More than half of university applicants this year have chosen science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programmes, reflecting growing confidence in career prospects amid the Government's push to build a high-quality workforce for strategic industries under the Politburo's Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW.

Students test and fine-tune a robot during a STEM competition, reflecting growing interest among young people in science, technology and engineering.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, nearly 467,600 from more than 874,800 university applicants have registered for STEM majors for the 2026 admissions cycle, accounting for 53.45% of all candidates.

They submitted almost 2.37 million STEM-related preferences, representing around one-third of total applications.

The ministry on July 15 described computer science and information technology, together with natural sciences, as two standout fields, attracting more than 154,000 and 43,700 applications, respectively.

It is the first time the ministry has released detailed data on STEM applications.

Education experts say the surge signals a shift in students' career choices after years in which economics and social sciences typically attract a larger share of applicants.

Bui Hoai Thang, head of the Training Office at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology under Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, attributed the trend to a combination of policy support, rapid technological advances and stronger employment prospects.

He said Resolution 57 has raised awareness of the importance of STEM, while the rapid spread of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies has made careers in these fields more attractive to young people.

Another key factor is the Government's new scholarship policy under Decree 179, which took effect on July 15.

The policy provides annual scholarships of between 37 million VND and 55 million VND (1,407-2,091 USD) for outstanding students enrolled in basic sciences, key engineering disciplines and strategic technology programmes.

Eligible students must meet admission score requirements and rank among the top 30% of entrants in their respective fields. The scholarships are renewed annually based on academic performance.

The policy forms part of broader efforts to expand and upgrade Vietnam's STEM workforce as the country seeks to develop capabilities in strategic technologies under Resolution 57.

The Ministry of Education and Training aims to increase the proportion of university students enrolled in STEM disciplines from the current 29% to 35% by 2030.

The ministry said more than 771,000 students are currently studying STEM subjects nationally. It has also approved 90 talent-training programmes at 23 universities to strengthen links between higher education, scientific research and strategic technology development.

About 22,250 students are expected to receive Government scholarships from September this year, with the number projected to rise to around 30,000 in 2027, supported by an annual budget of roughly 1.3 billion VND (50 million USD).

According to Professor Nguyen Van Hieu, vice president of Phenikaa University and rector of Phenikaa School of Engineering, Decree 179 would encourage more talented students to pursue STEM by improving perceptions of science and technology careers and strengthening incentives for high-achieving applicants.

However, experts say scholarships alone would not be enough to build the highly skilled workforce needed for the country's long-term development.

Tran Manh Cuong, vice rector of VNU University of Science, said financial support should be accompanied by greater investment in lecturers, laboratories, research facilities and teaching infrastructure, particularly in fundamental sciences, to ensure universities can produce graduates capable of mastering and developing future technologies.

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