Top 10 Toughest Courses in the World (Updated 2025)

What is the Meaning of a Tough Course?

A tough course is a challenging one that is academically complex and involves a rigorous curriculum. The toughest courses in the world involve research-based courses, technical courses (STEM courses included) and courses related to CA or CFA which are ideally tough ones to crack in the first go. 

Top 10 Hardest Course in World 2025

Any course at the college level studied whether abroad or locally is not a cakewalk. Courses at the college level are very different from school-level learning. There are some courses which are technical while some are non-technical, some are professional, and some are non-professional, also there are some courses abroad that are tough and there may be a few which may not be tough. The list of the 10 most difficult courses in the world is given below. 

Most Difficult Courses in the World
1. Medicine	2. Engineering
3. Neuroscience	4. Quantum Physics
5. Chemistry	6. Chartered Accountancy
7. Pharmacy	8. Data Science
9. Architecture	10. Law

The above-mentioned are by popular choice, the top 10 toughest course in world. Let us discuss in detail about these toughest courses in the world for international students in the following section. If you're curious about the easiest degrees, check out our article on the top 10 easiest courses to study.

Details of Toughest Courses in the World

Let us discuss in detail why the above-given courses are the toughest in the world in the following sections:

1. Medicine Courses

Medicine courses are the toughest courses in the world. The reason why courses like MBBS, MD and MS are so difficult is because of the nature of the curriculum which is vast and requires a lot from the students mentally and physically. These courses are challenging in their ways and demand students to think logically and find solutions to problems based on technicalities. A lot happens in a medical student's life - medicines, learning procedures, understanding what is the right medicine and what is not, practicals, watching live procedures, etc. These reasons make medicine courses the toughest ones of the lot in turn making it to the top 10 toughest course in world.

Top Countries to Study Medicine Courses:

• MBBS or MD in USA
• UK
• Canada
• Australia
• Russia 

Top Universities for Medicine Courses:

• Harvard University
• University of Oxford
• Stanford University
• John Hopkins University
• University of Cambridge

Check out: Top 10 Medical Colleges in the World 

Highest Paid Jobs After Medicine Abroad:

Highest Paying Jobs in Medicine	Average Annual Salary
Dermatologist	USD 319,084
Anesthesiologist	USD 298,370
Cardiology	USD 294,822
Radiology	USD 116,403
Gastroenterologist	USD 258,869

2. Engineering Courses

Engineering courses are the toughest in the world, too, irrespective of the degree level they are offered. Some of the toughest engineering courses include nuclear engineering, aerospace engineering, and biomedical engineering. The reason why engineering courses are the toughest in the world is because of their technicality and precision. Again, the engineering course curriculum is vast and has been spread over four years with challenging projects and assignments. Practicals and, in some cases, on-field research also. From working with dangerous chemicals to finding environmental solutions, all come under engineering courses. Together, these parameters make engineering courses some of the hardest subjects in the world. Thus, making it to the top 10 toughest course in world. For those interested in pursuing Engineering courses, can check out the Top 5 Engineering Courses for Future with High Salaries. 

Top Countries to Study Engineering Courses:

• USA
• UK
• Germany
• Australia
• New Zealand

Top Universities for Engineering Courses:

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
• Purdue University
• University of Michigan
• Imperial College London

Highest Paid Jobs After Engineering:

Highest Paying Jobs in Engineering	Average Annual Salary
Petroleum Engineer	USD 130,830
Nuclear Engineer	USD 127,000
Computer Hardware Engineer	USD 126,990
Aerospace Engineer	USD 122,220
Chemical Engineer	USD 108,610

3. Neuroscience Courses

Neuroscience courses are the toughest courses in the world. Neuroscience is all about the brain and its function. There are billions of aspects that one can learn about the brain thus, this is why Neuroscience is the hardest course in the world. There are a lot of complex topics that form a part of neuroscience, which makes it even more challenging. Since many studies about the brain have been published, neuroscience has backed them all up. So if you are interested in learning about the human brain, its functions and applications and are ready for the challenge, then you can choose this toughest course. These reasons make Neuroscience one of the hardest subjects in the world, hence making its position in the list of the top 10 toughest course in world.

