What is the hardest exam in the world at Oxford?

The hardest exam at Oxford, often called the hardest in the world, is the Fellowship Examination for All Souls College, a notoriously difficult test for just one or two academic positions, involving abstract essay questions across humanities subjects that require deep, original thinking, unlike typical coursework. Candidates face four three-hour papers with broad, unconventional essay prompts (e.g., "Is global warming preferable to global cooling?") and must demonstrate exceptional intellectual depth, originality, and clarity to pass to the final interview stage (Viva) with the college fellows.

What is the hardest exam at Oxford?

Oxford's All Souls College Exam: The World's Hardest Test? All Souls typically selects just two Examination Fellows annually from a pool of “around 80 to 150 candidates.” The success rate hovers under 2%, making it one of the most selective academic competitions anywhere.

Which is the no. 1 toughest exam in the world?

The Gaokao (China's National College Entrance Examination) is often ranked as the No. 1 toughest exam in the world due to its extreme difficulty, high competition, and the immense pressure it puts on millions of students every year.

Is Oxford called All Souls?

All Souls College (official name: The Warden and the College of the Souls of All Faithful People Deceased in the University of Oxford) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. All Souls is one of the wealthiest colleges in Oxford, with a financial endowment of £286.4m (2014).

What is the All Souls exam?

The College sets a written examination, consisting of four papers of three hours each. Two of these are in your chosen specialist subject – Classical Studies, Law, History, English Literature, Economics, Politics, or Philosophy. The other two papers are 'general', and contain questions on a wide range of subjects.

the 5 hardest exams in the world

Is Oxford harder than IIT?

Getting into IIT is actually harder than getting into MIT or Oxford. Yes, you heard that right. Every year, around 1.9 to 2 lakh students appear for the JEE Advanced exam and only about 17 to 18 thousand make it to the IITs.

Which is the 7 toughest exam in India?

Top 10 Toughest Exams in India

1. UPSC Civil Services Exam. ...
2. IIT-JEE (Joint Entrance Exam – Advanced) ...
3. GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) ...
4. CAT (Common Admission Test) ...
5. NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) ...
6. CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) ...
7. Chartered Accountancy (CA) ...
8. NDA (National Defence Academy)

Is Oxford better than Harvard?

Neither Oxford nor Harvard is definitively "better"; they are both elite universities with world-class reputations, but they offer different academic environments, with Oxford known for its immersive tutorial system in a historic city and Harvard for a broader American-style liberal arts experience in a modern city, making the choice dependent on a student's personal preferences for teaching style, campus culture, and career goals. Rankings fluctuate, with both often trading top spots in global lists, but Oxford sometimes leads in research, while Harvard excels in certain subjects and overall national rankings. 

Which is called Oxford of India?

Pune is often referred to as the "Oxford of the East" because of its educational institutions. It has been ranked "the most liveable city in India" several times.

How many students are at All Souls Oxford?

Over the centuries, All Souls has retained this character. All of its members automatically become Fellows, forming the College's governing body. There are no students at All Souls – an arrangement unique among Oxford colleges.

In which country is education toughest?

Here's a list of contries with the toughest education system. 1-China 2-Russia 3-Korea 4-India 5-Singapore 6-Hongkong 8-Italy 9-Poland 10-Czech Do you think this list is incomplete?

Which exam is tougher: JEE or NEET?

JEE Advanced is considered to be harder than NEET due to its complex physics and math problems. NEET is a very competitive exam but the questions are direct and concept-based.

What are the top 3 hardest degrees?

CollegeVine's Top 10 Hardest Majors

• Electrical Engineering. Average GPA: 3.3.
• Physics. Average GPA: 3.1. ...
• Architecture. Average GPA: 3.3. ...
• Nursing. Average GPA: 3.2. ...
• Accounting. Average GPA: 3.2. ...
• Cellular and Molecular Biology. Average GPA: 3.2. ...
• Philosophy. Average GPA: 3.1. ...
• Fine Arts. Average GPA: 3.2. Average Weekly Study Hours: 18.1. ...

Do you need all 9s to get into Oxford?

Yes, your grades will need to really dazzle. GCSEs are seen as evidence of work ethic – and you need a really strong one of those to cope with studying at Oxford or Cambridge. Our guesstimate is that the average successful applicant has around eight 8/9 grade GCSEs under their belt.

Which is the 5 toughest exam in the world?

From the article, we can conclude that Gaokao Exam in China, IIT JEE Advanced, Civil Services Exam (CSE)/UPSC, All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam, and USMLE are the top five toughest exams in the world. Students need to prepare hard and have a deep mastery of complex subjects to crack any of the world's toughest exams.

Does Oxford accept NEET?

Pass in PUC / 10+2 or equivalent exam with Physics, Chemistry and Biology with 50% marks (40% of marks in case of Karnataka SC/ST/OBC candidates) and English as one of the languages. Must have qualified in National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).

Which city is called Paris of India?

Jaipur is the first planned city of India and it's numerous tourist attractions gives it the name Paris of India. It is also known as the pink city due to its dominant colour scheme of the town.

What is Pune's nickname?

Pune – Queen of Deccan or Oxford of the East

So, it was given the name of Queen of Deccan. Pune is called as the Oxford of the East due to having the more number of educational institutes and centers than any other place in India.

Which is World No. 1 University?

There isn't one single "number 1" university as rankings vary, but the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is frequently ranked #1 globally by major organizations like QS World University Rankings (2026) for its excellence in science, technology, and innovation, while the University of Oxford often leads others like Times Higher Education (THE) in recent years. Other consistently top-ranked institutions include Stanford University, the University of Cambridge, and Harvard University.
 

Is MIT or Oxford better?

✔️ Choose MIT if you're aiming for tech, science, or entrepreneurship ✔️ Choose Oxford if you're passionate about liberal arts, research depth, or tradition ⚖️ It's not about which is better — it's about what fits you better.

What is the #1 hardest school to get into?

There isn't one single #1 hardest school, as it varies slightly by year and source, but Harvard University, Stanford University, MIT, and Caltech consistently rank among the top, often with acceptance rates below 4%, with some lists pointing to Harvard or even Minerva University as the absolute lowest (around 1-3%) due to extreme competition and high standards. 

Which is the 2nd toughest exam?

2. UPSC Civil Services Exam (India) The UPSC Civil Services Exam is the 2nd most difficult exam in the world, conducted annually to recruit officers for the IAS, IPS, IFS, and other elite services in India.

What makes an exam the "toughest" in India?

What Makes an Exam the Toughest in India?

• Low Success Rate: Exams like UPSC CSE and CA have pass rates below 5%.
• Vast Syllabus: Some exams cover multiple subjects in depth, requiring extensive study.
• High Competition: Millions of aspirants compete for a limited number of seats or jobs.

Which is the no. 1 toughest course in India?

Top 10 Toughest Courses in India

• Master of Philosophy (M.Phil)
• Medicine.
• Engineering.
• MBA (Master of Business Administration)
• Architecture.
• Law.
• Civil Services.
• Pharmacy.