Vietnamese degree classifications: Xuất sắc, Giỏi, Khá
What each one means, and the rule that can quietly reduce it.
Quick answer: Vietnamese degrees are classified Xuất sắc (3.60–4.00), Giỏi (3.20–3.59), Khá (2.50–3.19) or Trung bình (2.00–2.49). But a classification of Xuất sắc or Giỏi is reduced by one level if retaken coursework exceeded 5% of the programme, or the student was disciplined at warning level or above.
The four classifications
Vietnamese degree classification is set by regulation and published in both scales, so a university on either system uses the same names.
| Classification | English | 4-point GPA | 10-point average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xuất sắc | Outstanding | 3.60 – 4.00 | 9.00 – 10.0 |
| Giỏi | Very good | 3.20 – 3.59 | 8.00 – 8.99 |
| Khá | Good | 2.50 – 3.19 | 7.00 – 7.99 |
| Trung bình | Average | 2.00 – 2.49 | 5.00 – 6.99 |
| Yếu | Weak | 1.00 – 1.99 | 4.00 – 4.99 |
| Kém | Poor | below 1.00 | below 4.00 |
Graduation requires a cumulative average of at least 2.00 on the 4-point scale, or 5.00 on the 10-point scale. So Trung bình is the lowest classification a graduate can hold; Yếu and Kém describe students who have not met the threshold.
These thresholds have not changed since 2007
Decision 43/2007 Article 28 set exactly the same four bands — 3.60, 3.20, 2.50 and 2.00 — and Circular 08/2021 carries them forward, adding only the Yếu and Kém levels below the pass mark. The 2026 draft replacement keeps them again. A classification on a Vietnamese degree means the same thing whether it was awarded in 2008 or 2025.
★ The rule that catches people out: a classification can be downgraded
This is the part almost no summary mentions. Under Circular 08/2021, a graduate whose cumulative average reaches Xuất sắc or Giỏi has that classification reduced by one level if either of the following applies:
- the volume of coursework they had to retake exceeds 5% of the total credits for the programme; or
- they were subject to disciplinary action at warning level or above during their studies.
So a student with a 3.7 average and too many retakes graduates Giỏi, not Xuất sắc — and the transcript will show a classification that looks inconsistent with the GPA beside it. That is not an error.
The rule is unchanged from Decision 43/2007 Article 28 §2. The 2026 draft would loosen it: the retake threshold moves from 5% to 10%, and a new ground is added for breaches of academic integrity.
Only the top two are at risk
The downgrade applies only to Xuất sắc and Giỏi. A Khá or Trung bình classification is not reduced, however many retakes are involved. That is worth knowing when a transcript shows heavy retaking alongside a mid-range classification — nothing has been applied.
Do not confuse these with school grades
Vietnamese secondary schools stopped using Xuất sắc / Giỏi / Khá in 2021. School reports now use Tốt, Khá, Đạt and Chưa đạt under Circular 22/2021, where Xuất sắc and Giỏi survive only as end-of-year awards. See Vietnamese school grades. The classifications on this page apply to university degrees only.
Sources
- Circular 08/2021/TT-BGDĐT — current university regulation, effective 3 May 2021.
- Decision 43/2007/QĐ-BGDĐT — the predecessor, governing pre-May-2021 intakes. Read in full.
- Draft replacement regulation (2026) — Government Portal. A draft, not law.
- EducationUSA Vietnam — Basic Information on Grading in Vietnam (US Embassy Hanoi, 2025).
The official transcript issued by the institution is always the authoritative record.