Training

International Entrance Exams to Study Overseas

Some of the exams you may have to take to study abroad include IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, and the latest addition Duolingo. TOEFL, IELTS, PTE and Duolingo are language tests while GRE is a general standardised test.
TOEFL
Test of English as a Foreign Language or TOEFL is one of the most popular English proficiency exams and is accepted in various countries across the globe. The TOEFL test is conducted by ETS (Educational Testing Services) and is responsible for setting up questions, managing the test and sending the scorecard of each examinee. After the pandemic, this exam can also be taken from your homes. TOEFL Essential Test is also launched by ETS which is a shorter yet equally effective version of TOEFL. More than 11,000 universities and institutions across the globe accept this exam. Registration for this exam is available any and every time of the day. You can choose between Internet-based and Paper-based examinations. TOEFL iBT fee is US $185 whereas TOEFL Paper-based test fee is US $180 for India. The exam has four sections namely Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing with scores ranging from 0 – 30 in each section. To appear for the exam, there is no such age criteria or education qualification required.
IELTS
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is an English language exam taken up by students who wish to study abroad. This examination is accepted in various countries including the UK, Australia, the USA and Canada. In the year 2018, the number of people giving IELTS grew to 3.5 million. One hundred percent of universities in the UK and Australia accept this examination. The IELTS exam tests the listening, reading, speaking and writing skills of a person. IDP Education Australia, British Council, and Cambridge English Language Assessment jointly own and conduct this exam. This test is also available to be given by the students at their homes. IELTS is also approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). IELTS fee is ₹14,700 for registrations from 11th-July-2021. The score ranges from 1 to 9 1 being the lowest and 9 being the highest. The IELTS exam is available to people of different gender, race, nationality or religion but is not recommended for people under the age of 16.
PTE
The Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) is a computer-based English language test that tests students on the basis of day-to-day English. This examination is also accepted by educational institutes around the globe. Since this test is conducted online, the test results are available typically in 2 days. The test lasts for three hours and follows a multi-level grading system. Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking skills are all evaluated in this examination. Two skills like reading and speaking or listening and reading are tested together in the PTE Academic exam. A unit of Pearson PLC Group is responsible for conducting the Pearson Language Tests. PTE exam fee is INR 13,300 with mode of examinations being online. A student must be at least 16 years old on the day of appearing for the exam. A parental consent form is required for the students below 18 years of age. You can book a PTE exam within 48 hours of the PTE test date with a PTE Late Booking Fee of Rs. 13,965.
Duolingo
The Duolingo exam can be taken by the candidates on their personal computers. Just like TOEFL, IELTS and PTE, Duolingo also tests students based on the skills namely, Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. This is an adaptive test where the next question gets difficult after right answers and easy after wrong answers. This is a one hour long test where students can get results within 2 days. More than 100 institutes accept the score of Duolingo with the majority being undergraduate programs in the US. The test can be taken from home and therefore some strict rules are required to be followed. There must be no one else in the room except you. Navigating from the browser is not allowed during the test and nobody should be talking to you. The duration of the Adaptive test is 45 minutes and video interview is 10 minutes. The score is measured on a scale of 10-160. More than 120 is required to obtain top programs. It costs only $49 to receive your scores.
GRE
Conducted by Educational Testing Service (ETS), GRE General Test is a major exam taken up by students for graduate admissions. GRE or the Graduate Record Examinations is taken by more than half a million individuals every year across 160 countries. The score is accepted for masters and doctorate degrees around the globe. Merit-based scholarship for grad school can be secured depending on the score received in GRE. The test is available throughout the year. You can appear in the GRE General Test to seek admission in various MS courses in the US and other countries. Analytical writing, quantitative ability and verbal reasoning skills of a candidate are evaluated with this test. Some specialised courses may require you to appear for GRE Subject Tests. The GRE General Test is three hours and 45 minutes long and the GRE Subject Test is two hours and 50 minutes. GRE General Test fee is US $213 for students registering from India. GRE Subject Registration free is US $150 around the world.