Entrance Exams to Study Abroad

With the global market more open and intertwined than ever before, not just the business sector but even education has witnessed an unparalleled boost. With countless programs offering student exchange to universities and colleges opening the doors to their graduate and postgraduate degrees to students worldwide, there is a new global connection between students, mentors, and professors. With books and course material from every known university available online, we are a lucky generation to witness the digital revolution. Further, many students chose to study abroad after completing their secondary education. Pursuing a programme from a renowned international university can open a gateway of opportunities for you to follow your dream career! This blog brings you a list of the different exams to study abroad that you must know while planning to pursue higher education abroad!

Quick Read: Admission Counselling to Study Abroad

List of Exams to Study Abroad

The entrance exams to study overseas can range from standardized tests to language proficiency tests. Take a look at the following table which elucidates the prominent exams to study abroad for different-level programmes and courses:

Program Level	Standardized Test	English Language Proficiency Tests
Undergraduate	SAT/ACT	IELTS/PTE (New Zealand, Australia, UK, Germany, etc.) TOEFL (Canada, US, & generallyCommonwealth countries);  CAE/CPE for the UK
MBA/MiM	GMAT or GRE	IELTS/PTE (New Zealand, Australia, UK, Germany, etc.) TOEFL (Canada, US, & generallyCommonwealth countries);  CAE/CPE for the UK
MS/PhD	GRE	IELTS/PTE (New Zealand, Australia, UK, Germany, etc.) TOEFL (Canada, US, & generallyCommonwealth countries);  CAE/CPE for the UK
Certificate/Diploma	–	IELTS/PTE (New Zealand, Australia, UK, Germany, etc.) TOEFL (Canada, US, & generallyCommonwealth countries);  CAE/CPE for the UK
Medical Courses	MCATNEET (MBBS)	IELTS/PTE (New Zealand, Australia, UK, Germany, etc.) TOEFL (Canada, US, & generallyCommonwealth countries);  CAE/CPE for the UK
Law Courses	LSAT	IELTS/PTE (New Zealand, Australia, UK, Germany, etc.) TOEFL (Canada, US, & generallyCommonwealth countries);  CAE/CPE for the UK

Standardized Entrance Exams to Study Abroad

Let’s explore the varied standardized entrance exams to study abroad that one needs to qualify to apply for an undergraduate or postgraduate programme in varied fields of study:

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)

The Scholastic Aptitude Test i.e. SAT exam is supervised by the College Board of USA. This was introduced way back in 1926, the score awarding system has been changed many times since then. Amongst the prominent exams to study abroad, the SAT is taken by students aspiring to apply for undergraduate degrees abroad. The SAT syllabus comprises of three main sections, i.e. Reading, Writing and Mathematics with an optional essay section. The total duration of the exam is 3 hours and 50 additional minutes are given for those opting for the essay section.

American College Testing (ACT)

The ACT exam also falls under the category of entrance exams to study abroad though it is particularly required for admissions into the undergraduate schools and colleges in the US and Canada. It is conducted by the ACT which is a non-profit body and assesses test-takers on four parameters, i.e. English, Reading, Mathematics and Science.

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)

MCAT is one of the most popular exams to study abroad for Indian medical students. MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) is an online assessment for students wanting to pursue medical studies in Canada, Australia, USA, and the Caribbean Island. The paper is an MCQ one, prepared to test the biological sciences, physical sciences and verbal abilities of the candidate. MCAT takes as long as 7.5 hours to complete. The test is supervised by the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Must Read: Medical Entrance Exams

Law School Admission Test (LSAT)

Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a standardized entrance exam for those who wish to pursue law in colleges and universities abroad. The scores are accepted in numerous colleges of Canada, USA, Australia, etc. It is amongst the major Law entrance exams to study abroad and administered to test the potential candidates on legal aptitude, logical and verbal reasoning. This system of LSAT exists from 1991.

Must Explore: How to Build a Successful Career in Law?

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

One of the exams to study abroad, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is undertaken to get in colleges offering postgraduate degrees to students in various streams abroad. The test encompasses the duration for 3 hours and 45 minutes and tests the verbal, analytical, writing and quantitative reasoning. The syllabus is spread in a manner that all undergraduates can understand and refer to. A popular choice amongst students, the GRE score is valid for five years.

Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is amongst the imperative entrance exams to study abroad and mainly for those applying for MBA programmes. Conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council, the GMAT exam pattern contains 4 main sections, i.e. Analytical Writing Assessment, Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Reasoning and Integrated Reasoning. The total duration of the exam is 3 hours 7 minutes. While GRE scores can also be given for MBA admissions, many business schools prefer GMAT to assess the applications.

Exams for Study Abroad with Scholarship

GRE, GMAT, IELTS, TOEFL are some of the most popular study abroad exams. Exceptional performance in these Exams can help students get financial assistance such as scholarships. Many universities look for the performance of the applicant in these Exams and automatically consider them for scholarships. The scholarship amount varies for different universities and countries. The scholarship may cover full/partial tuition fee to make it affordable for academically excellent students who wish to study abroad.

Language Proficiency Exams

Along with the standardized tests, you will also be required to provide English language proficiency scores if you are from a country where English is not the official language. Here are the major language proficiency exams to study abroad:

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is one of the major English proficiency tests that students wishing to study or even work abroad have to undertake. This examination is a must for candidates who do not have English as their native language. It is a prominent one in our list of exams to study abroad and this assessment began in 1989 with the IELTS now being accepted in most of the major countries in the world.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

Another English language proficiency test that you can take is TOEFL, i.e. Test of English as a Foreign Language. One of the most popular exams to study abroad, TOEFL is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). It is also widely accepted by universities across the globe and the TOEFL syllabus is quite similar to IELTS as it also consists of Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing section.

Pearson Test of English (PTE)

Pearson Test of English (PTE) is another widely accepted language proficiency exams to study or work abroad. There are two main types of PTE exams, i.e. PTE Academic and PTE General and are completely different from each other in terms of pattern and structure. PTE Academic is mainly taken to apply for a study programme abroad and the duration of this computer-based exam is 3 hours. As a multi-level test, it evaluates the reading, speaking and listening skills of the test-takers. On the other hand, PTE General is created to reward excellent achievements in English language learning and consists of only two sections, namely written and spoken test.

Know All About PTE Exam Pattern

Exams to Study Abroad after 10th

It is always recommended to go abroad for higher studies after completion of your school education. However, students can go to Singapore after pursuing their class X. As many colleges and universities abroad have a general admission criteria that you must have completed 18 years of age and a guardian should accompany the student to take his/her care.

Exams to Study Abroad after 12th

If students have a clear vision and goal to pursue their higher education abroad right after 12th then they must start preparing for exams like SAT, ACT, LSAT, IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE from the very beginning. These exams will help them to pursue their course that they want to from the top universities across the globe. Having said that, the choice of exam being accepted will always depend on the program or course, on universities/ colleges and of course on the country as well. 

FAQs

Thus, we hope that the aforementioned exams to study abroad helped you gain clarity about which entrance test you must undertake to apply for your chosen course abroad. We at Leverage Edu provide the correct guidance not just about how to approach the examination, but also, which examination and the careers that suit you. Sign up for an e-meeting with our experts and we will help you sort out the admission process for your chosen programme abroad!