Applicants around the world every year try their hand at the entrance tests required for admission to the university. To bilaterally facilitate the admission process, many international educational institutions have abolished internal entrance tests and accept certificates of tests for knowledge of English or another language, as well as academic subjects.
Overview of Six Standard Language Tests
| Exam | IELTS | TOEFL | Cambridge exams | BEC | PTE Academic | TOEIC |
| Prevalence | 57.6% | 27.4% | 4.7% | 5.6% | 2.7% | 2% |
| Price | 245 $ - 430 $ | 180 $ – 260 $ | 130 $ – 300 $ | 60 + $ | 200 $ – 250 $ | 130 + $ |
| Duration | 225 minutes | 270 minutes | 70 – 235 minutes | 140–180 minutes | 170 minutes | 230 minutes |
| Regularity | 48 per year | > 50 per year | ~ 1 per month | ~ 6 per year | ~ 1 per month | ~ 1 per month |
| Check time | 13 days | 13 days | 2–9 weeks | 5–9 weeks | 1-5 days | 3-4 weeks |
| Validity | 2 years | 2 years | Indefinitely | Indefinitely | Indefinitely | 2 years |
| Location | 140 countries | 165 countries | 130 countries | 130 countries | 50 countries | 150 countries |
| Level | A0 – C2 | A1 – C2 | A1 – C2 | A2 – C2 | A1 – C2 | A1 – C1 |
| Admission to the University | + | + | + | - | + | MBA |
| Employment | - | - | + | + | + | + |
| Format | Academic General education | Internet based
Paper-delivered | Paper-based
Computer-based | Paper-based
Computer-based | Computer-based | Paper-based |
| Year of foundation | 1980 | 1964 | 1913 | 1993 | 2009 | 1979 |
IELTS - International English Language Testing System
IELTS - the most popular system that checks the level of knowledge of English; its results are recognized in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. For almost 3 hours, applicants must overcome the following steps:
- listening,
- speaking,
- reading,
- writing.
Tasks vary depending on the goals for which the candidate passes the test:
- Academic - for applicants to educational institutions where they teach in English;
- General Education - for immigration candidates.
Testing is carried out by 500 certified centers located in 121 countries. The results are evaluated on a scale from 0 to 9 points and remain relevant for 2 years. More than 6,000 public and private educational institutions recognize the IELTS certificate, including most universities in the countries of the British Commonwealth.
TOEFL - Test Of English as a Foreign Language
TOEFL - designed specifically for foreign citizens for whom English is not a native language. TOEFL is required for admission to universities located in non-English speaking countries, but is also widespread in the United States and Canada. Among educational institutions, it is as popular as IELTS, it is in demand by business structures, research centers and is perhaps the most common test of English proficiency.
The maximum number of points is 120. This is the total number of points earned during the stages:
- reading,
- listening comprehension,
- writing,
- ability to conduct a conversation in English (speaking).
TOEFL exists in paper and electronic form, lasts about 4 and a half hours.
Cambridge ESOL - English for Speakers of Other Languages
Cambridge ESOL - a group of exams to assess English proficiency among foreign students, differing in complexity and purpose. There are universal tests, tests for students, teachers and entrepreneurs who want to check their business English.
If during the IELTS and TOEFL, the applicant receives a certificate with qualifications and points, then passing the Cambridge exam, the applicant must determine their own language level in advance. A nice bonus - the validity of the results is unlimited.
Like previous testing options, ESOL consists of the following steps:
- reading;
- writing;
- listening;
- speaking;
- use of English (for the most difficult levels).
BEC - Cambridge English: Business Certificate
BEC exams are Cambridge, their specifics is business English.
BEC certificates have 3 levels:
- Cambridge English: Business Preliminary (BEC Preliminary) CEFR Level B1
- Cambridge English: Business Vantage (BEC Vantage) CEFR Level B2
- Cambridge English: Business Higher (BEC Higher) CEFR Level C1
PTE - Pearson Tests of English
PTE is a line of international tests that measure a foreign student's knowledge of a language. The test shows how competently the applicant is able to express himself in English and whether he fully understands its speakers. Certificates are recognized by colleges, universities and when applying for jobs in international companies in many countries. The lineup includes:
- PTE General (general module necessary for moving to an English-speaking country and further employment),
- PTE Academic (academic module for applicants applying to foreign universities),
- PTE Young Learners (for students from 8 to 15 years of age; the certificate can serve as the basis for admission to a general educational institution where they teach in English).