Top Countries to Study Neuroscience Courses:

• USA
• Canada
• UK
• Australia
• Germany

Top Universities for Neuroscience Courses:

• MIT
• University of Oxford
• ETH Zurich
• University of Toronto
• The University of Melbourne

Highest Paid Jobs After Neuroscience:

Highest Paying Jobs in Neuroscience	Average Annual Salary
Neurosurgeon	USD 707,000
Neurologist	USD 539,000
Psychiatrist	USD 208,000
Neuropsychologist	USD 187,000
Neurorehabilitation Specialist	USD 97,000

4. Quantum Physics Courses

A branch of Physics and one of the toughest ones in the world. Quantum Physics requires mathematical, computer science, and quantum lingo skills. It is about studying atoms and particles at the very basic level and applying the theories in the real world. Of all scientific courses, Quantum Physics has been credited as the toughest course in the world. Because of its difficulty levels, it makes it to the top 10 toughest course in world.

Top Countries to Study Quantum Physics Courses:

• USA
• Germany
• France
• Japan
• Australia

Top Universities for Quantum Physics Courses:

• California Institute of Technology (CalTech)
• MIT
• University of Cambridge
• ETH Zurich
• National University of Singapore

Highest Paid Jobs After Quantum Physics:

Highest Paying Jobs in Quantum Physics	Average Annual Salary
Quantum Engineer	USD 111,416
Quantum Computing Developer	USD 91,010
Quantum Physicist	USD 120,000
Quantum Information Scientist	USD 100,000
Quantum Physics Professor	USD 200,000

5. Chemistry Courses

Chemistry courses are tough because they have many abstract concepts like atoms, molecules and ions. Numerous chemical reactions can be studied practically. There is a lot of maths in Chemistry which makes it even tougher. The Chemistry course is a blend of problem-solving skills and practicals that are essential for completing a course in Chemistry at the bachelor's or master's level. Thus, all of these factors together make Chemistry one of the hardest courses in the world, and thus making it into top 10 toughest course in world. 

Top Countries to Study Chemistry Courses:

• USA
• UK
• Germany
• Japan
• France

Top Universities for Chemistry Courses:

• MIT
• CalTech
• Heidelberg University
• University of Cambridge
• University of Tokyo

Highest Paid Jobs After Chemistry:

Highest Paying Jobs in Chemistry	Average Annual Salary
Petroleum Engineer	USD 130,850
Medicinal Chemist	USD 126,980
Chemical Engineer	USD 108,610
Polymer Chemist	USD 103,230
Materials Scientist	USD 98,210

Check: MS in Chemistry Abroad

6. CA Courses

Pursuing a course in CA is itself very challenging. CA degree is considered as one of the hardest degrees in the world. CA as a course is tough because it always keeps its students on the go. There are so many exams, and lots of literature and the nature of qualifying for a CA course is based on a lot of parameters. If you cannot qualify for even one exam, all your effort will go to waste. Along with the exams is articleship, similar to an internship, which is equally essential to fulfil. These reasons make the CA course one of the hardest subjects in world, and also among the top 10 toughest course in world. 

Top Countries to Study CA Courses:

• USA
• Australia
• Canada
• UK
• New Zealand

7. Pharmacy Courses

A pharmacy course is the hardest course in the world. It includes areas of Science, from Chemistry to Pharmaceutical Inorganic Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Analysis, Human Anatomy and Physiology, and Pharmacology are all a part of the pharmacy courses curriculum. Thus, all these topics are very tough in their terms, which further makes pharmacy courses some of the toughest ones in the world. This is the reason why Pharmacy courses make it to the top 10 toughest course in world.

