Exam season comes once in a while but whenever it comes, it brings a lot of anxiety and tension. Exams are the benchmark of student’s excellence in their field, so they are important to tackle to reach heights of success.
World’s Most Difficult Exams are almost impossible to pass. Exams’ complexity, intense competition, exhausting study periods, and the overall tension involved, make them The Toughest Exams in the World.
Are you intrigued about the Hardest Professional Exams in the World? This piece of writing will reveal The Toughest Exams in the World and provide valuable insights and information. Here, you will explore their level of difficulty, characteristics, requirements, preparation time, and success rate.
Hardest Exams in the World
Exams come in every student’s life. It is their field that determines what type of exams they are undertaking. Some are easy-going exams that one can easily get through. Some are the Hardest Standardized Tests that are impossible to pass.
The Toughest Exams in the World are designed to access deep understanding, critical thinking skills, test IQ levels, and everything in between. Once a student passes these exams, the outcome outweighs the challenges of the exams, unlocks better future opportunities, and produces legends.
Let us explore a few of The Toughest Exams in the World:
Gaokao
Do you know Gaokao is the World Toughest Exam for students? It was introduced in 1952 for students who seek to enter top universities in China. Every year more than 12 million candidates take part and less than 0.25% appear successful with a Perfect Score Gaokao.
Country of exam: China
Duration: 2 days (9 hours total)
Exam level: National
Exam eligibility: High school students in China
Purpose of the exam: To determine admission to Chinese universities
Subjects covered: Mathematics, Science and Language.
Subjects covered: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Stats
Exam pass percentage: 10-20%
Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced
IT JEE ranks as the Hardest Test in the World conducted in India. This engineering entrance exam has a vast syllabus. It evaluates extraordinarily skilled students to get admission to engineering programs in Indian universities. The JEE has two stages: JEE Main and JEE Advanced. Jee Main successful students can unlock JEE Advanced.
Country of exam: India
Duration: 3 hours
Exam level: National
Conducted by: Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)
Exam eligibility: Candidates must first qualify for the JEE Main exam
Purpose of the exam: To determine admission to undergraduate engineering programs at IITs
Exam pass percentage: Approximately 26.8% of candidates qualify for IITs
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
Do you want to know How Hard is the CFA? It is one of the Toughest Exams in the World with less than 1/5th of candidates clearing it, after repeated attempts, every year. The test analyzes candidates’s knowledge of finance analysis, investment management, and wealth planning. CFA Difficulty lies in the fact that it is held in three levels that require 300 hours of study. The students have below 50% pass rates.
Conducted: Worldwide
Duration and Format: 6 hours, 240 questions
Purpose of the exam: To qualify as a CFA Charter
Subjects covered: Economics, Financial Reporting and Analysis, and Portfolio Management
Exam Pass Percentage: Below 50% in all levels
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
GRE is one of the Hardest Certification Exams in the world. This test admits students to graduate schools in one of the 90 countries including the US, Canada, and other countries. GRE tests a candidate’s reasoning, thinking, and writing for complex texts, quantitative problems, and complex vocabulary. The test consists of six sections with intense competition.
Conducted: Worldwide
Purpose of the Exam: To get into top colleges for Masters degree across the world
Difficulty Level of the Exam: High
Duration and Format: 3 hours 45 minutes, six section
Exam Pass Rate: 43%
Mensa International
Mensa is not an exam itself but is a community of intellects with the top 2% on standardized IQ tests in the world. If you want to be a part of a society of people with brilliant minds, you are required to pass a test. The Mensa test examines your intelligence quotient, logic, reasoning, and problem-solving skills.
Conducted: Worldwide
Purpose of the Exam: To belong to a community of internationally high IQ
Duration and Format: 25 minutes, 35 problems with puzzles, logical reasoning tasks, and pattern recognition challenges
Scope and Coverage of the Exam: Conducted in roughly 90 countries such as the US, UK, Ireland, and Germany
Pass Rate: 0.02%
Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert (CCIE)
CCIE determines a candidate’s intellect in networking, troubleshooting, configuration, and integration. It is one of the hardest exams in the world for those who want to become networking professionals. The exam is conducted in six tests in two stages, a two-hour written exam and an eight-hour lab exam. Globally, there are only around 55,000 certified individuals on the globe. 8,000 candidates take the CCIE lab exam annually.
Purpose of the Exam: To get into building technology infrastructures
Duration and Format: 2 hours, 6 series of tests in two stages
Subjects Covered: Network Infrastructure, Software Defined Infrastructure, Infrastructure Structure, and Services
Pass Rate: 26%
Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT)
Is anyone here for the Hardest Skill Sat Test? Those who want entry into prestigious learning institutions are required to pass the SAT. It is one of the hardest tests to pass with only a few 1 % achieving a total score of 1600. SAT covers many subjects and focuses on academic placements, scholarships grants, and admissions decisions.
Purpose of Exam: To get admission to a prestigious institution, for scholarship grants
Subjects Covered: Many subjects including critical reading, mathematics, and writing. Each section assesses a student’s analytical and problem-solving.
Pass Rate: less than 1%
Hardest Exams in the US
The US is known for world-class institutions. Every year, these institutions admit highly intellectual national and international students through entrance exams. What makes you think these exams are easy going, these exams are one of The Toughest Exams in the World. No doubt exams are stress-inducing, but the potential for career advancement and financial growth makes it worthwhile.
Below is a list of a few Hardest Exams in the US:
California Bar Exam
Do you aspire to practice law in the US? You are required to pass the Bar Exam. These Bar exams include the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE), and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT). The exam duration is two days and comprises five one-hour essay questions, one 90-minute performance test and The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), which is typically 200 multiple-choice questions.
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)
Have you graduated with your medical degree and are opting for medical practice? You must take the USMLE Licensure Exam to practice your medical profession in the US. It is one of The Toughest Exams in the World that assesses candidates in three steps. The first step tests medical knowledge in an 8-hour exam. Step 2 assesses clinical skills in a 9-hour test. Step 3 focuses on patient management in clinical settings and spans 2 days, totaling 16 hours.
Read More: Computer Based Exams - A Guide to Today’s Examination
Hardest EOR Exam
EOR, End of Rotation exams are the hardest exams. These exams include Emergency Medicine and Surgery, making it intense and nerve-wracking. These exams evaluate medical knowledge with experienced clinical practices. Each EOR exam consists of 120 multiple-choice questions, 100 of which are scored. The following are a few Hardest EOR Exam:
Internal Medicine
Pediatrics
Women’s Health
Frequently Asked Questions
Top 5 Toughest Exam in World
Gaokao
Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced
Civil Services Exam (CSE)
All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam
Mensa International
CFA vs Series 7
CFA is the exam for those who want to pursue financial analysis in the investment industry. The test grants credentials to these professionals. Series 7 exam, known as the General Securities Representative Qualification Examination (GS), assesses the competency of an entry-level registered representative to perform their job.
COMLEX vs. USMLE
The COMLEX and USMLE are both medical licensing exams in the United States. These exams test the candidate’s clinical practice. The difference lies in the fact that the COMLEX focuses on osteopathic medicine, while the USMLE focuses on allopathic medicine.
