English proficiency tests

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

TOEIC

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

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.