Top 10 Toughest Exams in the World in 2025

#1 Gaokao (China) – Extremely competitive college entrance exam.

#2 JEE Advanced (India) – Entry to IITs; very low selection rate.

#3 UPSC Civil Services (India) – IAS/IPS recruitment; multi-stage exam with <0.3% success.

#4 CFA (Global) – Elite finance certification; tough multi-level exams.

#5 CCIE (Global) – Networking expert certification with intense lab exam.

#6 All Souls Prize Fellowship (Oxford) – Extremely selective, tests original thinking.

#7 Master Sommelier Exam (Global) – Elite wine mastery with very low pass rates.

#8 Mensa IQ Test (Global) – Only top 2% IQ qualify.

#9 GATE (India) – Highly competitive for engineering post-graduation.

#10 USMLE & California Bar (USA) – Tough medical and law licensing exams.