Like the Cambridge exam, the PTE certificate does not require confirmation and remains valid for the rest of your life.
TOEIC - Test of English for International Communication
TOEIC - created for job seekers in English-speaking companies. The test will test the ability to correctly express your thoughts verbally and in writing, as well as the skill of business negotiations, presentations.
The test includes 2 parts:
- Listening & Reading (2 hours);
- Speaking & Writing (1 hour 20 minutes).
The structure is in many ways similar to the TOEFL exam, but if the purpose of the first is to show readiness to master the academic program, then the TOEIC tasks understand topics that affect business, workflow, and team relationships. TOEIC results are also useful when organizing and participating in business education and seminars in English and when enrolling in business programs of educational institutions.
International exams in academic subjects
SAT - Scholastic Assessment Test
SAT is a test of the knowledge of a future student, on the basis of which you can pass enrollment in US universities.
The test duration is 3 hours 45 minutes, during which the subjects are tested in the following sections of knowledge:
- maths,
- letter,
- text analysis.
For one section you can earn a maximum of 800 points. Under the text analysis is meant the analysis of grammatical constructions, lexical turns of the proposed excerpts from scientific articles. A mathematical test involves the selection of one of the answer options, it will require knowledge of algebra, geometry, statistics, skills of graphic analysis. The “letter” section requires the applicant to write an essay and complete test tasks.
GMAT - The Graduate Management Admission Test
This English-language exam is designed to evaluate the analytical and mathematical abilities of applicants for MBA programs, for admission to doctoral studies, master's programs and other postgraduate studies.
The certificate is valid for 5 years; the results are accepted by about 1,500 educational institutions. These are mainly business schools, but universities in the USA accept the GMAT result. The advantage of this test is that it is possible to pass it in certified centers around the world. The cost is the same in all countries and now is 250 $.
An interesting feature of the test is its flexibility: the computer algorithm adapts to the examinee: the more correct answers, the more difficult the questions and vice versa - the level of knowledge of the applicant is determined in the same way.
Graduate Record Examinations
GRE is a test for admission to graduate courses at American, some Canadian and Australian universities. The results of this test will be accepted in hundreds and thousands of universities and business schools.
The duration of the test is 3 hours 45 minutes, which includes tasks in mathematics and English. You can go GRE in computer or paper version.
The GRE test comes in two flavors:
- General (General test) - will check the knowledge of school-level mathematics and the conversational skills of the English language.
- Specialized subject (Subject) - will give an idea of the knowledge of the applicant in a particular subject, whether it be physics, mathematics, chemistry, biology, psychology; will check the severity of knowledge at the level of the third or fourth course.
International exams in foreign languages other than English
- TestDaF - Deutsch als Fremdsprache is handed over to foreign applicants for studies at German universities. TestDaF includes listening, reading, writing and speaking. For successful passing the test, it is necessary for each parameter to get a score of at least 3/5 points. Duration - a little over 3 hours.
- DELE - Diplomas de Espanol como Lengua Extranjera - test for knowledge of the Spanish language, provided that it is not native for the examiner. There are as many as 6 levels of difficulty, and you need to determine your own, having previously passed the trial version. The higher your level, the greater the number of tasks.
A1 / A2 contains 4 sections: listening, speaking, reading and writing. B1 will already consist of 5 sections: a vocabulary check will be added. To successfully pass the test, you need to overcome three quarters of the tasks of each section.
- DELF - Diplome d'études en langue Francaise - the first category qualification exam created by the French Ministry of Education to assess French language skills among foreign citizens. In the absence of the results of this test, the package of documents at universities in France is not considered, although some alternative tests are allowed. 4 difficulty levels also consist of 4 standard sections: listening, reading, writing and speaking. Maximum 100 points, scoring half.
