Each year the number of Indian students who aspire to study abroad continues to increase. And for good reason–the terrific career prospects, great education system, and financial aids like scholarships for Indian students make it all the more worthwhile to pursue your education abroad.
To gain entry into these international study destinations, the first step is to be informed about the entrance exams to study abroad. These exams to go abroad, act as a pre-requisite to entering a college or university in a foreign country.
Scoring well in these competitive international entrance programs can be the ticket to getting amazing scholarships. In order to gain a scholarship for Indian students, you do need to perform well in these entrance exams to studying abroad.
There’s a whole long list of international exams that Indian students can selectively appear for if they intend to pursue a specific course. Plus, some of these exams for study abroad with scholarships can land you at your favourite college with a substantial reduction in tuition fees.
You can appear for these exams to go abroad in most cities across India. The most important international exams in India are—the GMAT, LSAT, GRE, IELTS, MCAT, TOEFL, and SAT.
These are crucial for enrollment in universities and colleges in many countries. At times, you’ll need to appear for two of these or other country-specific exams to gain entrance to their universities or colleges. Let’s dive a little deeper to see entrance exams to study abroad that are commonly taken by aspiring Indian students.
International Entrance Exams to Study Abroad
If you wish to study abroad, the process for admission will need you to take a language proficiency exam and one standard competitive exams for going abroad. But, based on the course, country, and college, you are aiming to target, a standardized exam may be optional, but you’ll still need to take a language exam to demonstrate English language competency. But, subject to the course and university, you may also have to provide scores on one standard test like the GMAT or GRE.
Exams To Study Abroad ( Language competency)
As you may already know, language competency tests are a pre-requisite for all universities and other educational institutes across the world. Here are the popularly accepted widely accepted English language exams for foreign studies:
1. TOEFL
TOEFL exam is the commonly accepted exam for universities in Canada and the US. It is one of the most recognized in the list of international exams to study abroad. TOEFL exam aims to test the linguistic proficiency that the candidate has a proficient understanding of the English language necessary to thrive in an academic setting.
Over 8,500 colleges and universities across 120 countries accept its scores. The test is conducted at many centres across India. Globally, more than 25 million people have appeared for the TOEFL test since its origin in 1964.
TOEFL is generally conducted on the weekends, throughout the year.
The TOEFL scores are valid upto 2 years after the declaration of the result. TOEFL is conducted 60 times a year in India. TOEFL for Indian students costs around INR 14,197.
2. IELTS
Another one of the language exams for going abroad is IELTS (International English Language Testing System). It is another among institutionalized English proficiency exams for studying abroad taken by Indian students. All non-native speakers of English who wish to study in English-speaking countries have to take the tests.
The exam is mutually owned by Cambridge English Language Assessment Test, IELTS Australia, as well as British Council. It is accepted by over 9,000 educational institutes across the globe. Moreover, it is also recognized by corporations, governments, and professional entities.
To get into highly esteemed universities and colleges abroad, IELTS is one of the international exams in India for the assessment of the English language of an aspiring candidate. The IELTS is administered in 70 centres spread all over India, about four times every month. IELTS for Indian students costs around INR 15,500.
List of International Exams For Students (Standardized Entrance Exams To Study Abroad)
3. GMAT
Students who wish to get into a Management school or pursue MBA need to appear for GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test), which intends to assess their suitability to enter a business college. A GMAT score within the range of 570-580 is considered average.
But, for admission to top B schools, a minimum score of 700 is essential. A few sections have recently been added—Integrated Reasoning, making the test tougher than before. The GMAT test is conducted across the world in over 500 locations. The slots require advance booking.
The GMAT is one of those international exams for foreign studies that are designed particularly for students who aim to apply for MBA or business management programs. It can closely predict your performance in management classrooms.
The test is targeted at assessing your aptitude and ability, in addition to your knowledge. More than 5,400 programs from over 1,600 institutes in over 100 countries accept GMAT for their selection criteria. GMAT for Indian students costs around INR 20,600. This exam is conducted around the year.
4. GRE
Another commonly used abroad entrance exam is GRE. The GRE (Graduate Record Exam) is for Indian students who wish to apply to grad school in study destinations such as the USA, the UK, Australia, etc.
It is recognized by more than a thousand universities across the globe. GRE can also act as a means of getting a scholarship for Indian students. This exam computes a candidate’s basic skills in reading, math, and essay writing. The test outcomes are sent to grad schools in addition to students’ applications, LOR (letter of recommendation), transcripts, and SOP essays.
It is a selection criterion for graduate courses like degrees in engineering and the sciences, particularly in America. GRE for Indian students costs around INR 15,912. Indian students can appear for GRE three times a year.
