A common question when looking for a foreign education is what entrance exams to study abroad must one sit for. Some of the most popular, and most important international entrance exams to study abroad include the SAT, UCAT, LSAT, GMAT, GRE, IELTS and the TOEFL. The language exams show your English proficiency skills. Different countries give preference to one language exam to study abroad over others. The best part is that some of these exams are required to study abroad with scholarships.

SAT

SAT stands for ‘Scholastic Assessment test’ . SAT is globally recognized as a college admission test. It predominantly evaluates the written, verbal and mathematical skills of candidates. SAT is necessary for applicants to undergraduate courses, particularly in the US and Canada. Quite a number of universities in the UK consider SAT scores. To be able to compare all applicants based on a common data point is the main purpose of the SAT.

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LSAT

Law School Admission Test, a graduate exam, is taken by students applying to law schools in countries like the USA, Canada, etc. The exam is designed to check if one is made for the courtroom. It is an important measure of skills that are considered important for a career in law. Different sections of the exam evaluate one’s abilities of managing information, drawing inferences from it, thinking critically, comprehending complex texts and evaluating the reasoning and arguments of others.

TOEFL

TOEFL refers to the Test of English as a Foreign Language.It is a valid and reliable test with unbiased, objective scoring. Hence, the TOEFL test confirms that a student has the English language skills that are needed to achieve academic success. TOEFL score is accepted by more than 8,500 colleges, universities, and agencies in 130 countries. It is administered at more than 4,500 test centres in 180 countries. One’s TOEFL scores are valid until two years after the declaration of one’s result.

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GRE

The GRE or Graduate Record Exam is taken by students who want to apply to graduate school in countries like the USA, the UK, Australia, etc. It is accepted by thousands of universities around the world. This exam is used as a measure of a student’s basic abilities in math, reading and essay writing. Generally, a 75th percentile is considered a pretty good GRE score. As for the near best, a 90th percentile is an excellent one. The test can be taken once every 21 days, that too, up to 5 times within any continuous rolling 12-month period (365 days). It might seem too good to be true but, this applies even if your scores were cancelled on a test taken previously.

IELTS

IELTS or International English Language Testing System, is a standardised English proficiency examination taken by non-native speakers going to English speaking countries to study, work or live. It is recognized and accepted by more than 9,000 organizations all around the world, including educational institutions, employers, governments and professional bodies. There are two types of IELTS examinations that serve different purposes: Academic and General.

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GMAT

The GMAT stands for Graduate Management Admission Test. This exam to study abroad is specifically designed for those students wanting to apply for MBA or business management graduate programs. In today’s graduate management classrooms, it is a valid and reliable predictor of your academic performance. The skills needed in business & management such as problem-solving, critical & logical reasoning, analytical writing etc are tested. Over 5,400 programs offered by more than 1,500 institutions in over 110 countries use the GMAT as part of the selection criteria. It is acknowledged and accepted by countries like India, UK, US, Canada, Australia etc. If you are wondering about the average GMAT scores, they are in the range of 570-580. In order to be selected by top schools, a score of at least 700 is required.

UCAT

Appearing for the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is compulsory for getting into medicine in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The UCAT test assesses problem-solving, critical thinking and writing skills. A student’s knowledge of scientific concepts and principles which are a must for the study of medicine are also tested.

Now you know the most important exams to study abroad. If you want to know more about study abroad, you can visit our free resourses for study page.