Some exams are famous for being brutal. You want the very worst of them. So what are the top 5 hardest exams?
Here is the short list. The Gaokao, IIT-JEE, UPSC, the All Souls fellowship, and Mensa. Each is fearsome in its own way.
They test different skills in different places. But all share one thing. A tiny share of takers truly master them.
This guide ranks the top 5 and explains each. As we say, only the strong survive. Let us meet them.
What are the top 5 hardest exams?
Most rankings agree on the same few names. They come from China, India, the UK, and beyond.
The list is led by China’s Gaokao. Then come two giants from India, a rare Oxford fellowship, and a famous IQ test.
Each one is hard for a different reason. Some are huge, some have tiny pass rates, and some test pure brilliance.
So here is the common top 5, from the most feared down. Your own list may shift a little by source.
Did you know?
The All Souls fellowship exam at Oxford is so hard that in some years no one is offered a place at all. Only a tiny handful ever pass it.
The top 5 hardest exams
Here is the common ranking, with the country and the reason each one is so feared.
See the spread? Different countries, different skills. Yet each exam sits at the very peak of difficulty.
A closer look at each
Each of these exams earns its place for a clear reason. Here is the quick story behind them.
The Gaokao is China’s college entrance test, sat by over 10 million students. One score can shape a whole future.
India’s IIT-JEE Advanced is the gateway to elite engineering schools. Only a small slice of hopefuls win a seat.
The UPSC picks India’s top officials through years of study. The All Souls fellowship and the Mensa test round out the list, one for pure scholarship, one for raw IQ.
Curious which one leads them all? See the No. 1 toughest exam, then plan your own prep smartly.
What these exams have in common
Despite their differences, the hardest exams share a few traits. Spotting them explains the rankings.
The first is a low success rate. When only a tiny share pass, the exam earns its brutal name.
The second is huge competition. Millions of bright minds chasing few places push the bar sky-high.
The third is a wide, deep syllabus. More topics at a high level mean more places to slip.
The last is high stakes. When one result shapes a career, the pressure alone makes the exam harder.
Frequently asked questions
What are the top 5 hardest exams?
Most lists name the Gaokao, IIT-JEE Advanced, UPSC Civil Services, the All Souls fellowship, and the Mensa test.
Which of the top 5 is hardest?
The Gaokao usually ranks first for its scale and stakes, though rankings shift a little by source.
Why is the All Souls exam on the list?
It passes only a tiny handful each year, and in some years no one is offered a place at all.
Are these exams the same everywhere?
No. They span China, India, the UK, and beyond, testing very different skills in very different ways.
Do other exams belong on the list?
Yes. The CFA, GRE, and USMLE often appear too, since rankings use different measures of difficulty.
How do I prepare for a very hard exam?
Start early, master the basics, test yourself often, and space your study across many months, not days.
Want to beat your own tough exam? See how to get 100% on every test and how to study 10X faster.
So, what are the top 5 hardest exams? The Gaokao, IIT-JEE, UPSC, the All Souls fellowship, and the Mensa test.
Each is brutal in its own way. But smart, steady study beats them all. Plan early, test often, and stay calm.