The first wall you hit when you decide to study abroad is, surprisingly, neither English nor essays — it's the most basic confusion of all: "Wait, which test am I supposed to take again?"
GMAT, GRE, GMAT EA, SAT, LSAT, MCAT, TOEFL, IELTS — four-letter test names fly around the blogs, but which should you take? I genuinely hear so many people say they agonized over this for three months without being able to move.
For you, this article is built so that this one piece nails down "the test you should take" — let's organize the full map of study-abroad tests.
Just knowing this one line clears up the confusion all at once.
Structurally, the tests you take to study abroad split into these two groups.
In other words, the tests you take are, as a standard form, a total of two: "one aptitude test + one English proficiency test." That's all.
| Test | Main target | Test time | Score | Approx. fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMAT (Focus Edition) | MBA / some management MS | ~2 hr 15 min | 205–805 | $275+ |
| GRE General | Grad school in general (STEM, humanities, public policy, MBA alternative) | ~1 hr 58 min | Verbal/Quant 130–170 each | $220+ |
| GMAT EA (Executive Assessment) | EMBA (MBA for executives) | ~90 min | 100–200 | $350+ |
| SAT | U.S. undergraduate study | ~2 hr 14 min (Digital) | 400–1600 | $68+ (overseas testing $111+) |
| LSAT | U.S./Canada law schools | ~3 hr 30 min | 120–180 | $238+ |
| MCAT | U.S./Canada medical schools | ~7 hr 30 min | 472–528 | $345+ |
Each in a line:
💡 Worth knowing: aptitude-test "interoperability"
More schools are accepting multiple tests, such as "GMAT or GRE" and "LSAT or GRE." On top of that, "GRE Optional / Not Required" is expanding among business and psychology MS/PhD programs. Always confirm the latest application requirements of your target schools on their official sites.
| Test | Main use | Test time | Score | Approx. fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | U.S./Canada universities & grad schools (widely accepted) | ~1 hr 56 min | 0–120 | $245+ |
| IELTS Academic | U.K./Australia/Canada universities (also widely accepted in the U.S.) | ~2 hr 45 min | 0–9.0 (0.5 increments) | ¥27,500+ (Japan) |
The two differ in scoring criteria and question format, but most top schools accept either, so the basic strategy is to choose "whichever you're better at."
Rough rules of thumb for which to use:
In recent years, schools accepting the Duolingo English Test (taken at home in about 30 minutes for $65) and PTE Academic are also surging. Duolingo in particular is a stock to watch for cost-effectiveness and speed. However, acceptance at top schools is limited, so confirm your first-choice school's application requirements first.
| Destination | Aptitude test | English-proficiency test |
|---|---|---|
| MBA (full-time) | GMAT or GRE | TOEFL or IELTS |
| EMBA | GMAT EA (or GMAT) | TOEFL or IELTS |
| MS (STEM/humanities) | GRE (more schools now don't require it) | TOEFL or IELTS |
| PhD | GRE (varies by field) | TOEFL or IELTS |
| U.S. undergrad | SAT (or ACT) | TOEFL or IELTS |
| Law school (JD) | LSAT or GRE | TOEFL or IELTS |
| LL.M. (master's for existing lawyers) | (No aptitude test, generally) | TOEFL or IELTS |
| Medical school (U.S.) | MCAT | TOEFL or IELTS |
From here, this is the completely personal opinion of the author, who actually sat both the English tests and the GRE/GMAT. It's not a general theory, so take it as a reference.
1. For the English test, IELTS seems easier to score high on
Because IELTS is calculated with a round-up system in 0.5 increments, even ability right at the borderline tends to produce a score one notch higher. TOEFL iBT, on the other hand, uses fine-grained scoring from 0 to 120, and in my experience the same English ability tended to be harder to convert into a high score. If your first-choice school also accepts IELTS, it's well worth considering.
2. For the aptitude test, I strongly recommend the GRE (especially for Japanese test-takers)
The key is the difference in CAT (Computer Adaptive Testing) format.
In my experience, the GMAT is designed so that "the moment your final concentration breaks, you take a fatal hit," and scores tend to swing wildly. The GRE, by contrast, stays stable in the latter half if you focus and lock in the first section. On top of that, the flexibility to pivot your application strategy — say, switching from MBA to public policy (MPA) — is a strength unique to the GRE.
3. GMAT EA is, at present, a thin option
I have no personal test experience, but I hear it's relatively easy to score on. The fatal issue, though, is that the number of universities accepting it is overwhelmingly smaller than for GMAT/GRE. European schools in particular often don't accept GMAT EA, which sharply narrows your application options. Even limiting to MBA aspirants, it's hard to call it a smart choice — that's my personal impression.
1. "Just take the GMAT, it's versatile" is a lie. Grad programs other than MBA often require the GRE, and for versatility the GRE is overwhelmingly more flexible (STEM MS, humanities MA, PhD, and in recent years even MBA and law school).
2. "Take both TOEFL and IELTS just in case" is unnecessary too. You double both the test fees and the prep time. The right answer is to narrow to one to match your first-choice school's acceptance. People who do both usually end up "half-baked at both."
3. Deciding "because a senior said so" is dangerous as well. Study-abroad tests get heavily revised every 2–3 years (GMAT Focus, GRE shortening, LSAT format change, SAT digitization — all changes within the last two years). Always base your final judgment on official information.
Study-abroad tests come in many varieties, but once you organize them into the combination of "one aptitude test + one English-proficiency test," they're simple.
The best shortcut when you're torn is to open all the candidate tests on their official sites and solve one sample question each. Whether the GMAT suits you, whether the GRE fits your temperament, whether the LSAT's logic puzzles excite you — solve three questions and your gut will tell you the answer.
There's no time like the present. Put the time you spend hesitating into that first sample question. That is the fastest starting line for your study-abroad prep.
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