a child studying at a high school in Hanoi and had previously identified IELTS as an important part of her child's university preparation plan. Her child started studying for IELTS quite early. Initially, the family's goal was to improve English skills. However, as they researched university admission methods, the target band score became increasingly clear.

"We determined that if our child achieved a 6.5 or 7.0, they would have more options when applying for admission. Therefore, even though the tuition fees are not small, the family still tries to invest," Ms. Hanh shared. According to her, the cost of IELTS is not just the tuition fee. Each time they take the test, retake it if they don't reach their goal, and then learning additional skills that are weak are all expenses that must be considered. Time is also another type of "cost."

High school students already have a packed schedule, but to improve their IELTS band score, many have to dedicate extra time outside of regular classes. When the goal is a 7.0 or 7.5, gaining an additional 0.5 band can require months of practice.

"Previously, I thought that paying for my child's IELTS preparation was a long-term investment. But if the certificate no longer provides the same score advantage in the future, I will reconsider. English will definitely still need to be studied, but perhaps I don't need to continue chasing high band scores," Ms. Hanh said.

Ms. Hanh's family plans to reallocate the money previously spent on IELTS preparation classes to other forms of learning such as communication, presentation, listening and speaking skills, or English for academic purposes. Commenting on the Ministry of Education and Training's proposal, Ms. Hanh believes that the sudden implementation from 2027 could easily disappoint students and parents, and the cost and effort spent on preparation would be significantly higher. While not opposing the role of IELTS in university admissions, Ms. Hanh suggests that its implementation should be gradual, eventually eliminating it altogether, which would be more reasonable.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga (41 years old, residing in Hoang Liet ward, Hanoi), whose child is in 11th grade, said that her family considers IELTS a relatively comprehensive assessment of the four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and that it can provide additional opportunities when applying to some top universities in the country. If needed, this certificate can also support her child in the process of searching for scholarships or preparing study abroad applications.

Therefore, Ms. Nga's family started enrolling their child in IELTS courses when she entered high school. The course is expected to last about 15 months, with a tuition fee of 30 million VND. The family paid the full tuition fee after their child had studied for 5 months and passed a proficiency test.

Although it's a significant investment, Ms. Nga shared that it's still a necessary one, because English is not only useful for exams or university admissions, but can also become a long-term skill for learning and work.

However, the proposed changes to the use of IELTS certificates in university admissions have caused considerable anxiety for Ms. Nga's family. "My child is in 11th grade, right at the stage where they need to more clearly define their path after high school. If these changes to admissions are applied to this group of students, their study plans may have to be adjusted," Ms. Nga shared.

According to the parent, when IELTS is no longer used in the way the family had hoped, students may have to reconsider their choice of major, subject combinations, and admission methods. This is especially important for students who have spent a lot of time, effort, and money preparing for the certificate early on. Even so, Ms. Nga said she will still let her child continue studying for and taking the IELTS exam even if the certificate is no longer directly used in university admissions.

The reason is that the value of learning doesn't lie solely in a single admission method. After completing the course, students' English proficiency, especially in the four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, is enhanced. The certificate can also remain useful later on if students need to apply for scholarships, study abroad, or seek job opportunities requiring foreign language skills.

Don't turn English into a score race.

Ms. Nguyen Thu Tra , an English teacher, believes that the most important factor is the motivation for learning English: "IELTS is an exam that assesses English proficiency according to certain criteria. If students want to take the exam, then preparing for it is normal. But if they only study to get extra points for university admissions, it can easily lead to a situation where they study just to pass the exam."

According to this teacher, chasing high band scores can lead some students to focus too much on test-taking techniques such as time management, memorizing essay structures, practicing question types, and accumulating vocabulary by topic. While these skills are valuable for exams, they don't always translate into the ability to use English flexibly in real life.

Therefore, Ms. Tra believes that it is important for students to know why they are learning English. If they are learning to study abroad, they need to meet the requirements of the school and the curriculum. If they are learning to work, they should aim for the ability to read documents, communicate, give presentations, write emails, and exchange professional knowledge. If they are learning for communication purposes, they need a regular environment to practice.

The female teacher also commented that changes in admission policies could become an opportunity for parents and students to reconsider how they invest in foreign language learning. It's also a time when foreign language learning shifts from " scoring points" to "building competence."

However, teachers also advise parents not to be extreme and immediately stop taking the IELTS just because they don't get extra points. An international language certificate can still be valuable for many academic and career goals, depending on the school, program, and specific requirements. If students already have a good foundation, are close to achieving their goals, or plan to study abroad, continuing to study and take the exam may still be appropriate.

"Parents shouldn't ask how many points their child will gain from this certificate; instead, they should ask if the certificate serves their child's next learning goals. If it does, then continue. If not, they can switch to a more suitable learning method," Ms. Tra said.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/bo-diem-cong-ielts-phu-huynh-tinh-lai-bai-toan-dau-tu-23826100315404419.htm