Top 10 toughest exams in the world
Exams are a significant part of academic and professional journeys, often determining future opportunities and career paths.
While many exams are challenging, some stand out for their exceptional difficulty and rigorous standards. These exams test knowledge, endurance, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
In this article, we explore the top 10 toughest exams in the world, known for their low pass rates and high stakes.
According to Gradding.com, here are the top 10 toughest exams in the world:
Gaokao Exam (China)
The Gaokao Exam is a college entrance exam for high school students in China and is the hardest in the world. It entails three subtests assessing mathematical aptitude, Chinese expertise, and a chosen foreign language. It takes approximately 9 hours to write and has a passing rate of 0.25% to 9% annually.
IIT-JEE Exam (India)
Purposed as an entrance exam for engineering colleges, particularly the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the IIT-JEE exam is one of the most difficult exams to write in the world. The exam involves two papers covering physics, chemistry, and mathematics. With an extremely competitive passing rate, it takes 6 hours to finish.
UPSC Civil Services Exam (India)
India features again on the list with the UPSC Civil Services Exam. The exam serves as the foundation for all recruitment for various civil services positions in the Indian government. It covers three stages including a preliminary exam, a main exam, and an interview. It can take several months to pass with a success rate of less than 1%.
Mensa International IQ Test (England)
To become a member of Mensa, the high-IQ society in England, citizens must write the Mensa International IQ Test. The test is considered one of the world's toughest exams. Only those scoring in the top 2% are mostly admitted.
GRE (USA and Canada)
In the United States of America and Canada, the graduate school entrance exam, GRE is a tough deal. Covering verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing, participants sit for 3 hours and 45 minutes. The pass rate also varies by institution.
CFA (USA)
To become a Chartered Financial Analyst in the United States of America, the CFA, one of the most difficult exams worldwide is the best bet. The exam involves three levels of exams covering various financial topics and each level takes about 6 hours to complete. The pass rate is less than 20% for all three levels combined.
CCIE (USA)
The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) is one of the most prestigious and challenging certifications in the field of networking. This certification is used to validate expert-level skills in designing, deploying, operating, and optimising complex network infrastructures. It entails a written exam and a lab exam which takes 2 hours and 8 hours to complete respectively.
GATE (India)
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is a highly competitive exam in India, primarily for students seeking admission to postgraduate engineering programs or for recruitment in public sector companies. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs), multiple select questions (MSQs), and numerical answer type (NAT) questions and lasts for 3 hours.
All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam (UK)
The All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam at Oxford University is renowned for its difficulty and prestige. It is written to elect Examination Fellows, also known as Prize Fellows, at All Souls College, Oxford. Four papers are written over two days for this exam. Each paper lasts three hours and only two fellowships are awarded annually.
California Bar Exam (USA)
The California Bar Exam is one of the most challenging bar exams in the United States. Purposed as a licensing exam for lawyers in California, multiple-choice questions, essays, and performance tests are expected. It is mostly written twice a year: February and July. It also lasts 18 hours over three days.
