Top Hardest Exams in the World in 2025

Gaokao Exam in China, IIT JEE Advanced, Civil Services Exam (CSE)/UPSC, USMLE, All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam, Master Sommelier Diploma Exam, ICAI CA Exams, CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert), Mensa International and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) are rated among the top 10 toughest exams in the world in 2025.

Did you know that among the toughest exams in the world, two of the top three are from India, the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) and JEE Advanced? The selection rate in a few exams is lower than 1%. Only some lucky students manage to pass these hardest exams.

The hardest exam in the world is Gaokao Exam in China. Gaokao is an annual standardised test in China that is mandatory for admission to all of the country’s Higher Educational institutions. This article will be helpful for you if you are exploring information about the hardest exam in the world. In this article, we are going to be discussing the list of the top 10 toughest exams in the World, including the difficulty level, selection rate and other information.

Did You Know: Indian students mostly prefer the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia to study. Every year, 100,000+ users appear for IELTS, TOEFL, GRE,, and GMAT to complete their MBA and MS. These are NOT the toughest exams in the world. But they surely help Indian students to land and study abroad.

There is no common yardstick to compare the difficulty level of different exams and decide the toughest exam in the world, as they serve independent purposes. Here we have covered the list of world toughest exams to give you an idea about the hardest exams in the world that students are required to take at various stages of life.

Note that there are some eligibility to appear in any of these toughest exams. Some of them are open to all but many of them are country-specific exams. There is no doubt that you need to do a lot more preparation to crack any exam.

Top 10 Toughest Exams in the World

Below, we have mentioned the list of 10 toughest exams in world which are the hardest to crack. These exams are difficult due to the vast syllabus and high competition. Applicants need to do hard preparation to pass these hardest exams.

1. Gaokao Exam in China
2. IIT JEE Advanced
3. Civil Services Exam (CSE)/UPSC
4. All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam
5. USMLE
6. Master Sommelier Diploma Exam
7. ICAI CA/ ICMAI Exams
8. CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert)
9. Mensa International
10. CFA

Let us explore these toughest exams in the world(rank-wise) in detail:

1. Gaokao Exam in China

The National College Entrance Exam (NCEE) or Gaokao is a college entrance exam for students who are in their final year of high school. Held annually, over two days when the country comes to a standstill, students who are looking to pursue undergraduate studies are required to appear for the Gaokao Exam.

The maximum score in this exam is 750. Test takers need more than 600 points to secure a place at the best universities in China. You can reappear in this exam again if you did not get the required score. The Gaokao is typically a two-day exam, requiring students to perform at their best under immense pressure. A high score on the Gaokao exam will give you options to choose from major universities and courses.

Why Gaokao Exam is the Toughest Exam in the World?

• Competition: More than 1.3 crores Chinese students appear in the Gaokao exam every year. Objective is to get 50,000 to 60,000 seats in top national universities in China. It means for every seat, 260 students are competing. The success rate will be near 0.003% to 0.004%.
• Exam Pressure: The exam duration is 9 hours. The exam authority conducts this exam in 2 to 3 days. In these three days, students face intense exam pressure. It’s really tough for any kids to such stress after preparing for an exam.
• Years of Preparation: Most students start preparing from middle school (or earlier). It’s not unusual for students to study 12-16 hours per day in the final year before Gaokao. The preparation is emotionally and physically draining.

We have kept the Gaokao Exam on the first rank in the list of the top 10 toughest exams in the world, as not every applicant manages to pass this exam due to its difficulty level.

2. JEE Advanced Exam

The IIT JEE Advanced is one of the toughest exams in India and the second most difficult exam in the world. Indian students who want to study in IITs are required to pass this exam. The NTA conducts JEE Advanced at national level to select students for admission into undergraduate engineering courses offered by Indian Institutes of Technology.

Every year, more than 10 lakhs Indian students appear for the JEE Main exam. Out of them, only 10 to 20% students manage to pass the exam and appear in the JEE Advanced exam. Due to the difficulty level and popularity of this exam. We have kept JEE Advanced exam on the 2nd rank in the list of the top 10 toughest exams in the world. Check out some of the latest data below:

Why is IIT JEE Exam One of the World's Toughest Exams?

