More than half of new students have IELTS certificates, how do universities teach English?

In recent years, the number of candidates applying for admission using the international English certificate IELTS has increased in both "quality and quantity", according to representatives of some schools.

In 2024, the National Economics University received nearly 12,000 applications with IELTS, while 5 years ago it was only 2,000. About 70% of admitted students had IELTS from 5.5 or higher, half achieved above 6.5 - equivalent to the school's highest output standard.

Foreign Trade University recorded a similar trend. This year, the rate of new students with IELTS 6.0 or higher is 85%, from 7.5 is 44%, also a sharp increase compared to the previous period. Meanwhile, the school's English output standard is from 5.0 to 6.5 IELTS, depending on the program.

Master Pham Thanh Ha, Deputy Head of Training Management Department, Foreign Trade University, affirmed that the increasingly good English proficiency of new students creates many advantages in teaching foreign languages ​​in general and English in particular.

She gave an example of students with IELTS 7.0. This group has the ability to use all four skills proficiently, helping lecturers not need to teach basic knowledge but can focus on specialized, advanced content.

However, having a good English foundation does not mean that students will be proficient in specialized English, according to Dr. Le Anh Duc, Deputy Head of Training Management Department, National Economics University.

"IELTS is a foreign language certificate, it does not demonstrate professional knowledge and skills," he said.

Agreeing, Ms. Pham Thanh Ha said that English in university is not just about listening, speaking, reading, and writing, but also about studying majors in English and practicing many other skills in this language.

At Foreign Trade University, depending on their level, new students can choose to study general English or specialized English. According to records, students who achieve IELTS 7.0 or higher often start right away with subjects such as business English, business communication, public speaking, etc.

"In addition to requiring the ability to understand and accurately use technical terminology, specialized English also requires proficiency in complex grammatical structures and a grasp of academic elements related to economics, commerce, law, marketing, finance...", Ms. Ha said.

To study well, students must also know how to write in-depth essays, analyze and evaluate information and present ideas in English logically.

Similarly, the National Economics University has nearly 20 programs taught in English. In addition to studying with Vietnamese lecturers, depending on the program, students also study with foreign lecturers.

Therefore, Mr. Duc believes that having IELTS or other foreign language certificates is only an initial advantage when students study a major.

"It is not true that having a high IELTS score will help you study well, or that students with an IELTS score of 8.0 will achieve a higher major score than those with a 6.5 score," he emphasized. "The important thing is the ability to self-study, research documents and use existing foreign language skills to develop knowledge and skills in the field students pursue."

However, two admissions experts also said that when students' English proficiency at entry exceeds that of their output, universities must change their training programs.

"Schools are forced to update their knowledge, improve their English component, and find solutions to improve the quality of their teaching staff," said Ms. Ha.

Foreign Trade University builds many English learning paths, with a personalized orientation to suit each student's level. Lecturers are required to increase interaction; create opportunities for students to learn in real-life environments, specific projects, thereby developing foreign language skills...

Meanwhile, the National Economics University is considering raising its English output standards. Mr. Duc said that the threshold of 5.5 (for the standard program) and 6.5 (for the advanced program) was set in 2017. At that time, the school considered it appropriate. However, with the current level of students, this is no longer a difficult level. The school needs time to carefully study and evaluate the impact of this change, because it is also related to the general level of society.

In addition, the two schools offer extra classes and encourage students to learn a second foreign language such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean... to increase their chances of finding a job after graduation.