Introduction 

Guessing about the top toughest examinations in the world? The professionals & students all around the world give their best efforts to crack the most challenging examinations of the world. The examinations are tougher as they not only check your knowledge but demand mental endurance, strategic thinking & perseverance. The passing rates are low for these examinations due to their high difficulty levels. 

This blog on the top 10 toughest exams in the world 2025 takes you to the top toughest examinations, exam purpose, format & duration, eligibility criteria & important tips for cracking these examinations. You can secure a prestigious government position or get admission to the top elite universities of the world cracking these difficult examinations. 

What are the Top 10 Toughest Exams in the World 2025?

Gaokao Exam - China

The Gaokao Exam is a worldwide Unified Examination conducted by China to accept admissions to the top colleges and universities of China. It is a national undergraduate admission examination & is considered the most difficult examination in the world.  

About the Exam

The Gaokao Test is conducted by the provincial government under the Ministry of Education in June every year. The examination is conducted for two continuous days for undergraduate applicants in China. 

Exam Purpose 

Gaokao is a gateway for higher education in Chinese top institutions. It serves as an essential criterion for undergraduate admissions, signifying the culmination of secondary education and the commencement of higher academic pursuits.

Exam Format & Duration

The Goakao Exam is conducted in Mandarin Chinese language. The main subjects of this examination are Social Sciences, Languages, Mathematics & Science. The time duration for this examination is 9 hours and it is measured on a scale of 750 to 950 points.

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for the  Gaokao examination are as follows: 

• The students who apply for the Gaokao entrance test should be citizens of China. People who do not have Chinese citizenship are not allowed to appear for this examination. 
• The students should have completed their secondary & senior secondary education. It includes nine years of compulsory basic education & three years of high school education.

 IIT-JEE Exam - India

IIT-JEE is a prestigious examination conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology & is the second hardest examination in the world. This is a prominent engineering entrance test for B.Tech and other engineering courses. The examination is conducted under the proper guidance of the Joint Admission Board, India.

About the Exam 

IIT-JEE consists of two main stages - JEE Main & JEE Advanced. JEE Main is a screening test to select the eligible candidates to appear for the Advanced. The total number of applicants applying for IIT-JEE is approx. 190 thousand yearly. The figure is increasing rapidly with more number of students applying to the examination. Out of the total applications, only forty thousand students can qualify for the final admissions. JEE Advanced is the final stage of the examination through which you get easy admission to the IIT universities of India. 

Exam Purpose 

The exam is conducted by one of the 23 main zonal IITs. It is organized under the guidance of the Joint Admission Board to select brilliant technical minds for IITs. 

Format & Exam Duration

The exam pattern for IIT-JEE comprises important topics of the CBSE Board curriculum for Class XI and XII. The main subjects of the examination are Chemistry, Physics & Mathematics. The total time duration of this examination is three hours.

Eligibility Criteria 

The students who are willing to apply for this examination should have completed their XII standard or equivalent examination in the same year or a year back. The minimum percentage for this examination should be 75% or above.

UPSC Exam - India

Union Public Service Commission or UPSC conducts all India Civil Services Examination for the students and the examination is ranked among the top 10 Toughest Exams in the World in 2025. 

About the Exam 

UPSC is the most meticulous, competitive & difficult examination with a limited number of attempts. The limits vary depending on the caste category of the student. 

Examination Purpose 

The main purpose of the UPSC examination is to recruit people for higher civil services under the Government of India. The top services among them are: 

• Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
• Indian Police Service (IPS)
• Indian Foreign Service (IFS)

Format & Paper Duration

The exam consists of three main stages; Prelims, Mains & the final Interview.  The exam duration is three hours. Prelims consist of two papers - 200 marks each & main consists of nine subjective papers. 

Eligibility 

The age limit for students to apply to UPSC is 21-32 years. You must have a bachelor's degree recognized by the Government of India.

Mensa International - England

Mensa International is a prestigious examination to select candidates with higher intelligence & IQs. 

About the Exam 

The examination is conducted in more than 90 countries including Germany, Ireland,  India, the UK & the US. The test evaluates your IQ with mental intelligence. 

Exam Purpose

The main purpose of the exam is to mark candidates based on their IQ & intelligence level.  The members can work in stimulating social & intellectual environments. 

Format & Exam Duration 

The cutoff score of the Mensa examination is as follows:

• Stanford-Binet - 132 & above
• Cattell - 148 & above

These tests have 35 questions in total that are to be solved in 25 minutes.

Eligibility

There is no specific age limit as such, however, the children should be above ten years to apply for this examination. 

GRE - USA & Canada

GRE is the fifth most difficult examination in the world. The test evaluates the ability of the applicants to pursue a master's degree in foreign universities such as Canada & the USA. 

About the Exam 

Educational Testing Service (ETS) is the managing authority of the GRE examination. The exam measures the quantitative ability, analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and critical thinking aptitudes of the students. 

Exam Purpose 

The main purpose of the GRE exam is to offer admissions to students in master's & doctoral degrees in top reputed universities in Canada & the USA. 

Format and Test Duration 

The exam consists of six main sections. There are two quantitative reasoning sections, two verbal reasoning sections & one analytical writing section. The exam duration is 3 hours & 45 minutes. 

