English proficiency tests

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Choose the best English exam for your needs, whether you're a business professional looking for a reliable certification, a student applying for a university abroad, or an English learner curious about your skill level. These pages are a complete guide to the most common English tests used around the world – the TOEFL, the TOEIC, the EF SET, the IELTS, and the Cambridge English Exams – including detailed information about test structure, scoring, and the organizations behind the tests.

“It's hard to pick the right English proficiency test when there are so many to choose from.”

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Cambridge Exams

The Cambridge exam suite is the most difficult English test to understand because it is actually a set of several tests for different skill levels and student profiles.

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EF SET

EF SET is an online standardized English proficiency test for English professional certification and skills assessment without the expensive price tag of other English tests.

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IELTS

IELTS is two tests: a general English exam for certification and immigration purposes, and an academic English exam for university admittance in the UK and elsewhere.

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TOEFL

TOEFL is an academically-oriented English proficiency test, mainly taken by foreign students who want to attend university in the United States or Canada.

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TOEIC

TOEIC is an English exam oriented towards professionals and companies. It tests English usage in an international workplace context.

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Compare exams

Compare the different standardized English proficiency tests all on a single page so you can choose the best test to meet your goals.