Hanoi-Amsterdam High School is one of the four regional magnet schools in Hanoi, Vietnam. It is regarded as one of the most prestigious high schools in Vietnam.
History
In 1972, as the Vietnam War was in one of its most brutal periods, Hanoi was under heavy bombardment by the US Air Force. Dr. I. Samkalden, the mayor of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, started a campaign to mobilize his people to donate for the establishment of a high school in Hanoi to express their support to the citizens of Hanoi. The result of this campaign was the founding of Hanoi – Amsterdam High School. September 5, 1985, marked the official commencement of the first school year at Hanoi – Amsterdam High School. In its first year, the school accepted gifted students specializing in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Literature from other schools in Hanoi. The school subsequently over time gained reputation as a premier education hub in Hanoi for its selectivity and dynamic student body, having nurtured several generations of high-accomplishing alumnae in diverse fields locally and abroad. For its achievements, the school received the 3rd degree Labor Decoration, the 2nd degree Labor Decoration, the 1st degree Labor Decoration, and the title of Hero of Labor from the Vietnamese government. In 2010, the school's was relocated to a new campus at Hoang Minh Giam street in commemoration of Millennial Anniversary of Hanoi.
There are 20 Preparatory classes for students of grades 6 to 9. Each year, the school selects gifted students from elementary schools based on competitive examinations. Out of approximately 4,000 students, the top 200 scorers are accepted, marking the acceptance rate as low as 5%. These students enjoy the same education standards and are taught by the same faculty as their peers at the high school level. Throughout their 6th and 7th grade, students will get to enroll in one academic club which does not affect their GPA. As of 2012, students can decide between Mathematics in English, Elementary Chinese, Football, Basketball, and Tennis. Students will also take quality-check exams periodically to later re-determine which class they will be in their 8th and 9th grade. As of 2014, there are two "tracks" for students to choose from: Natural Sciences and Social Sciences & Humanities. Regardless of the track they choose, students can enroll in any "academic club" the school offers, which by this point consists of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English, and Literature. 8th- and 9th-grade students can choose to compete in the Hanoi Middle School Academic Competition. Averaging at 20 students per subject, competing teams will take one test at the regional level and one test at the municipal level against teams from other districts. Students from Hanoi-Amsterdam High School are known to perform exceedingly well, often winning multiple First Prizes and top scorers in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English, and Computer Science. The selection process is very rigorous and is also known to prepare students for their high school entrance exams.
High School Level
Students are specialized in one of the 12 following subject areas: Literature, Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Russian, English, French, Chinese, Geography, and History. Admission is based on the city-wide High School Entrance Examination conducted by the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, with another 90-minute examination on basic English proficiency and additional advanced-level papers in the applicant's intended major. There are a total number of 5 exams taken in 3 consecutive days. The acceptance rate is often as low as 3% for the more selective classes such as English, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. Because of the competitive nature, these majors have two classes. All students have to take two quality-check tests in their 10th grade, the results of which, when combined with their GPA for the major, can re-determine which class the student is in, in their 11th and 12th grade. There is no difference between the two classes in the first year of studies, but only the students who are in the first class are eligible to compete in the municipal, national, and international academic competitions. The French major has a Bilingual class wherein certain subjects are taught in French. All classes study from 7:30AM to 12PM from Monday to Saturday, with most classes having afternoon seminars for 2 hours, twice per week. Students are required to present from good to excellent study results in all thirteen subjects in order to remain at the school and are encouraged to explore their specialized subjects in-depth, with opportunities to take part in national and international competitions. After three years, most students enter their favorite universities, many of which are abroad.
Dual degree program
Starting in the 2018-2019 academic year, the school has agreed with the Ministry of Education to open two more classes for the Dual Degree program. On top of the curriculum as described above, students in the Middle School Level will study with the GCSE curriculum, while those in the High School Level will study for the GCE Advanced Level. These students do not have to take quality-check tests and participate in extracurricular activities as much as the rest of the school.
Results
In the school year 2004−05
Graduation exam:
Specialized classes: 100% graduated
Extension classes: 98% graduated
National collegiate entrance examination: 98% passed
Campus
Academic Facilities
The current campus features:
Three academic wings with a total of 45 classrooms
