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

βœ… What is TOEFL?

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is one of the most widely accepted English proficiency tests in the world. It is designed to measure how well non-native speakers can use and understand English at the university level. TOEFL is accepted by 11,500+ universities and institutions in over 160 countries, including the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, and Ireland.

🎯 Why Take the TOEFL Test?

  • Mandatory for admission to most English-speaking universities.
  • Accepted for student visas in many countries.
  • Assesses academic English skills required in lectures, reading, writing, and conversations.
  • A globally trusted test, recognized by top universities.

πŸ“Œ TOEFL Test Format

TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based Test) has 4 sections:

  1. Reading (35 mins) – Understanding academic passages.
  2. Listening (36 mins) – Understanding conversations & lectures.
  3. Speaking (16 mins) – Expressing opinions & responding to tasks.
  4. Writing (29 mins) – Writing essays & responses.

πŸ•’ Total Duration: ~2 hours
πŸ“Š Scoring: Each section is scored 0–30, with a total score of 0–120.

πŸ“… TOEFL Exam Dates & Availability

  • Conducted 60+ times a year worldwide.
  • Flexible scheduling with multiple test centers and TOEFL Home Edition (online test option).

πŸ’° TOEFL Exam Fees

  • India: β‚Ή16,900 (USD $195)
    (fees vary slightly by location and exchange rates)

πŸ“ˆ TOEFL Score Validity

  • Valid for 2 years from the test date.

πŸ“š TOEFL Preparation Tips

  • Practice academic reading & listening
  • Take official mock tests.
  • Improve note-taking & summarizing skills.
  • Work on time management for each section.

🌟 How We Help Students

At Global EduMentors, we:

  • Provide guidance on test registration.
  • Share preparation resources & mock tests.
  • Suggest the best time to take TOEFL based on your university deadlines.
  • Assist with sending your TOEFL scores to universities.

🌍 IELTS – International English Language Testing System

βœ… What is IELTS?

The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is one of the most popular English language proficiency tests, accepted by over 12,000 organizations worldwide. It is required for university admissions, work visas, and migration to English-speaking countries like the UK, Canada, Australia, USA, and Ireland.

🎯 Why Take IELTS?

  • Accepted by universities, employers, and immigration authorities.
  • Available in Academic (for study abroad) and General Training (for migration/work).
  • Offers both Paper-based & Computer-delivered tests.
  • Trusted globally for over 30 years.

πŸ“Œ IELTS Test Format

Two types: Academic & General Training. Both test 4 skills:

  1. Listening (30 mins) – Conversations & academic lectures.
  2. Reading (60 mins) – Passages and comprehension tasks.
  3. Writing (60 mins) – Essays and responses.
  4. Speaking (11–14 mins) – One-to-one interview.

πŸ•’ Total Duration: ~2 hours 45 mins
πŸ“Š Scoring: 0–9 Band Scale

πŸ“… IELTS Exam Dates & Availability

  • Offered up to 48 times a year
  • Test takers can choose Computer-based (results in 3–5 days) or Paper-based (results in 13 days).

πŸ’° IELTS Exam Fees

  • India: β‚Ή17,000–₹17,500

πŸ“ˆ IELTS Score Validity

  • Valid for 2 years.

🌟 How We Help Students

  • Guidance on choosing Academic or General IELTS.
  • Provide practice resources, mock tests & strategies.
  • Help students book test slots based on visa/university deadlines.

🌍 PTE – Pearson Test of English

βœ… What is PTE?

The PTE Academic is a fully computer-based English test used for study abroad and immigration. It is accepted by 3,000+ universities worldwide, including in Australia, UK, USA, Canada, and Ireland.

🎯 Why Take PTE?

  • Fast results (within 1–2 days).
  • 100% computer-scored β†’ No human bias.
  • Widely accepted for student visas and PR in Australia.
  • Flexible dates and test centers.

πŸ“Œ PTE Test Format

  1. Speaking & Writing (54–67 mins) – Includes personal introduction & essay.
  2. Reading (29–30 mins) – Multiple-choice, fill in the blanks, comprehension.
  3. Listening (30–43 mins) – Summarize spoken text, MCQs, dictation.

πŸ•’ Total Duration: ~2 hours
πŸ“Š Scoring: 10–90 scale

πŸ“… PTE Exam Dates & Availability

  • Available throughout the year with flexible slots.

πŸ’° PTE Exam Fees

  • India: β‚Ή15,900

πŸ“ˆ PTE Score Validity

  • Valid for 2 years.

