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Meaning & use

university entrance exam

noun·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsəti ˈentrəns ɪɡˌzæm/
US/ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːrsəti ˈentrəns ɪɡˌzæm/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A test that students take to be considered for a place at a university.

    Grammar: Countable, so use an or the and a plural -s: take a university entrance exam, sit three university entrance exams.

    Patterns

    • take a university entrance exam
    • pass/fail a university entrance exam
    • prepare for a university entrance exam

    She spent the summer preparing for the university entrance exam.

    Students must pass a university entrance exam before they can enroll.

    He failed the university entrance exam and decided to try again the next year.

  2. nouncountable

    A standardized test used by many universities to compare applicants' academic ability.

    Grammar: Often used in the plural when talking about the whole system: entrance exams are required.

    Patterns

    • a national university entrance exam
    • university entrance exams

    The country uses a single national university entrance exam each June.

    Many families hire tutors to help with university entrance exams.

    Scores on the university entrance exam are only one part of the application.

Word forms

pluraluniversity entrance exams

Common combinations

take a university entrance exam
More than half a million students take a university entrance exam every year.
pass a university entrance exam
Only students who pass the university entrance exam are offered places.
prepare for a university entrance exam
He studied late every night to prepare for the university entrance exam.
national university entrance exam
The national university entrance exam is held on the same day across the country.
university entrance exam results
University entrance exam results will be published online next week.

Synonyms and how they differ

entrance exam
The shorter form; the context usually makes it clear that a university is meant.
admission test
Common in US English and can refer to any school, not only a university.
college entrance exam
The usual US term, since Americans generally say college rather than university.

Word family

entrance noun
The act of entering, or the right to join an institution.
examination noun
A more formal word for a test.
examinee noun
A person who is taking an exam.

Commonly confused: university entrance exam or final exam? university entrance exam or entrance?

university entrance exam vs final exam

A final exam tests one course at the end of a term; a university entrance exam decides whether you can get into the university at all.

university entrance exam vs entrance

Entrance alone means a door or the act of entering; the full phrase is needed for the test.

Practice

To apply to that university, international students have to ___ a university entrance exam.

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