Top Countries to Study Pharmacy Courses:

• USA
• UK
• Canada
• Germany
• Australia

Top Universities for Pharmacy Courses:

• UCLA
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• University of London Pharmacy School
• University of Sydney
• University of Toronto

Highest Paid Jobs After Pharmacy Courses:

Highest Paying Jobs in	Average Annual Salary
Nuclear Pharmacist	USD 128,100
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist	USD 126,000
Oncology Pharmacist	USD 122,100
Pharmaceutical Scientist	USD 120,830
Toxicologist	USD 87,660

8. Data Science Courses

With a lot of technical skills, lots of data and an understanding of the science behind the data, this is the data science course, another toughest course on the list! There is a lot of programming, students have to learn different types of programming languages and put them into practical use. Since data scientists are in high demand, more and more students opt for this course which is very challenging to complete and qualify. Because of these reasons, Data Science is one of the hardest subjects in the world for studying and in turn, also makes it to top 10 toughest course in world.

 Check: Masters in Data Science Abroad

Top Countries to Study Data Science Courses:

• USA
• Germany
• UK
• France
• Australia

Top Universities for Data Science Courses:

• MIT USA
• Carnegie Mellon University
• University of California, Berkeley
• University of Oxford
• Harvard University

Highest Paid Jobs After Data Science:

Highest Paying Jobs in Data Science	Average Annual Salary
Machine Learning Engineer	USD 166,401
Robotics Research Scientist	USD 156,200
Data Visualization Developer	USD 133,670
Data Scientist	USD 124,215
Data Mining Engineer	USD 127,200

9. Architecture Courses

Architecture courses are difficult because of their technical aspect. The precision required for an architect to qualify for the course is based on how well he/she performs in exams, and practicals and possesses the know-how of the subject. Architecture is a technical subject, hence higher the level of study, the more difficult it gets for students. Understanding the complex structures and being able to understand how is what the course demands. Thus, it makes it to the top 10 toughest course in world.

Top Countries to Study Architecture Courses:

• USA
• UK
• Italy
• Germany
• Australia

Top Universities for Architecture Courses:

• MIT
• ETH Zurich
• Delft University of Technology
• University of Copenhagen
• University College London

Highest Paid Jobs After Architecture:

Highest Paying Jobs in Architecture	Average Annual Salary
Project Architect	USD 103,690
Director of Architecture	USD 132,270
Sustainability Consultant	USD 87,510
Urban Designer	USD 85,040
Landscape Arch\itect	USD 78,290

10. Law Courses

Law courses are the hardest courses in the world. There is a plethora of literature available for students to study and pursue these courses. Students pursuing an LLB or LLM abroad will have to have proper knowledge of the laws, the sections and how and when to apply the correct law. Though jobs are limited for law grads, whatever is available are usually high-paid ones abroad. Thus, law courses are also the hardest courses in the world, and making lots way into the top 10 toughest course in world.

Top Countries to Study Law Courses:

• USA
• Australia
• UK
• Canada
• New Zealand

Top Universities for Law Courses:

• Harvard University
• Yale Law School 
• University of Cambridge
• National University of Singapore
• University of Melbourne

Highest Paid Jobs After Law:

Highest Paying Jobs in Law	Average Annual Salary
Patent Lawyer	USD 189,230
Mergers & Acquisition Lawyer	USD 183,180
Antitrust Lawyer	USD 167,990
Tax Lawyer	USD 134,930
Trial Lawyer	USD 131,270

Factors Determining Hardest Course in the World for Study

There are a couple of ways which suggest how tough a course can be in the long run. The factors that help pick out the most difficult courses in the world are listed below.