🌟 How We Help Students

  • Provide mock tests and PTE strategy sessions.
  • Assist with booking the earliest test dates.
  • Advise on minimum scores required by universities.

🌍 GRE – Graduate Record Examination

βœ… What is GRE?

The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is a standardized test required for admission to master’s, MBA, and PhD programs abroad. It is accepted by thousands of universities worldwide, especially in the USA, Canada, UK, and Europe.

🎯 Why Take GRE?

  • Widely accepted for STEM, management, and humanities programs.
  • GRE scores are also used for scholarships and fellowships.
  • Flexible and offered globally throughout the year.

πŸ“Œ GRE Test Format

  1. Analytical Writing (1 hr) – 2 essays.
  2. Verbal Reasoning (41 mins) – Vocabulary, reading comprehension.
  3. Quantitative Reasoning (47 mins) – Mathematics, problem-solving.

πŸ•’ Total Duration: ~1 hr 58 mins (shortened GRE from 2023)
πŸ“Š Scoring: Verbal (130–170), Quant (130–170), AWA (0–6)

πŸ“… GRE Exam Dates & Availability

  • Available year-round, computer-based.
  • Home testing option also available (GRE at Home).

πŸ’° GRE Exam Fees

  • India: $220 (β‚Ή18,000–₹19,000)

πŸ“ˆ GRE Score Validity

  • Valid for 5 years.

🌟 How We Help Students

  • Offer GRE prep resources (quant + verbal).
  • Guidance on university cut-offs & score requirements.
  • Assistance in sending GRE scores to institutions.

🌍 GMAT – Graduate Management Admission Test

βœ… What is GMAT?

The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is required for admission into MBA and business-related programs across the world. It is accepted by 7,000+ programs at 2,400+ business schools in over 110 countries.

🎯 Why Take GMAT?

  • Specially designed for management and business programs.
  • Required by top B-schools in the USA, UK, Canada, and Europe.
  • Helps strengthen scholarship applications.

πŸ“Œ GMAT Test Format

  1. Analytical Writing (30 mins) – Essay analysis.
  2. Integrated Reasoning (30 mins) – Charts, data, logic.
  3. Quantitative Reasoning (62 mins) – Problem-solving, data sufficiency.
  4. Verbal Reasoning (65 mins) – Reading comprehension, grammar, reasoning.

πŸ•’ Total Duration: ~3 hrs 7 mins
πŸ“Š Scoring: 200–800

πŸ“… GMAT Exam Dates & Availability

  • Available throughout the year at global test centers & online (GMAT Online).

πŸ’° GMAT Exam Fees

  • India: $275 (β‚Ή22,500–₹23,000)

πŸ“ˆ GMAT Score Validity

  • Valid for 5 years.

🌟 How We Help Students

  • Guidance for B-school shortlisting based on GMAT scores.
  • Provide prep resources for quant, verbal, and reasoning.
  • Help with application timelines & score reporting.

🌍 Duolingo English Test (DET)

βœ… What is Duolingo English Test?

The Duolingo English Test (DET) is a modern, fully online English language proficiency test accepted by 5,000+ universities and institutions worldwide, including top schools in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, and Europe.
It is especially popular because students can take it from home with just a computer and internet.

🎯 Why Take Duolingo?

  • Convenient – Take the test online anytime, anywhere.
  • Affordable – Lower fee compared to IELTS/TOEFL.
  • Fast Results – Scores available in just 48 hours.
  • Widely Accepted – Increasingly recognized by universities worldwide.
  • Includes a video interview & writing sample sent to universities.

πŸ“Œ Duolingo Test Format

The test adapts to the student’s ability level (AI-powered).

  1. Adaptive Test (45 mins) – Reading, writing, listening, speaking.
  2. Video Interview + Writing Sample (10 mins) – Open-ended questions to assess communication.

πŸ•’ Total Duration: ~1 hour
πŸ“Š Scoring: 10–160 scale (similar to CEFR A1–C2 levels)

πŸ“… Duolingo Exam Dates & Availability

  • Available 24/7, year-round.
  • Students can take it anytime from home with an ID check.

πŸ’° Duolingo Exam Fees

  • Worldwide: $65 (approx. β‚Ή5,200)

πŸ“ˆ Duolingo Score Validity

  • Valid for 2 years.

🌟 How We Help Students

  • Guidance on Duolingo vs. IELTS/PTE for your study destination.
  • Provide practice questions and tips for adaptive testing.
  • Help you shortlist universities that accept Duolingo scores.

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 β‚Ή14,700 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.