Eligibility

According to the Educational Testing Service (ETS), there are no specific eligibility criteria for taking the GRE. Candidates from all academic disciplines may register for the examination.

CFA - USA

This is the must-appear examination for anyone who wants to make a career in finance or investment. Successfully clearing this examination is a highly sought-after achievement for finance professionals in the USA!

About the Exam

The CFA is short for Chartered Financial Analyst. The students appear in this examination to make their career in economics or business background.

Exam Purpose 

The scholars get the positions of senior managers and executives after clearing this examination. There are many other job roles in the areas of asset, economics, finance & risk management.

Format & Exam Duration 

It is one of the top 10 Toughest Exams in the World 2025 comprising of three main levels. 

Level 1: There are two sessions of MCQs with 2 hours & 15 minutes each. 

Level 2:  There are two sessions of MCQs with 2 hours & 12 minutes each. 

Level 3:  There are two sessions of MCQs with 2 hours & 12 minutes each. 

Eligibility

You should have work experience of 4000+ hours in a related field. You should be a UG or PG degree holder & must own a valid international travel passport.

CCIE - USA

CCIE - USA is the toughest examination in the USA and people appearing in these tests must learn necessary marketing & learning strategies.

About the Exam 

It stands for the 'Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Examination. The exam is designed to evaluate students based on troubleshooting & development skills. 

Exam Purpose

The purpose of this examination is to certify individuals for their skills with global credibility. The exam is conducted to test the skill sets of the students. These skill sets may be related to design, architecture, network & IT-related projects. 

Paper Format & Exam Duration 

The paper is of 120 minutes and you need to answer 90-110 questions. 

Eligibility 

The CCIE exam mandates that candidates hold a valid 10+2 certification from an accredited educational board, securing a minimum of 55% aggregate marks.

GATE - India

GATE is an all-India level examination to apply for postgraduate engineering from reputed engineering colleges in India.

About the Exam 

GATE is an important entrance examination for Indian students who are willing to pursue their postgraduate degree or M. Tech from reputed engineering institutes such as NITs and IITs. 

Test Purpose 

The purpose of the examination is to select the most talented technical minds in the most prominent colleges in India. The GATE examination is for candidates willing to study M Tech or ME  from top engineering colleges. The higher your scores in GATE, the more chances to get into prestigious engineering Indian universities.

Exam Format & Duration

GATE examination is of three hours and it is a computer-based exam that includes MCQs & Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions. The examination comprises 30 pages, with a total of 65 questions to be answered.

Eligibility

You should have your bachelor's in technology or engineering. Students studying in any science field are eligible to apply for the GATE exam.

All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam - UK

The students from Oxford University can apply for this fellowship examination. Post-exam compensation for research students is calculated based on the cumulative hours contributed to the designated research field.

About the Exam

The exam accesses students' knowledge based on topics such as literature, classical studies, and history. A viva segment is held for the students to evaluate their verbal answering skills on the last Saturday of October.

Test Purpose 

Once the students clear their fellowship examination, they can work as teachers in the university itself. The purpose of this exam is to select the most talented scholars in the UK universities. 

Test Format & Duration 

The examination consists of two distinct components: An examination followed by an election. The assessment includes a written test and a 25-minute oral interview. Additionally, the essays and answer sheets students submit are published on the college's website. The interviews are conducted in a relaxed manner, and you are motivated to perform to your fullest potential.

However, the election process is completed the following day. If you are chosen as an elective fellow, you will be informed by the next day.

Eligibility 

You should be enrolled at Oxford University & pursuing a social sciences/Humanities degree and should have passed all your previous examinations.

California Bar Exam - USA

It is one of the top 10 toughest exams in the world & conducted twice a year.  The examination is for candidates who wish to pursue a law career in California, USA.

About the Exam

This exam charges an enrollment fee of $ 500. The candidates are tested on the US law and the California law. Also, they will not enroll you for the exam on unsuccessful payment of the enrollment fees.

Exam Purpose 

This test certifies the lawyers by examining their core knowledge and comprehension. Further, this test even evaluates the candidates based on their thinking skills. Apart from this, this is the minimum qualification to enroll for law study in the state.

Test Format & Duration

The exam is held for two continuous days and these are the important questions/sections of the examination. 

1. One hour essay Questions x 5
2. 90 minutes Performance Test
3.  200 MCQs Multistate Bar Examination.

Eligibility

The eligibility to practice law in California is that you must have completed your two years of studies at the college level or passed specified College Level Equivalency Program examinations.

Tips for Exam Preparation

• Have a Dedicated Space to Study
• Adhere to a Strict Timetable
• Practice by taking available Mock Tests
• Utilize Diagrams and Flowcharts in Notes
• Stick to Professional Plans of Study
• Be cognizant of Your Strengths and Weaknesses
• Plan to Start Revision Early

Conclusion 

The top 10 toughest exams in the World 2025, are challenging since they do not just test your knowledge but also test your mental tolerance, tactical thinking & grit. The passing percentage is low in these tests because they are very challenging. You can land a great government job or secure admission to the best career elite universities in the world cracking these challenging tests. Stick to professional plans of study to secure good scores cracking these toughest examinations.