These entrance tests are your gateways to going abroad

To be eligible to study in any country outside India, one must write an English test. These tests consist of four modules: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The test evaluates the language proficiency of candidates who aspire to study in English-speaking countries.

The popular tests are:

IELTS Academic (www.ielts.org)

IELTS UKVI (For all pathway and foundation programs)

TOEFL IBT (www.ets.org)

DUO LINGO (www.englishtest.duolingo.com)

PEARSON (www.pearsonpte.com)

While most countries accept any of the above tests, the preferred test by UK universities is the IELTS.

Tests for undergraduate
programmes:

LNAT: for pursuing Law in the UK (www.lnat.ac.uk): A consortium of UK universities developed LNAT to assess a candidate’s potential to study law at the undergraduate level. The LNAT tests aptitude, verbal reasoning, comprehension, interpretation, analysis, synthesis, induction, and deduction.

LSAT: for Law in the US and Canada (www.lsac.org/lsat): The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a standardized test measuring logical and verbal reasoning skills.

SAT and SAT subject tests for the US, Canada, and Singapore (www.collegeboard.com ): The Scholastic Assessment Test is a standardised college admissions test measuring verbal, mathematical, and writing skills. Subject tests are content-based tests that allow you to showcase achievement in specific subject areas where you excel.

AP tests for US (www.collegeboard.com): Advanced Placements exams can be taken by students who wish to earn college credits.

Oxford and Cambridge have their entrance exams (www.admissiontesting.org). UCAT (formerly UKCAT) is to gain entry into medical schools in UK. While the BMAT for Biomedical Sciences in the UK and TMUA for mathematics and economics in the UK were mandatory until this year, they may be waived in 2024.

Tests for graduate programmes

GRE for Engineering and Science programmes in the US, Canada, Europe, and Singapore (www.ets.org): The Graduate Record Examination GRE is the most widely accepted graduate admissions test worldwide. The test measures students on verbal, quantitative and analytical writing skills.

GMAT for MBA programmes worldwide (www.mba.com ): The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a computer adaptive test that assesses reasoning, critical thinking, analytical, quantitative, and verbal skills to succeed academically in graduate business studies. Business schools commonly use the test as one of the many selection criteria for admission into an MBA program.

GAMSAT exam for graduate medical programmes in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Ireland (www.gamsat.acer.org): The Graduate Medical School Admissions Test, commonly known as the GAMSAT, is a test used to select candidates applying to study medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, and veterinary science.

MCAT for graduate medical programmes in the US and Canada (www.aamc.org): The Medical College Admission Test is a computer-based standardised examination for prospective medical students. It is designed to assess problem-solving, critical thinking, written analysis and knowledge of scientific concepts and principles.

Take these entrance exams even if the university you are applying to says it is not mandatory to take them. The exam will strengthen your application, give you college credits and qualify you for scholarships. These are not very difficult exams. You must work on a few practice papers on the respective portals.