Do you want to study abroad?

Here are 5 Standardized Tests you must know!

As aspiring students, we all keep doing our bit of research about the top study destinations and the requirements to get into them. IELTS, TOEFL, SAT, etc. are terms which confuse students and parents alike.

To clear all doubts, here we have listed the 5 international Tests that are generally taken by students aspiring to study abroad.

Based on the analysis of data from UNESCO Institute of Statistics, the total number of Indian students studying abroad increased from about 66,000 in 2000 to more than 3,00,000 in 2016. In the present scenario, a rising number of students, not just from the metropolitan cities but also from smaller towns and even villages are aspiring to look for avenues to study abroad. However, one needs to understand that the very process of flying overseas to study is a tedious one. Apart from the various passport, Visa, study, work permit and immigration complexities, a student has to prepare for various exams to be merely eligible for getting into the university or college and course he/she aspires for.

IELTS

One of the most commonly required tests either for foreign college admission or student visa or both, is the IELTS.

IELTS is a standardised test to measure the language proficiency of people. It is designed especially for people intending to migrate to Canada or Australia, and for students wishing to pursue an undergraduate course from an English speaking country.

Purpose:

• To study or work in countries where English is the main medium of communication
• Governments in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom use IELTS to process immigration/ applications. In fact, IELTS tests are now one of only two exams included on the UK government list of Secure English Language Tests (SELTs)

Recognition: IELTS is recognised by more than 9,000 organisations worldwide, including educational institutions, companies, governments, immigration authorities and professional bodies.

Validity of score: Valid for 2 years

Fee: Fee for taking the exam in India is Rs 13250 (revised with effect from April 1, 2019)

TOEFL

The TOEFL is another language proficiency test. However, this one is accepted more in the USA

TOEFL is a standardised test to judge one’s English language abilities, generally taken as a requirement by colleges in the USA for admission purposes.

Purpose:

• Mostly taken by non-native speakers of the language looking to enroll in foreign universities, especially in the USA
• A few immigration departments might use the score to issue residential and work visas as well

Recognition: More than 9000 colleges in 130 countries accept TOEFL scores, including the top 100 in the USA.

Validity of score: Valid for 2 years.

Fee: The fees for taking the test in India is approximately $180

SAT

The SAT is a standard test used mostly by the universities and colleges in the USA to offer admission for their courses to students who wish to study in their country.

SAT assesses a student’s academic readiness for university/ college to enroll in under-graduation courses by testing the student’s knowledge of reading, writing and mathematics. However, there are SAT Tests for Subject requirements also.

Purpose: Entrance exam used by most colleges and universities in the US, some of the top colleges in Canada, as well as some other countries (though it may not be one of the requirements) to select students for admissions to undergraduate courses.

Recognition: Accepted by most universities and colleges in the USA. However, there are colleges in the USA which do not require the SAT as a standard requirement.

Validity of score: 5 years

Fee: The basic fee for the exam is $52, but it varies based on the country of the applicant. For Indian applicants, the fee for SAT comes out to be approximately $106 (with essay), and $94 (without essay). In INR, the SAT exam fee is around 6200-7000 INR.

More information: Students must aim for a score of 1450/1600 at least in order to get into a good college in the US. However, the top universities ask for at least 1550/1600.

You can take the exam as many times as you wish, except that some colleges judge you by the score in all of your attempts.

GMAT

GMAT is a standardized Test for MBA courses

The GMAT exam assesses analytical writing and problem-solving abilities with logic and critical reasoning skills that are important in real-world business and management success.

Purpose: Admission to Graduate management programme such as MBA.

Recognized by: Accepted by more than 2,000 institutions and universities located in 115 countries for over 6,000 business and management programs worldwide

Validity of score: Up to 5 years, though a few universities have their own validity criteria.

Fee: Taking a GMAT exam costs US $250 worldwide. If any candidate wishes to reschedule the exam, they need to pay an additional fee of US $50. The GMAT Cancellation Fee is US $80.

More information: Candidates will be able to view their Official Score Report online using their date of birth to authenticate their access.

NOTE: Both GRE and GMAT can be used for taking admission in management schools, so one needs to look into the details of both the exams to see which is more suitable for the candidate. One can even convert their GRE score to GMAT online through ETS, if need be.

GRE

The GRE is another standardized Test for students to enter a university of Post Graduation or Master’s Degree. The GRE revised General Test is taken for a doctoral degree.

The GRE is for prospective graduate and business school applicants from all around the world who are interested in pursuing a Master’s degree, post graduation, MBA, specialised Master’s degree in business or doctoral degree take the GRE revised General Test.

Purpose: GRE is generally required by universities in North America (USA and Canada). At times, it can be a mere admission formality or a selection criterion for jobs as well.

Recognised by: The GRE is generally accepted by universities in North America (USA and Canada).

Validity of score: 5 years after testing year.

Fee: The registration fee to take the GRE is $205. This is cheaper than the $250 fee that students have to pay for GMAT. The ETS is also willing to be flexible on the GRE test fee for students who can prove their financial hardship. There are extra charges ($50) if you want to change your center or reschedule the test.