• When the stress and need to cope with the speed of covering the exhaustive course modules grip students, they tend to drop out. When asked why most drop-outs opted to quit their courses, the most common reasons included the difficulty of the course and that they got a better course, along with other reasons.
• Several courses have a vast syllabus that requires students to work more than 10 hours a day to keep their learning and coursework on track. This leads to students dropping out of their courses. Additionally, tough courses become even tougher with the type of specialisation chosen. 
• Apart from a vast syllabus, the teaching style at universities also affects how a student comprehends the lessons. Grading criteria, course material, and students' academic expectations are other factors in this index.
• Some courses require regular assessments owing to their vast syllabus. This leads to exhausting the students. The never-ending quest to prepare and perform well in the exams takes a toll on their mental health. For example, professional courses like LLM and CA are designed very differently. They include both coursework and research as part of degree completion. Plus with each level, the difficulty increases. Thus, opt only if you are willing to put in the effort.
• Admissions to several courses require students to pass the entrance tests. Given the large number of applications received by the universities, the questions in these tests are made quite difficult to enrol only the most talented and knowledgeable students. These tests are so difficult that only a very few students pass them.
• Certain countries abroad have complicated education systems, which may also make degrees harder for international students. The difficulty of a course may vary from university to university. Some universities have a more extensive course structure than others. This affects how the course will be delivered to students, the university’s ranking and the popularity of the course among students. For this reason, a college’s ranking in the world university rankings list differs from the subject ranking list. Countries with the toughest education systems include - Germany, Finland, the USA, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Canada and others.
• Some courses become tough for students if they have not studied those subjects at the previous level of study. Thus, decisions to take up such courses should be made very carefully. On the other hand, medical courses such as MS & MD courses require students to have a medical licence to practice in the country of study, thus, switching from one country to another and obtaining a practice licence may require students to start all over again which can be taxing.

These factors together help applicants understand the hardest course in the world and how they should ideally plan and if they really want to pursue these hardest subjects in the world or not.

Most Difficult Courses in the World - By Specialisations

Since each of the courses above is very broad in its approach, each of them has certain areas of study in which specialising can be even tougher for study. Let's discuss each of these most difficult courses in the world in detail below along with the options that make these courses the world's toughest degrees. 

Toughest Course(s) in the World	Degrees Offered	Toughest 5 Specialisations
Toughest Medicine Courses in the World	MBBS  MS   MD	Cardiothoracic Surgery  Radiology  Transplant Surgery  Oncology  Neurosurgery   Nursing
Toughest Law Courses in the World	LLB  LLM  JD  PhD in Law	Criminology   Corporate Law  Human Rights Law  Constitutional Law & Civil Procedure  Tax Law
Toughest Engineering Courses in the World	BE/BTech  ME/MTech  MS  PhD	Aerospace Engineering  Electronic & Electrical Engineering  Chemical Engineering  Computer Science & Technology Engineering  Artificial Intelligence Engineering
Toughest Linguistics Courses in the World	MA  MPhil  PhD	Neurolinguistics  Semantics  Psycholinguistics  Sociolinguistics  Syntax
Toughest Astronomy Courses in the World	BS  MS	Astrophysics  Planetary Geology  Cosmology  Astrobiology   Solar Astrophysics
Toughest Business Administration Courses in the World	BBA  MBA	Business Analytics  Finance & Marketing  Entrepreneurship  Supply Chain Management  Operations Management
Other Most Difficult Courses	UG PG	Data Science AI Machine Learning Psychology The Study of Spectra

The list just does not end here, some many more specialisations and courses are deemed as tough which may change over time based on the student’s experiences.  

Also Read: 

• Top 10 Toughest Languages in the World
• Top 10 Toughest Exams in the World
• Top 10 Toughest Engineering Courses in the World

How to Choose the Right Toughest Course for Study

Multiple parameters will have to be taken care of when choosing any of the above-mentioned toughest courses in the world. Here are a few tips:

• Research about the course and understand if you have any interest.
• In case you generate any interest towards these courses, understand if you can sustain them for the long term.
• Also, check if there is any further scope for high-paying jobs or for higher education after this. 
• Do understand everything about the course - its curriculum, research or non-research based course option, available specialisations and other details. 

This was all about some of the most difficult courses in the world, the difficult deciding factors and the world's toughest courses' specialisations. If you wish to study abroad, then you can get assistance from Shiksha Counselling Services for free. You can also drop your queries in the comments section below.