Navigating any education system is no walk in the park, but some countries take education to a whole new level of commitment and determination. From high-stakes exams to extensive course requirements, there are a handful of countries with notoriously rigorous educational systems. To gain a better understanding, let’s dive into the 15 toughest educational systems around the world.
1. India
India, a country with one of the world’s oldest educational systems, ranks as one of the top countries with a challenging educational system. India has invested heavily in its infrastructure to keep up with the amount of students seeking higher education and this investment is reflected in the nation’s impressive exam results.
Students must complete a series of exams in order to be accepted into India’s best universities, the majority of which are incredibly competitive and require a high degree of dedication. The majority of universities in India also employ cut off scores and grades, meaning that they’ll only accept applicants with a certain score or grade on the exams. This added layer of difficulty prevents students with lower scores from enrolling in India’s most competitive schools.
Additionally, Indian students are also required to take a language exam, such as Hindi and English, in order to successfully graduate from high school. This requirement makes the Indian educational system an extremely demanding one. Finally, Indian students must pass an exam to graduate from college and receive a diploma.
The so-called ‘final exams’ consist of multiple-choice and essay questions which are used as the main determiner for the student’s final grades. Passing this exam is required for Indian students to receive a college degree.
2. South Korea
South Korea has consistently ranked among the most educationally rigorous countries worldwide. South Korea is known for its fiercely competitive and demanding high school exam system, known as the college scholastic ability test. All South Korean high school students must take this examination to be accepted into one of the country’s universities.
South Korean high school students are also required to take several language exams as a part of an additional two-tier system. This two-tier system involves an entrance exam and a final exam.
The entrance exam furnishes prospective students with an overall grade, while the final exam serves as a benchmarked measurement of the student’s progress. Students must also stay up-to-date on their academic studies, as many South Korean universities will require prospective students to appear for an interview.
During the interview, prospects will have to explain their academic background, scores, and other related information in order to secure their admission into the university. Finally, students who enroll in South Korean universities are subjected to an array of assessments and exams, from midterms to projects.
3. Japan
Much like its neighboring country Korea, Japan is renowned for its exceptional education system, one of the most challenging in the world. Prospective Japanese high school students are faced with tough exams known as entrance exams, which measure aptitude in maths, science, and language. These exams are taken over a two-day period and must be passed in order to be eligible to attend one of Japan’s prestigious universities.
Apart from the entrance examinations, future Japanese students must also achieve a scores on the secondary school examination. Attaining good results on this exam is necessary to gain favorable opportunities once they proceed to a university.
Additionally, Japanese universities take into consideration a student’s academic and personal record when assessing acceptance. Finally, once a student has passed all the prerequisite exams and studies, Japan has another set of evaluations specifically for employment. Those considered for post-graduate job positions must demonstrate their knowledge of the company’s industry, the related laws and regulations, and their particular experience with the job market.
4. Singapore
Home to one of the world’s best ranked educational systems, Singapore is a country known for its commitment to excellence. Despite the nation’s impressive exam results and overall system performance, Singapore’s education system can still be considered a difficult one. Singaporean students must pass a yearly summary review in order to remain in the education system.
These summaries are staged in order to track the students’ performances throughout the entire year. These reviews cover all academic disciplines, as well as personal and financial areas of the student’s life.
Additionally, all students must pass an inaugural assessment, known as the GCE ‘O’ Level Exam, to gain acceptance into a Singapore university. Furthermore, Singaporean higher education institutes have 1-2 extra-curricular exams that must be taken and passed before acceptance is granted.
Finally, the entire system has been developed under the principle of comprehensive evaluation, ensuring that each student must satisfy both personal and academic criteria in order to become successful and well-rounded in their studies.
5. Taiwan
Taiwan is another country which goes to great lengths to foster excellence in its population. All prospective Taiwanese university students must take part in the ‘Senior High Exam’, an evaluation designed to assess their academic level.
This exam is taken by both high school and military students, with each competing in a 6-hour test covering a range of topics such as mathematics, science, and language. In addition to a comprehensive exam, students seeking advanced academic degrees in Taiwan must also display good language proficiency during the application process. This language proficiency includes both spoken and written language, as well as current news knowledge.
