This page explains information owned by the body that runs the exam, rewritten in plain language for our students in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. Format, fees and dates can change without notice, so always confirm on the official site before you register or make a decision.
In short
The essentials
- Always start from the admission requirements page of your target programme, not from general advice.
- IELTS and TOEFL are English proficiency tests; the SAT is a university admissions test, not a language test.
- Some programmes accept both, others name one specific test — the requirements page shows which.
- A waiver may exist if your previous study was in English; only the university decides that.
- An internal placement assessment is not a substitute for an official test, but it tells you where to start.
- Fees, dates and result validity are set by the testing body, so confirm them before booking.
Direct answers
The core decision questions
The answers here explain how the decision is made. The final requirement remains whatever your university or receiving body publishes.
How do I know which English test I need?
Open the admission requirements page for the specific programme you are targeting; it names the accepted tests and the score required.
The requirement differs between universities, between programmes inside the same university, and sometimes between undergraduate and postgraduate routes. Any general answer is therefore approximate, while the programme page is definitive.
Important exception: If you are applying through a scholarship or sponsoring body, that body may add its own requirement on top of the university's.
What is the difference between IELTS and TOEFL, briefly?
Both measure the same four skills, but IELTS includes a live speaking interview with an examiner while TOEFL is taken entirely on a computer with recorded speaking answers.
The second difference is style: TOEFL material is entirely academic and built on lectures and university texts, while IELTS offers two versions — Academic and General Training — depending on the purpose of the application.
Official source: IELTS test types
Is the SAT an English test?
No; the SAT is a university admissions test covering reading, writing and maths, and is not used to prove English proficiency.
A university may ask for both: the SAT as part of the admissions file, and a language test to prove you can study in English. One does not replace the other unless the university states so explicitly.
Official source: College Board — the SAT
Can I be exempted from the language test?
Some universities grant an exemption if your previous study was completed in English, but the decision rests with the university alone and must be confirmed by it.
The common mistake is assuming the exemption and relying on it until the application deadline. The right move is to ask the responsible office in writing early, and keep a backup test plan until you receive formal confirmation.
Important exception: Even with an exemption, a sponsoring or visa authority may separately require an official test.
Who is responsible for what
Who decides which test you need
A clarification of roles so none of them is mistaken for another.
The university or receiving body
Sets the requirement
Decides which tests are accepted, the score required and any exemption terms — the single final authority.
The testing bodies
Test owners
College Board for the SAT, the British Council, IDP and Cambridge for IELTS, and ETS for TOEFL: they set format, fees, dates and results.
Apostrophe
Guidance & preparation
We help you read the requirement correctly, establish your current level and build a preparation plan. We do not deliver the tests or grant exemptions.
Decision guide
Start from the situation that matches yours
These are starting points to direct your research, not a substitute for the university's published requirement.
- You have a specific university and programme in mindOpen that programme's admission requirements page and work to exactly what it states.Note the accepted test, the required score, and any minimum for individual sections — those three are your plan.
- You have not chosen a university yet but you know the countryCompare the requirements of three shortlisted universities and aim for the highest among them.Preparing for the highest requirement keeps all your options open instead of retaking the test later.
- You need to know your level before choosing anythingStart with a placement assessment, then read the differences between the tests in light of your result.Knowing your current level turns the question from "which test?" into "how long do I need to reach the required score?".
- Your previous study was in EnglishAsk the university about an exemption in writing, and keep preparing until their answer arrives.An exemption is a written institutional decision, not an assumption based on your school type or curriculum.
Quick comparison
The practical differences between your options
A descriptive comparison of purpose and style only. Fees, dates and scores must be checked on each test's official source.
| IELTS | TOEFL | SAT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Proving English proficiency | Proving English proficiency | University admissions test |
| Owned by | British Council, IDP and Cambridge | ETS | College Board |
| Speaking | A live interview with an examiner | Recorded answers on a computer | No speaking section |
| Material | Academic or general depending on the version | Entirely academic | Reading, writing and maths |
| Typically required | When the institution requires proof of English | When the institution requires proof of English | When the admissions file calls for it |
Purpose
- IELTS
- Proving English proficiency
- TOEFL
- Proving English proficiency
- SAT
- University admissions test
Owned by
- IELTS
- British Council, IDP and Cambridge
- TOEFL
- ETS
- SAT
- College Board
Speaking
- IELTS
- A live interview with an examiner
- TOEFL
- Recorded answers on a computer
- SAT
- No speaking section
Material
- IELTS
- Academic or general depending on the version
- TOEFL
- Entirely academic
- SAT
- Reading, writing and maths
Typically required
- IELTS
- When the institution requires proof of English
- TOEFL
- When the institution requires proof of English
- SAT
- When the admissions file calls for it
Why the decision starts from the requirements page, not the test
The order that saves a student the most time and money is simple: identify the institution, read its requirement, then choose the test. The reverse order — picking a test first because someone recommended it — is the most common reason students retake an exam or pay the fee twice.
The requirements page tells you more than the test's name: it may set a minimum for each section separately, require the result to have been issued within a certain period, or accept one version of a test and not another. Each of those details changes the preparation plan.
What to do when the university accepts more than one test
When both options are open, the decision becomes purely personal and rests on your own style rather than a test's reputation. A student who speaks confidently in live conversation usually finds the IELTS speaking section more comfortable. A student who types quickly and can follow a long lecture without losing focus finds TOEFL closer to their strengths.
The most accurate way to decide is not to read about the difference but to experience it: sit an official practice sample of each test under conditions close to the real thing, then compare both your comfort and your score. That experiment settles the argument in a couple of hours.
Mistakes that recur at this stage
What we see most in consultations is not weak English but a decision taken on outdated or second-hand information: a requirement that changed since last year, advice from a friend who applied to a different programme, or the assumption that every university in one country asks for the same thing.
- Relying on an old post or video instead of the university's own page.
- Assuming the overall score is enough when the programme sets a minimum per section.
- Booking a test date before knowing the deadline for submitting the result to the university.
- Preparing for a test the institution you are actually applying to does not accept.
Terminology
Terms that recur in admission requirements
- Proficiency test
- A test proving your ability to use the language, such as IELTS and TOEFL. It does not assess an academic subject.
- Admissions test
- A test used within the university admissions file, such as the SAT, assessing general academic skills.
- Section minimum
- A requirement set by some universities for a certain score in each section, on top of the overall score.
- Waiver / exemption
- A university decision not to require a language test based on your study background. It is issued only in writing by them.
Official sources
Verify with the official source
Dates, fees and requirements change and are not ours to update. The links below open the official sources responsible for this information.
- IELTS test types(opens in a new tab)The difference between Academic, General Training and the migration versions.
- ETS — the TOEFL test(opens in a new tab)The body that owns the TOEFL test and publishes every official update.
- College Board — the SAT(opens in a new tab)The body that owns the SAT and the source for its official format.
Add Apostrophe Academy as a preferred source on Google
Enjoy our educational content? Add Apostrophe Academy as a preferred source in Google Search.