This is a list of standardized tests that students may need to take for admissions to various colleges or universities. Tests of language proficiency are excluded here. Only tests not included within a certain secondary schooling curriculum are listed. Therefore, those tests initially focused on secondary–school–leaving, e.g., GCE A–Levels in the UK, or French Baccalaureate, are not listed here, although they function as the de facto admission tests in those countries (see list of secondary school leaving certificates).

Undergraduate

Albania

Australia

Bangladesh

Admission processes vary depending on universities. From 2020-2021 session, most of the public universities are under some central admission tests. But, some public universities including University of Dhaka, University of Rajshahi, University of Chittagong, Jahangirnagar University and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology are taking their own individual admission tests. All private universities in the country take their own individual admission tests. The central admission tests are,

Belize

Brazil

Burma

Canada

Chile

China

Colombia

Cuba

France

Germany

Greece

Hong Kong

Admission processes differ in institutes. For secondary school students applying for degree–level programmes provided by the University Grants Committee (UGC)–funded institutes, they can only apply through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS), which uses Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE) and Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) as benchmark agency until academic year 2011/12, and Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) since 2011/12. JUPAS is not used in most non-UGC/non–degree level programmes, even these institutes still use the examination results that JUPAS uses as benchmark agency.

Hungary

From 2020 all students who would like to apply for a university in Hungary will have to prove their language skills. They are required to pass a nationally accredited language exam at B2 CEFR level. Érettségi (Matura)is the national school leaving exam, where school leavers take exams in 5 or more subjects, among which Hungarian Grammar and Literature, Maths, History and one foreign language is cumpolsory and at least 1 other subject has to be chosen. Érettségi is divided into 2 levels. Most universities require at least one subject to be taken at Higher Level. From 2020 onwards, students wishing to enter into higher education will be required to have 1 subject taken at Higher Level.

India

Admission procedures and entry tests vary widely across states and universities/institutes. Usually, admission to a university in a state is based upon the performance of the candidates in the statewide Higher Secondary Examinations. These are usually given after completion of the twelfth standard/grade, for example, the HSC examinations of Maharashtra. Admission into federally established institutes like the Indian Institutes of Technology and the National Institutes of Technology is usually based on a combination of performance in nationwide exams such as the Joint Entrance Examination and the state–level Higher Secondary examinations. Admission to the National Law Universities is based on a national level entrance examination conducted annually by the CLAT.

National level

Professional courses entrance examinations

Indonesia

State-level Conducted jointly by some universities By universities

Israel

Iran

Ireland

Japan

Malaysia

Mexico

Each University in Mexico has its own admission procedures. Some of them might use the EXANI–I from Centro Nacional de Evaluación para la Educación Superior "CENEVAL" (National Center for Higher Education Assessment). Many also use the Prueba de Aptitud Académica offered by the College Board Puerto Rico y America Latina. However, due to the autonomous nature of most universities in Mexico, many universities use admissions tests that they develop themselves.

Myanmar

Nepal

Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) – a standardized test taken by colleges to take admissions for BBA and BBM. Medical Education Common Entrance Examination (MECEE) – a common entrance examination conducted in Nepal for providing admission in Medical UG and PG courses.

Netherlands

Nigeria

Pakistan

It is conducted by the National Testing Service. It is conducted by the Pakistan Medical Commission through National Testing Service. It is conducted by the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore. It is conducted by University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar. It is conducted by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. The tests are conducted separately by the respective universities.

Philippines

Until its abolition in 1994, the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) served as a standardized test for university admissions. As of 2024, each university runs their own entrance exams such as the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT).

Poland

Universities and other institutions of higher education formerly ran their own entrance exams. Since the introduction of the "new matura" in 2005, and in particular the marking of that exam by independent examiners rather than by teachers at students' own schools, the matura now serves as the admission test for Polish students.

Russia

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

Spain

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, A-Level is offered by governmental and non-governmental schools. The qualifications are awarded upon successful completion of examinations called Local A-Levels while most of the private schools award them upon London A-Levels. Local GCE Advanced Level qualification is offered by the Department of Examinations. Passing A-Levels is the major requirement for applying for local universities. This exam is very competitive, where students have to study college 1st-year and 2nd-year material and pass it to get college admissions. The tough nature of the examination is due to the government funding all the college students. Students who get in to a National University through the Advanced Level Examination are not required to pay college fees.

Sweden

Switzerland

Somalia

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

Turkey

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Most applicants to universities in the UK take national examinations such as A-levels or Scottish Highers. Separate admissions tests are used by a small number of universities for specific subjects (particularly Law, Mathematics and Medicine, and courses at Oxford and Cambridge), many of these administered by Cambridge University's Admissions Testing Service.

Law

Mathematics

Medicine

Other

United States

Vietnam

Postgraduate/Professional schools

Australia

Bangladesh

However, no admission test is required for Ph.D. studies.

Brazil

China

Colombia

Germany

India

Mexico

Each University in Mexico has its own admission procedures. The official tests can be different, depending on the university the student wishes to enter. However, many major universities in the country use the PAA. UNAM uses its own test for the COMIPEMS selectivity contest for bachelors. They also have their own autonomous selectivity contest for undergraduate and graduate degree students, which has its own exam for each study field.

Pakistan

Turkey

United States and Canada