The same qualifications extend to post-graduate studies in Taiwan. Prospective students are required to submit a series of academic records and test scores, such as the ‘High Exam’, in order to qualify for the university. As such, for Taiwanese students, the journey to admission in higher education is a long and demanding one.
6. China
No list would be complete without China, a country with an intimidatingly hard educational system. Home to the infamous gaokao, or “high exam” as it’s better known, the Chinese education system is rated among the most demanding in the world.
All high school seniors in China must take the gaokao, an eight-hour exam designed to assess their competence in maths, science, and language. Not only that, but the gaokao can be taken in different levels and has been known to be incredibly hard to pass. That’s why the gaokao carries a big weight when it comes to university admissions in China.
Highly competitive students can opt for a higher grade in the gaokao, thereby increasing their chances of admission into certain universities. However, Chinese students must also have good grades throughout the entire school year, as these will be taken into consideration for admission.
Additionally, students must also take part in extra-curricular activities such as sports and debate teams in order to remain competitive and reach their goals.
7. France
French students face an interesting education system, one significantly different from their European counterparts. In France, there is an emphasis on a combination of theoretical exams and courses which test students’ knowledge in social sciences, languages, and science and maths.
Students must then combine this raw knowledge with lifelong learning as they must take part in at least two years of professional experience. In addition to the specific requirements, French students must also receive mentorship from a professor in order to be considered competent within their chosen field of study. Finally, students seeking to attend French universities must prove their analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as their capacity for independent study and critical thinking.
These skills are tested through an intense series of entrance exams, known as the ‘concours’. The concours is an 8-to-12 hour exam and consists of both multiple choice and essay questions. Students must demonstrate their knowledge in science and maths, apart from their understanding of French, in order to be accepted into the university.
8. Germany
Just as France has a unique educational system, so too does Germany. But it’s perhaps even more demanding. German students must complete a strict set of courses in order to graduate from high school.
These courses come in the form of mandatory exams and a set of extra-curricular activities which are required for college admission. Furthermore, aspiring German university students must pass a battery of exams known as the ‘Kompetenztest’.
This set of tests is designed to evaluate the student’s knowledge of social sciences, as well as their proficiency in English and mathematics. During the tests, students must answer multiple-choice questions, required to decode complex topics in a limited amount of time. Finally, students must also display a high level of dedication in all their classes.
All German pupils must also have a mindset of constantly striving for excellence in all fields of their studies, both in the classroom and in their extra-curricular activities.
9. Finland
Finland has earned much recognition in recent years, primarily due to its excellent educational system. Despite the system’s achievements, it is still considered one of the most challenging in the world. The Finnish educational requirements are very strict, and future students must attain a level of mastery in all of their courses.
Finnish universities require that prospective students have mastered the reading, writing, and speaking of the Finnish language. Additionally, future students must also prove their proficiency in social sciences, maths, and sciences.
The Finnish educational system also places an emphasis on practical experiences, as prospective students must have participated in internships and leadership programs in order to be considered for admission. This ensures that students are not only knowledgeable in their field, but also have real-world experiences. Finally, the Finnish system administers exams that must be passed in order to graduate from universities.
These exams test the student’s knowledge and ability to analyze questions and topics, ensuring that all graduates are ready for the employment market.
10. United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is known for having one of the most difficult educational systems. This is due to the country’s emphasis on early education, mentorship, and structured learning.
Unlike many other countries, the British education system doesn’t refer to a single system, but rather, several different systems. Depending on the state, students in the UK may have to take different sets of exams and course requirements in order to be accepted into a university. The majority of universities in the UK require prospective students to take two internationally recognized tests known as the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Subsidiary (AS).
Both of these exams are incredibly challenging, and require a high level of knowledge in the students’ academic disciplines. Additionally, students must also submit letters of recommendation, certified academic records, and a personal essay in order to have the best chances of admission.
