As a study abroad aspirant your English language skills are judged through IELTS, TOEFL and PTE tests. If English is not your first language, it is critical for International universities to measure your English language skills against certain standards so that imparting academic knowledge becomes seamless without any language barrier. You are required to take either of these exams to further your academic plans. So, if you feel overwhelmed about which exam you must take, then this article is for you. Before you go ahead and learn how to apply for an education loan in India, read on to know the details about the exams, countries that accept the tests and more.

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

This is the most well-known test and is accepted in most universities across the world. Just like other English proficiency tests this test examines your reading, comprehension, writing, and speaking skills.

To know about effective ways to prepare for IELTS click here.

Which countries accept
Around 3400 universities in America accept the IELTS test. This is a standard exam in the UK and Australia. Many educational institutions in Canada, Ireland and Europe accept this standard exam.

Format
The format is designed to evaluate your English listening, speaking, writing, and reading skills. You will be made to listen to the spoken language of a native English speaker and then asked questions about it by the end of the test. You are also expected to speak with the moderator about yourself or on any given topic to examine your speaking skills. To check your reading skills, passages will be given to you after which you will be given a set of questions. Writing an essay and expressing infographics like charts, diagrams, etc. form a part of a writing assignment.

Scores: 1-9
While universities have different cut-off scores, most universities look for 5.5 and above. Whereas highly ranked institutions and Ivy League colleges require higher scores, some institutions accept scores higher than 8.

Conducted by
British Council, IDP- IELTS Australia, and Cambridge Assessment English.

Duration
The test duration is 2 hours and 45 minutes

Results
After 13 days from the date of examination.

TOEFL: Test of English as Foreign Language

It is one of the most preferred exams that gauges your English language skills. It is also known as TOEFL iBT where iBT means internet-based test.

Which countries accept
It is widely accepted across the US and Canada and popular across 11,000 educational institutions across 150 countries. TOEFL is valid in highly ranked universities in America, the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Did you know that 90% of the educational institutions in the USA use TOEFL scores as a standard measure?

Format
Reading and listening tasks are similar to the IELTS test with different time duration. To gauge your speaking skills you will be asked to present your opinion on any given topic and asked questions related to the same. The writing assignment will require you to draft an essay and present your opinions.

Scores: 0-120
You are good to go if you score anywhere between 90 and 100. However, this test has sub-categories and many universities have their standard minimum score for each of the sub-categories.

Conducted by
Educational Testing Service (ETS).

Duration
The test duration is 3 hours.

Results
After 6 days from the date of examination.

PTE: Pearson Test of English

Similar to TOEFL this test is also a computer based exam that engages Artificial Intelligence to arrive at a fair and impartial score.

Which countries accept
Many counties including the UK, Australia, and New Zealand accept the PTE scores.

Format
The task to evaluate your listening skills is similar to IELTS and TOEFL tests. The speaking and writing skills will be judged based on parameters like narrative skills, essay writing, and so on. After reading the given text you will be given multiple-choice questions, fill in the blanks, etc. to arrive at the score.

Scores: 10-90
While a PTE score of 58 and above will get you through most universities, some reputable institutions will demand a higher score of up to 70.

Conducted by
Pearson PLC Group

Duration
The test duration is 3 hours.

Results
After 2 days from the date of examination. The results are declared quicker than IELTS and TOEFL and are declared online. So, IELTS, TOEFL and PTE exams hold a ticket to your academic journey that will help you get admission to the most international universities of your choice after taking an education loan. The scores from all three tests are valid for two years. The test you wish to take will depend on several variables like the country you prefer to study in, universities you have shortlisted and other choices. This guide will help you in arriving at that decision by evaluating these parameters. If you are worried about the finances, Avanse can help you out with a collateral-free education loan. Get in touch with one of our executives to understand how education loan works.