• Lakhs of Applicants: Every year more than 12 lakhs Indian students appear for the JEE Mains. It is the early stage of JEE Advanced exam. Only those candidates who will pass this exam can appear for JEE Advanced. This intense competition makes even a slight slip up costly.
• Depth and Difficulty of Questions: The JEE Advanced goes beyond basic concepts of subjects. Students will get questions in many advanced topics of Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. Solving these problems requires not just rote memorisation but a strong grasp of the principles of these subjects.
• Time Management and Pressure: The exam format is designed to test a student's ability to perform under pressure. Due to limited time, candidates need to be exceptional at time management and maintaining focus while solving questions in exam.
• Negative Marking:  If you answered 4 questions incorrectly, then you'll lose score of one correct answer. This is another reason why Joint Entrance Exam is tough to crack.

Also Read:

• 20 Top Engineering Colleges in the World
• Best Engineering Courses for Future?

3. UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE)

UPSC CSE (Civil Services Exam) is second toughest exam in India. The purpose of this exam is to recruit bureaucrats such as IAS, IPS, IFS, and IRS. Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the civil services exam. Prelims, Mains and an interview round are three stages. 

IAS officers hold many leadership positions in the Indian government. These bureaucrats often serve as Secretaries (the head of administration) in various ministries and departments at both the central (union) and state levels. In short, to be on the job role of most reputed civil servant, one has to pass UPSC CSE exam, which is the toughest exam in India.

Why is UPSC CSE Considered the Toughest Exam?

• Tough Syllabus: UPSC Syllabus is tough. It includes Indian history, government, science, current events in India and world. You need to know and read about each subject to do well. It's one of the hardest exams in India.
• Intense Competition: : A large number of candidates apply each year. For every seat, 900 to 1000 candidates compete with each others.
• Tough Selection Process: The intense selection process, including the written exam and interview, filters out only the most deserving candidates.
• Negative Scoring for Incorrect Answer: For every incorrect answer in the Prelims exam, candidates lose some marks. This makes the exam a bit tougher.

Passing the UPSC CSE is not a small task. Those who manage to pass the exam earn immense respect but contribute to shaping the future of the nation's bureaucracy.

4. All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam

The All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam is one of the toughest exams in world. The All Souls College, Oxford University, in the United Kingdom, select post-doctoral fellows. The purpose of the exam is to select Prize Fellows every year who are granted a 7-year fellowship at All Souls College.

This fellowship allow them to pursue independent research, writing, and study without any formal academic or teaching responsibilities. The exam is so tough that only a few test takers manage to clear it.

What Makes All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam One of the Toughest Exams in the World?

• Competition: Only few test takers get shortlisted each year. This makes exam extremely tough. Knowledgeable students of Humanities and Social Sciences take this exam.
• Focus: The exam checks your expertise in your chosen subject. Also, it assesses your ability to think creatively on broader topics apart from your field.
• Originality and Depth: The expectation is not just about factual knowledge but also insightful analysis.

 5. USMLE

The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is medical licensing exam in USA. Physicians must pass this exam to practice medicine in the US. USMLE is well known for its high standards and extensive content. USMLE 1 is about 94 to 97% for local students, and for international graduates, the rate is 74%. Test takers prepare for years to pass the exam.

Why is the USMLE Considered A World's Toughest Exam? 

• Preparation Time: Candidates typically spend years preparing for each step of the USMLE. 
• High Competitiveness: The USMLE Step 1 is very competitive. Many aspirants compete with each other to score high.
• Content Depth: The knowledge related to different medical specialities is required for the USMLE preparation. The exam covers questions related to diverse medical specialities.
• Career Impact: Passing the USMLE is an important milestone for medical professionals who want to get practice license in US. Getting good score in this exam not only opens doors to PR programs in USA.

Candidates wanting to practice medicine in Dubai need to pass the DHA exam, which is one of the competitive exams.

6. Master Sommelier Diploma Exam

The Master Sommelier Diploma Examination consists of three parts: a theory examination (an oral examination and not written), a deductive tasting of six wines, and a practical wine service examination. The minimum passing score for each of the three sections is 75%. Candidates are required to exhibit a high standard of both technical and social skills throughout the examination and demonstrate the courtesy and charm of a Master Sommelier. It is also essential that the candidate demonstrate excellent salesmanship.