Finally, UK universities often require their students to take additional exams throughout the entire academic year, ensuring that students are on track with their studies.
11. Sweden
Sweden has established itself as one of the world’s most educated nations thanks to its exceptional educational system. Despite this, Swedish higher education still requires a great degree of dedication and work. The Swedish system focuses heavily on high-stakes exams to assess each student’s performance and suitability in their classes.
For example, all high school students must complete the Swedish Secondary Education Capstone Assessment or the ‘Examensarbete’. This exam serves as a final evaluation of the student’s knowledge and is composed of an extensive research paper.
Swedish colleges and universities also administer comprehensive testing, seeking to measure the knowledge of all their prospective students. The universities also require a certain GPA (Grade Point Average) from prospective students in order to be accepted.
Additionally, students must also demonstrate good language proficiency as language is heavily emphasized in the Swedish educational system.
12. Australia
Although Australia is known for its relaxed lifestyle, the country still has a challenging educational system. Like most countries, Australia has a number of examinations designed to assess the student’s competence in several areas. The primary exam a student must pass in order to be accepted into an Australian university is the Overseas Student Assessment Program (OSAT).
This exam is designed to test a student’s aptitude in mathematics, English, and science and is made compulsory by all Australian universities. Additionally, universities must also take the student’s current grades into account when assessing their eligibility for admission.
Moreover, Australia has mandatory Foundation Programs for those students who do not meet the minimum requirement for the OSAT. These institutions prepare students for the later stages of the university admission process.
Finally, some universities hold additional interviews and evaluation sessions with prospective students, seeking to discern their suitability for the university.
13. Pakistan
Despite having a slightly less demanding educational system than its neighbor India, Pakistan still offers a highly competitive and challenging education. Students have to face difficult assessments and exams before and during their university studies. The Pakistani educational system begins with the Secondary School Certificate (SSC), a written exam designed to test the student’s knowledge of mathematics and language.
Following this, students must then pass their Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC), an evaluation composed of up to nine subjects taken over six months. Once a student has passed both the SSC and HSSC, they are subject to the competitive entrance examination for universities.
This exam features multiple-choice and essay questions, as well as physical and psychological assessments. Finally, Pakistani universities also have requirement courses for all students, assessing their abilities in maths, science, and other disciplines.
14. Thailand
Despite its reputation for having an easier educational system, Thailand fares very well when it comes to its universities. Thailand has established itself as a hot spot for higher education, but it still requires a great amount of dedication and hard work in order to accomplish the goal of success.
Thailand requires prospective students to take a series of exams known as the “Thai Baht Exam”. This exam is composed of two sections, an aptitude test and a written test. The aptitude test is designed to measure the student’s knowledge of the mathematics, sciences, and language, while the written test tests the student’s analytical abilities.
Additionally, aspiring students must also submit a personal statement, academic records, and a recommendation letter from a professor or faculty member. Finally, students must also complete an entrance interview for their desired university in order to ascertain their suitability for the university.
15. Malaysia
Rounding off our list is Malaysia, another country that is known to have a demanding educational system. Students must pass the Malaysian Certificate of Education (MCE) examination in order to be accepted into a Malaysian university. This exam is composed of two parts, a written test and a practical test.
The written test is similar to the SATs and covers eight different subjects, including math, science, language, and history. Meanwhile, the practical test tests the student’s proficiency in various subjects such as music, art, business, and engineering.
Additionally, students must also take and pass the Malaysian University Entrance Exam (MUEE) to gain acceptance into a university. The MUEE tests the student’s knowledge of maths, science, and language, while also testing their comprehension and problem-solving abilities.
Conclusion
No matter which country you’re from, gaining admission into a higher education institute is far from easy. Every nation in this article has a unique education system with its own points of difficulty and areas of differentiation.
The countries listed above, however, are known to have the most challenging systems. It’s worth noting that many of our readers have gone through the hardships of these systems and gone on to become successful professionals in their chosen fields, so the effort is worth it in the end. All students seeking to apply should therefore be well-prepared, motivated, and ready to face any challenge they might come across.
Good luck!