Almost every study abroad application involves at least one standardised test, and often two. Entrance exams for studying abroad are not one fixed list, the confusing part is working out which ones a specific programme actually requires, since no single list applies everywhere. This post covers the main exams, why the requirement changes by destination, and the real ways a test can sometimes be waived.

Entrance Exams for Studying Abroad: The Two Kinds You Will Run Into

Almost every requirement falls into one of two categories. English proficiency tests measure whether you can study in English, and are required by most English-medium destinations regardless of your field. Subject or aptitude tests measure readiness for a specific type of programme, general graduate study, business school, law, or medicine, and are required by some programmes and not others, often depending on the country and the level of study.

Validity figures for IELTS, TOEFL, and Duolingo reflect each test owner's own published guidance; the GRE figure is from ETS, the test's administrator, checked 28 July 2026. Where a figure is not shown, confirm current fees, format, and validity directly on the test owner's own official site, since these details are not published by any single government source and change from time to time.

English Proficiency Tests: IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, and Duolingo

These four cover the large majority of English-medium destinations between them, though which ones a specific university accepts varies. According to IELTS's own published guidance, a score is conventionally treated as valid for two years from the test date, a convention TOEFL follows as well. The Duolingo English Test has grown into a genuine alternative at many institutions, largely because it can be taken online at short notice, which matters if a deadline is close. PTE Academic is accepted at a wide range of universities too, though it is worth confirming acceptance for your specific programme before you commit to it over the others, since not every institution treats all four as interchangeable.

Graduate and Subject-Specific Admission Tests

Beyond English, some programmes add a subject or aptitude test. The GRE General Test is the most broadly used, accepted across many fields and countries for Master's and PhD applications, and reportable for five years from the test date according to ETS, its administrator, which gives you considerably more flexibility than an English test does. The GMAT serves a similar role specifically for MBA and management programmes. Undergraduate applicants to US institutions may need the SAT or ACT. Law and medical programmes, particularly in the US, commonly add the LSAT or MCAT respectively. None of these are universal requirements outside their typical fields, and a growing number of graduate programmes, particularly in business and some sciences, have moved to make the GRE or GMAT optional in recent years, so it is genuinely worth checking each programme's current policy rather than assuming a test is mandatory.

Why Requirements Differ by Country and by University

There is no global standard body that sets a common exam list, which is exactly why the same student can face completely different requirements for two programmes in two countries, or even two programmes at the same university. A country's immigration authority may set its own separate English requirement for the visa, distinct from whatever the university itself asks for as part of admission, which means clearing one does not automatically clear the other. Always check both the university's admissions page and the destination's own visa guidance, rather than assuming the two are the same.

When You Might Be Exempt from a Test

Exemptions are real, but they are set by individual institutions and immigration authorities, not by a single universal rule, so always confirm your specific situation rather than assuming an exemption applies.

The UK offers a clear, well-documented example of how layered these exemptions can get. For a Student visa specifically, GOV.UK's own guidance allows English proficiency to be shown either by passing an approved Secure English Language Test, or by holding a degree that was taught in English and assessed by Ecctis, formerly UK NARIC, as equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or above. India is not on the UK's list of nationalities exempted by passport alone, but an Indian applicant with a prior degree taught in English can still avoid sitting a fresh English test for the visa through the Ecctis route, entirely separate from whatever the university itself decides to ask for at the admissions stage.

How to Prepare and Time Your Tests

Confirm your shortlist's actual requirements before you book anything; there is little point preparing for a test a programme does not need. Once you know what is required, book the test early enough that a lower-than-expected score still leaves time for a retake, but not so early that a two-year validity window expires before your visa is assessed. Structured preparation over several weeks, rather than a last-minute cram, tends to produce steadier results for both English and subject tests, since both reward familiarity with the format as much as raw ability. The step-by-step application guide on this portal places test timing within the full process if you want to see how it fits against applications, financing, and the visa. You can compare exact entry requirements across the country guides and programme guides on this portal, and use the guided journey here once you know which tests you actually need.