After deciding the colleges you wish to apply to, you will need to apply and start preparing for certain tests. Unlike the U.S, where there is a standardized test (SAT or ACT) which almost every college requires you to take, universities in the U.K have individual requirements that depend on the college you wish to join and the course you wish to pursue.
Most universities in the U.K will not require you to appear for entrance tests with the very reputed ones being an exception. However, you might be required to appear for certain exams depending upon the criteria set by the college and the subject department.
English Language Tests
The two of the common English language tests in the U.K are the IELTS and the TOEFL. Most universities and colleges require international students to appear for either of these two tests and score a certain minimum. The minimum marks that you would be required to score depend on your college and course.
Some other English language qualifications that are accepted by universities in the U.K. are the CPE (Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English) and the CAE (Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English).
Many U.K universities are willing to exempt Indian students from the IELTS or the TOEFL provided that they have studied in an English medium school or have scored well in their Class 12th English board exam (CBSE or ICSE). It is advisable that you visit the official university website or contact the local representative of that university/college in your city and find out about the testing requirements with regards to English proficiency.
Oxford and Cambridge
The most rigorous testing requirements in the U.K are for getting into the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. According to the college you wish to join and the course you wish to pursue, you might be required to appear for a variety of tests.
University of Cambridge might require you to take up specific subject tests depending on the courses you are applying. STEP Mathematics Test, Cambridge Law Test, BMAT (Bio – Medical Entrance Test), TSA (Thinking Skills Assessment Test) are examples of some specific tests. Please check from the university about the tests they require you to take. For some courses, they may ask you to even take JEE Advanced.
Just like Cambridge, the University of Oxford also requires students to appear for a variety of exams depending upon their field of study. You will be required to appear for entrance exams if you wish to pursue courses related to Law, Classics, History, Math, Literature, Languages or Physics. You might also be assessed on your performance in the JEE (Advanced) exam if you wish to pursue a course in the field of Science.
These entrance exams are conducted by the universities of Cambridge and Oxford as well as by other organizations at centers throughout the world. It is advisable to go through their official websites and find out about the requirements for your course, country and the details of these examinations in your city.
For all exams related to the University of Cambridge (except BMAT), you will not need to register yourself separately and the details regarding these exams will be conveyed to you by the University of Cambridge in due time (after you have applied to the University). The TSA exam is held separately for the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford.
For almost all the other exams including the Oxford – specific exams as well as the BMAT, TSA (Oxford) etc. the last date of application will be the same as the last date of applying to University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. To apply for any of these exams, you will need to get yourself registered with the British Council closest to your city before the last date. Most of these exams are held in the first week of November.
Click on the following link to find out more about the testing requirements of the Oxford University:
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/applying_to_oxford/tests/index.html
Click on the following links to find out more about the testing requirements of the University of Cambridge:
http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/international/qualifications/india.html and
http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/tests/
OTHER COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Most universities do not require international students to appear for subject – specific tests. However, for certain subjects like Law and Medicine, you might be asked to appear for certain entrance exams.
Visit the official websites of the university, and find out about the testing requirements for Indian students as well as your course – specific testing requirements.
Apart from the entrance tests, you should also find out about the minimum eligibility requirements for your course. Certain universities might require you to have obtained a minimum score in your Class 12th or other exams such as JEE (Advanced) etc. in order to be eligible for admission.