5. SAT
The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) test, is conducted for study in universities across the US for undergrad courses. The SAT intends to offer universities one common score factor to evaluate all those students who take it.
The College admissions team will consider the test scores along with your high school percentage/GPA, LOR (letters of recommendation) from teachers, co-curricular activities, your interview performance, etc.
SAT for Indian students costs around INR 7,700. In India, SAT Exam is administered 5 times each year in 30 cities across the country.
6. LSAT
The LSAT is an entrance test administered by the Law School Admission Council for students who want to build a career in Law in the USA, Canada, and Australia. The exam aims to confirm if the applicant would fit in a courtroom setting. It evaluates skills that are crucial for making a career in law.
Each section in the LSAT checks the applicant’s potential in information management and ability to deduce inferences from it, critical thinking capability, comprehension of intricate information, and the ability to analyze the arguments and reasoning of other people.
LSAT is one of those International Entrance Exams conducted twice a year in India. LSAT for Indian students costs around INR 3499.
7. MCAT
MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) is essential for those students who aim to study medicine in the USA. MCAT is a standardized and decisive method of examining Indian students in terms of relevant knowledge and aptitude of those who want to undertake a program pertaining to medicine.
Please note that the MCAT is not conducted in India. However, Indian students are still eligible to take it in neighbouring countries mentioned in the list given by AMCC.
The scores of the MCAT are widely accepted across all medical colleges in Canada and the USA. MCAT for Indian students will cost around INR 25,750.
International Entrance Exams To Study Abroad With Scholarships
Studying abroad is a dream for many students seeking to broaden their horizons, gain a global perspective, and receive a top-notch education. But the price of an overseas education might be very high. Scholarships provide a valuable means of making this dream a reality. Numerous international exams not only evaluate your academic prowess but also offer scholarship opportunities when you score well. Let’s explore some of these exams to study abroad and the scholarships available under each category.
SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test):
1. Fulbright Scholarship: Offered by the United States Department of State, the Fulbright program is one of the most prestigious scholarships for international students.
2. Stanford University’s Knight-Hennessy Scholars: This scholarship covers the cost of attending Stanford University’s graduate programs.
3. Harvard University Scholarships: Harvard offers need-based scholarships for international students who score well on the SAT.
ACT (American College Testing):
1. Yale Young Global Scholars: Yale University offers merit-based scholarships to high-achieving students to attend their summer programs.
2. University of Iowa’s National Scholars Program: This program provides significant financial support to international students based on their ACT scores and achievements.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language):
1. EduBirdie Scholarship: This scholarship is open to international students who excel in the TOEFL exam, offering financial aid for their studies.
2. ETS TOEFL Scholarship Program: ETS, the organization behind TOEFL, provides various scholarships to students worldwide who demonstrate academic excellence.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System):
1. British Council IELTS Scholarship: This scholarship supports high-achieving individuals planning to study abroad and demonstrates excellence in the IELTS exam.
2. IDP IELTS Global Study Award: Open to test-takers who have scored well in the IELTS, this scholarship assists students in pursuing their education abroad.
GRE (Graduate Record Examination):
1. Chevening Scholarships: Funded by the UK government, Chevening Scholarships are available to students worldwide, including those who have achieved high GRE scores.
2. Commonwealth Scholarships: These scholarships are open to citizens of Commonwealth countries who excel in the GRE and are planning to study in the UK.
GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test):
1. Forte Foundation Fellowships: These fellowships support women who have excelled in the GMAT and aspire to pursue an MBA at leading business schools.
2. QS Leadership Scholarship: Offered to students with strong GMAT scores, this scholarship aids in covering tuition costs for postgraduate programs.
Advanced Placement (AP) Exams:
1. Cambridge Trust Scholarships: Open to students who have performed well in AP exams, these scholarships support undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the University of Cambridge.
International Baccalaureate (IB):
1. University of British Columbia’s International Leader of Tomorrow Award: This scholarship is available to international students with exceptional IB results, helping them pursue undergraduate studies in Canada.
These international exams and their associated scholarships can significantly ease the financial burden of studying abroad. Keep in mind that scholarship availability and criteria may change, so it’s essential to stay updated with the latest information and requirements. Success in these exams not only opens the door to quality education but also provides financial assistance to make your international academic journey a reality.
To Sum It Up
These exams to study abroad also serve the purpose of enabling scholarships for student students. Besides the international exams in India mentioned above, there are a dozen other tests that are applicable to different universities in different parts of the world.
Some of these exams to go abroad are not conducted in India but Indian students can still appear for them in other locations prescribed by the bodies conducting the tests.
Although taking these exams to study abroad is a pricey affair, with the average cost ranging between 10,000 to 15000 INR, if you are dedicated to pursuing your studies abroad, it will ultimately will worth it.
