Top 7 International Entrance Exams for Indian Students
Table of Contents
- jaro education
- 20, May 2024
- 10:05 am
In today’s more networked world, with the porosity around the borders increasing and swelling opportunities across the globe for the most ambitious and well-prepared talent, higher education finds large numbers of Indian students. Studying abroad is charming not just because one can go to another country for academic purposes, but charm includes wanting international exposure, an avenue to some of the best institutes worldwide, and a way to broaden one’s horizons through various cultural experiences. In essence, the decision to study abroad is way more than the pursuit of a degree. It is actually an active plunge into another societal context with fresh perspectives and new ways of developing a priceless global mindset at the forefront of a competitive and interconnected job market.
The international journey of education, however, initiates with clearing some entrance examinations that are tailor-made for the requirements of the destination country or institute. These are exams for elite universities and programs to prove the capability of a candidate to be admitted and follow an international academic course in both academic knowledge and language skills.
So, here we are with this all-comprehensive blog post to help Indian students wrap their heads around the nitty-gritty of studying abroad and the top 7 international entrance exams they should consider.
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1. IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) examination, in fact, is one of the accepted proficiency tests for the English language worldwide. It gauges the language competence of persons desiring to study or work where English is used as a language for communication. The test covers four key language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking.
IELTS is managed by the British Council working in a joint venture with IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English. More than 9,000 organizations around the world have recognized the test, ranging from universities to employers, professional bodies, and immigration authorities. There are two types of IELTS tests: Academic and General Training.
The Academic test is for admission to higher education or seeking registration with professional bodies, and the General Training test is normally for migration purposes, seeking entry to Australia, Canada, or the UK, secondary education, training programs, and work experience in an English-speaking environment.
One of the reasons for its popularity is that most universities and institutions, which include the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, accept IELTS scores. It is also taken as one of the visa conditions, particularly with regard to the proof of English proficiency given by an applicant, in most countries, including the UK and Australia. For IELTS test-takers, they need to understand the test format, grasp the scoring system, and prepare thoroughly across all the four skills. A large number of Internet materials are involved in preparing candidates. They represent tests, courses, and examples of tasks to be carried out.
2. TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is the most widely accepted general English language ability test for students who want to enroll in programs taught in English at English-speaking universities. This is globally identified, such as in the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, and many other countries. Therefore, that makes it very important for an international student to take that step.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) iBT (Internet-Based Test) makes up the most common type of TOEFL with four sections. It has been designed to measure an individual’s ability to communicate in an English-speaking academic environment. Sections in this paper measure critical abilities required for individuals to be successful within an academic set-up in effective communication. It includes:
- Reading: Consists of 3-4 passages from academic texts, followed by questions to assess comprehension.
- Listening: Includes lectures and conversations in an academic setting, with questions to test understanding.
- Speaking: Measures the ability to communicate effectively in English in an academic environment through six tasks.
- Writing: Involves two tasks where you write essay responses based on reading, listening, and listening tasks, and also on an independent topic.
The whole test takes around 4.5 hours, and its 4 sections are scored in a 30-point system. That is, in other words, after taking a TOEFL test, a student can get a maximum of 120 points. Scores can be available within four days after the test, and the TOEFL can be retaken as many times as one would like, given that each is at least 12 days apart from the last (ETS).
In most of these institutions, due to many reasons, the TOEFL iBT has become a preferred choice in evaluating academic English skills properly; in essence, it becomes a very critical step for all non-native English speakers pursuing further studies in an English-speaking country.
3. PTE (Pearson Test of English)
The PTE (Pearson Test of English) Academic is a test of the English language that is academic in nature and is delivered on a computer. It assesses the readiness of a non-English native speaker to take part in a program taught at the university level and given in the English language. Widely accepted throughout Australia, the US, the UK, and other countries, PTE Academic focuses on the real-life English language used in academic environments.
The other three key main parts under test format: Speaking & Writing, Reading, and Listening. The skills range from spoken and conversational English to academic English. This type of assessment is broad in its range, meaning that the test taker is guaranteed practice for just about any sort of scenario or demand that could be found within an English-speaking academic environment.
Test results, usually within five days, are effective in getting people who need their English test results quickly. PTE Academic provides great value to students who want to get assessed for real-world, conversational English language along with their academic English language proficiency. This is what sets PTE apart from other English language tests of an academic-oriented nature, such as IELTS and TOEFL.
4. GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a very frequent test and a key step for thousands of candidates admitting to the whole world and, most specifically, to MBA graduate business programs. It is a test of the mentioned abilities, conducted in English, with standard criteria. Accepted globally, a strong GMAT score can easily boost your application and crack wider chances of getting admitted to the elite B-schools, if not the possibilities of scholarship offers.
Over time, the layout of the GMAT examination structure has changed a little, in the direction of better representation of necessary skills for today’s business world. The current GMAT Focus Edition is composed of three major sections:
- Quantitative Reasoning: It covers skills in mathematical and numerical literacy with measures of problem-solving abilities in areas of arithmetic and elementary algebra.
- Verbal Reasoning: This test is designed to measure both your reading comprehension and critical reasoning skills in drawing inferences and conclusions from material provided to you.
- New Section: Data Insights. The next new section will test your ability in interpreting and analyzing data—a skill that is fast gaining importance in the field of business.