Tests and requirements
Tests are one part of an application, and requirements vary by country, university and course. This section explains the tests international students meet most often.
Three questions to answer first
Do I need an English test? If you are not a native English speaker and have not studied in English for a set number of years, most English-speaking universities will want a recent test score. Some accept an English-medium school education instead. Check each university's English requirements page, which usually lists exemptions by country and qualification.
Do I need the SAT or ACT? Only for US colleges, and only some of them. Policies range from required to optional to not considered.
Are there subject or admissions tests? Some competitive UK courses use admissions tests, and some schools use entrance tests at secondary level. These are set by the institution, so the course page is the source to trust.
Plan for one retake
A sensible plan leaves time to retake each test once. Scores can take one to two weeks to arrive, and test dates in popular months fill up.