Students who pass the Advanced Sommelier Examination (on average, about 25%-30%) are eligible to apply to take the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination itself. The pass rate for the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination- Theory is approximately 10%. The Court of Master Sommeliers doesn't release the total number of the total number of exam-takers, so it is hard to say the exact number of students who attempted this toughest exam.

Master Sommelier Diploma is Among the World's Toughest Exams, Why?

• Deep Knowledge: This exam requires detailed knowledge of a variety of Grapes, winemaking, wine service etiquette and wine pairing with food.
• Higher Standards: This exam was first conducted in the year 1969. Only 269 people in the world passed in this exam in 56 years.
• Preparation: Months of effort is required to prepare for this exam, which includes extensive study, practice, and mentorship.
• High Salary Attracts More Applicants: After passing this exam, candidates can earn crores as a salary package. Due to this, every year, many students appear for the exam.

7. ICAI CA/ ICMAI CMA Exams

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) conducts the CA exam. On the other hand, CMA exan conducting body is Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI). There is no doubt that both tests are in the list of the top 10 hardest exams in India and the world. These exams target commerce graduates who want to build careers in accounting, auditing, cost management, finance, or taxation. Both exams have a similar three level structure: Foundation, Intermediate, and Final.

8. CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert)

Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE certification) is a series of technical certifications for senior networking professionals who design, build, implement, maintain and troubleshoot complex enterprise networking infrastructures. The CCIE certification program is divided into six separate series, or tracks, and includes the following: collaboration, data centre, routing and switching, security, service provider, and wireless.

CCIE is A World's Hardest Exam: Why?

• Multi Stage Test Process: Students need to clear written exam to be eligible for the practical round. The duration of this test is 8 Hours.
• Depth Knowledge: Covers advanced concepts in routing, switching, security, data centre, collaboration, wireless, and service provider networking. All these needs mastery far beyond basic certifications.
• Hands On Expertise: The 8 hours lab test demands high-pressure, real-time problem-solving that simulates live enterprise environments. Only few people pass the exam in their first attempt.
• High Investment of Time and Study: Preparing often takes years of study. Also, costs USD 400 for the core exam and USD 1,600 to USD 1,900 per lab attempt.

9. Mensa International

Founded in 1946 in England, Mensa is not an exam it is a society of members who have scored in the upper 2% of the general population on an approved intelligence test. The society is non-political and free from all racial or religious distinctions. There are over 145,000 Mensans in roughly 90 countries throughout the world. The sole purpose of the group is to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity; encourage research into the nature, characteristics, and uses of intelligence and provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its members.

Why is the Mensa Test Among the World's Toughest Exams?

• Extremely Selective: Mensa membership is limited to those scoring at or above the 98th percentile on approved IQ tests. Equal to or above 130 on IQ level.
• Diverse and Predictable Content: The Mensa test assesses multiple domains of logic, spatial reasoning, verbal reasoning, pattern recognition, and quantitative reasoning. This test varies by country.
• No Prior Preparation Advantage: Yes, it tests your aptitude and not your knowledge. You can practice to understand the format of the Mensa Test, but that will not change your result.

10. CFA

Chartered Financial Analyst or CFA  is a very popular designation for investment professionals. It is known as one of the best qualifications in finance and investment management. Candidates pursuing the course gain insights into the finance and investment industry to add value to their skills. Candidates are required to clear three course levels (CFA Level 1, CFA Level 2, CFA Level 3) to be awarded the charter holder designation by the CFA Institute.

Also Read: CFA Salary in USA

From the article, we can conclude that the Gaokao Exam in China, IIT JEE Advanced, Civil Services Exam (CSE)/UPSC, All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam and USMLE are the top five toughest exams in the world. Students need to prepare hard and have a deep mastery of complex subjects to crack any of the world's toughest exams. These exams are not just assessments of a candidate but a key player in deciding the future of the test taker.

That's all about the topic. We hope that you have got the information you are looking for. Candidates can get in touch with us with their queries about the 'Toughest Exams in the World' in the comments section below.