Types of Entrance Exams for Students
Entrance exams play a pivotal role in this journey, typically categorized into English Language tests and technical exams designed for specific fields of higher education. The English language tests are obligatory for international students, varying based on the chosen course. Below, we have compiled essential information on some of the most significant entrance exams to guide you.
English Language Entrance Exams
English is one of the most used and common languages in the international education system. Convincing your institution that you will be comfortable with the English medium of education is very important. To achieve the confidence of the admission council of the respective institutions, all you need to do is clear exams like IELTS and TOEFL. These exams present the competency level of a student in the combination of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and understanding. The English language tests conducted by organisations like the British Council are the first and most crucial step towards the study abroad goal. There are different exams to test the proficiency of students in the language. Let us find out more about them!
1. IELTS
For 30 years, 4M+ students globally have taken the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Started in 1989, this English Language Test transformed to be the most widely accepted and trusted exam across leading countries like the USA, Germany, the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. The IELTS scorecard is the quickest solution to your ambition of studying in top-tier institutions like the University of Oxford, Cambridge University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Ludwig Maxmuller University, among others. Additionally, IELTS is valuable for immigration during overseas studies, with a minimum age requirement of 16 years.
IELTS is one of the most flexible English language tests alongside being one of the most accepted. A candidate can take multiple IELTS tests with no mandatory cooling-off period in between the attempts. However, you will need to pay a fee of approximately $200 for both online and offline IELTS entrance exams.
2. TOEFL
Apart from being one of the most diversified, the Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is also one of the most sought-after exams in the world. Since its inception in 1962, TOEFL went out to become a reliable benchmark of English language evaluation by top countries across 10K+ universities across the globe. The entrance exam was formed out of concern of the private sector and the government about non-native students willing to study in top universities in the USA, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Ireland. TOEFL can get you into top institutions, which attract more than 7 M+ students across popular courses such as nursing, architecture, psychology, and hospitality, among others.
Eligibility criteria for TOEFL include the completion of 10+2 levels of education. Furthermore, there are 5 types of TOEFL tests you can go for based on the requirements, viz. TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Essentials, TOEFL ITP Assessment Series, TOEFL Junior, and TOEFL Primary. The efforts required to clear the entrance exam are high; however, with all the information at your disposal, it will be easier than ever.
Technical Exams
Higher education abroad is very rewarding and leads a sheer number of students beyond their country. However, seeking education in top-ranking universities requires a lot of preparation, and entrance exams are a segment of this process. Apart from language proficiency, students aiming to study in top countries must also take other entrance exams. The entrance exams for various programs include the GRE, GMAT, and SAT. We will be looking further into the most important entrance exams in the sections below.
1. GRE
You might be ready to take admission to a business school, take up a futuristic course in MSc Artificial Intelligence, or maybe at a stage of exploring options. Each year, 3.10 lakh candidates appear for the exam in the USA alone, with 47% of candidates being women. A total of 31% of candidates are US citizens, and 69% of candidates are non-US citizens. The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is the key which will lead you to the corridors of the top 1.3K+ business schools and 80+ law schools spread across 90+ countries.
The GRE scorecard is accepted by top countries like the USA, Canada, the UK, Germany, India, France, Ireland, Japan, the Czech Republic, Hong Kong, China, Sweden, Denmark, and Australia, among the leading countries in global education. GRE is a test that helps you present your expertise in Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. GRE has no eligibility criteria, allowing anyone aspiring to higher education in prestigious global institutions to take the test.
2. GMAT
A total of 7.7K courses in 2.4K top-ranking universities spread across 110 countries accept GMAT as an entrance exam to business and management schools. The Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT) is an international entrance exam required in top countries like the USA and the UK. Top management institutes like Harvard Business School and Yale School of Management in the USA, London School of Business in the UK and many more depend on the GMAT scores during the admission process. The test is divided into four parts, including verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, integrated reasoning and the analytical writing assessment or the AWA. If you are planning to go for an MBA program, GMAT is the answer. However, you will have to be 18 years or above to sit for the top management entrance exam.
3. SAT
Founded in 1926, the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) transformed to become the standard competency test for undergraduate courses. At present, the technical entrance exam is accepted by 80+ countries, with Japan, Mexico, Singapore, UAE, Malaysia, India, the US and Canada on the list. SAT scores are considered by 4K+ top universities like Yale University, Princeton University, and Stanford University. Each year, 4M+ candidates appear for the SAT entrance exam across 7K+ test centres in 170+ countries. The SAT is designed to test a student’s overall ability to earn a degree successfully.
The entrance exam for higher studies is divided into language tests, reading tests, writing tests and math tests. To study programs related to technology, nursing, education, accounting, psychology and hospitality in the countries mentioned above, the SAT scorecard with an eligible score range of 1000 to 1200 is required. The duration of 3 hours is awarded to the candidates to complete the exam. Thus, a herculean exam preparation plan must be considered to crush the entrance exams. If you are thinking of the qualifying criteria to sit for the entrance exam, you just need to present your 12th marksheet.
