Top 10 Toughest Exams in the World in 2026

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, Mensa International and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) are rated among top 10 toughest exams in the world 2026.

Did you know that among the top 10 toughest exams in the world, two of the top three are from India? These are UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) and JEE Advanced. Selection rate for some of these exams is lower than 1%. Only a select few students manage to pass these incredibly challenging tests.

The Gaokao Exam in China is cited as hardest exam in the world. The Gaokao is an annual standardized test in China. It is mandatory for admission into the country’s higher educational institutions. This article will be helpful if you are exploring information about the hardest exam in the world. Below, we discuss the list of the top 10 toughest exams in the world, including their difficulty level, selection rate, and other details.

Did You Know: Indian students mostly prefer top countries for their studies. Every year, many students appear for IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, and GMAT. These tests are important for studying abroad. But they are not among toughest exams in the world. Unlike the tests listed above, these have much higher success rates. Top 10 toughest exams in the world often depend on what subject you study. It assesses your skill and patience.

Top 10 Toughest Exams in the World 2026

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:

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 study 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 difficulty level of this exam.

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. They just want to get enrolled in best engineering courses.
• 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.

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 civil services exam. Prelims, Mains and an interview round are three stages. 

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

Why is UPSC CSE Considered the Toughest Exam?

• Tough Syllabus: It 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 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 written exam and interview, filters out only most deserving candidates.
• Negative Scoring for Incorrect Answer: For every incorrect answer in Prelims exam, candidates lose some marks. This makes exam a bit tougher.

All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam

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

This fellowship allows them to pursue independent research and study without any formal academic 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.

USMLE

United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is medical licensing exam in USA. Physicians must pass this exam to practice medicine in 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, rate is 74%. Test takers prepare for years to pass exam.

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

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 tough to say 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.

ICAI CA/ ICMAI CMA Exams

Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) conducts CA exam. On other hand, CMA exan conducting body is Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI). There is no doubt that both tests are in list of top 10 hardest exams in India and 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.

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.

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.

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

What Makes an Exam "Toughest" in the World?

Is the low success rate of any exam is true definition of the hardest? Well, no! There are different factors, such as a vast syllabus and multi stage exams. Here, we have explained our criteria to rank these exams from 1 to 10.

• Pass Rate or Success Ratio: Extremely low success rate due to intense competition and limited seats.

• Vast Syllabus: Variety of topics covered in syllabus demanding years of preparation.

• Examination Duration: Multi stage process demanding sustained mental and physical endurance.

• Outcome Value: Grants access to high prestige and life careers.

Summary Table of Top 10 Toughest Exams in the World

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 players 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