As a student, one of the most important decisions in your life is choosing the right course for higher studies, as it will shape your career and life after it. It’s crucial to select a course that you’re passionate about, which also has a good demand in the future.
With thousands of courses from universities worldwide, you have plenty of options. However, some degrees and courses are known for their difficulty. These challenging courses can be emotionally and physically demanding. At the same time, many of such courses lead to highly sought-after jobs with high salaries.
In this article, we’ll explore:
- Criteria used to decide the toughest courses
- A few of the toughest courses in the world
- The significance and demand of these courses
Let's get started.
Table of Contents
- How do we determine the difficulty level of courses?
- What are some of the toughest courses in the world?
- Which are some of the countries with tough education systems?
- What are some of the most difficult degrees in the world?
- FAQs
How do we determine the difficulty level of courses?
Several key factors determine a course’s difficulty. These include:
Complexity of the subjects
The more intricate the concepts within a subject, the harder it is for students to grasp them. For example, engineering and medicine require students to understand science, advanced mathematics, and problem-solving skills.
Duration of study
Courses like architecture or medicine, which span several years, can be challenging as they demand ongoing dedication over an extended duration.
Intensive study load
Many courses have a vast syllabus which requires you to spend more than 10-12 hours a day learning. Such courses become even tougher with the specialisation that you choose. This sometimes leads to a high dropout rate.
Examinations and assessment methods
Courses with multiple exams or rigorous assessments increase the difficulty level of the courses. Some courses have regular assessments because of their structure and syllabus.
Academic requirements and eligibility criteria
Some courses become tough for you if you have not studied those subjects previously. Few courses require prerequisite knowledge or specific entry requirements in certain subjects, making it more difficult to catch up with the course syllabus.
What are some of the toughest courses in the world?
- Engineering
- Medicine
- Statistics
- Law
- Chartered Accountancy
Engineering
The combination of rigorous coursework and practical application in real-world problems makes engineering one of the toughest courses in the world. Engineering courses often have high dropout rates.
This field of study, particularly the science stream, needs much dedication and critical thinking and covers various specialisations. Moreover, subjects like quantum mechanics, quantum physics, mathematics and physics, need a high level of concentration for deep understanding.
You can choose from many specialisations, such as Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Structural Engineering, and many more.
Countries like the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany are popular for their engineering programs, advanced facilities, research opportunities, and much more.
To apply for engineering courses abroad, in addition to your English proficiency tests, like the IELTS or TOEFL, you must also provide your GRE scores. For engineering management programs, some universities might ask for your GMAT scores too.
Check out Engineering and technology courses now.
KEY FACT: The average annual salary for engineers abroad is $90,000 and varies depending on the field and country. |
Medicine
Medical degrees and medical courses are known for their difficulty due to the extensive study of the human body, practical training, and lab work.
Medical students usually have extended schedules from early mornings to late evenings. Not only that, medical students are exposed to emotional situations early in their training.
They should learn to deal with patients suffering from various illnesses and injuries, which need mental resilience.
They also study many areas such as human anatomy, physiology, and more, and undergo years of practical work in medical school before qualifying as a doctor.
KEY FACT: The medical field is one of the highest-paying fields in the world, with an average annual salary of $150,000. |
Also read: Top 10 best medical colleges in the world
Statistics
Statistics courses teach you more than just data collection, visualisation, or interpretation. In fact, just to collect data, you must first understand the various methods like cluster sampling, random sampling, etc. These technical skills require a lot of time and hard work.
For this, you will need to analyse, clean, and model data to present useful information and make decisions. To study statistics, you must be good at maths, computer science, and logical reasoning.
You must also know how to use various tools and techniques to analyse and interpret data, reveal trends, and extract meaningful information.
Statistics is widely in demand across e-commerce, engineering, finance, energy, and many more sectors. Graduates with a statistics degree can have career opportunities as statistical analysts and performance analysts, among other job roles.
KEY FACT: Statistics is a highly-paying field, with an average annual salary of $110,000. |
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Law
Law courses are among the toughest courses in the world. Law students often need to read extensively and understand various legal principles.
They should also be able to argue and write effectively, with a proper knowledge of the laws and sections. Law students must be emotionally stable so that they can manage sensitive cases, while also being updated about the latest laws and amendments.
Law is a vast field with challenging specialisations such as criminal law and corporate law. The legal sector has some of the most prestigious job roles across the globe and offers a successful career path for graduates.
Legal studies include a wide range of opportunities for international students.
KEY FACT: The average salary of a Lawyer is $130,000. It varies between the different law specialisations such as Patent Attorneys, Trial Lawyers, and Corporate Lawyers. |
Chartered Accountancy
Studying Chartered Accountancy is indeed a herculean task, as you must have an extensive understanding of accounting, financial principles, and much more. Accounting courses and financial management serve as the foundation for this degree.
Chartered Accountancy is considered one of the hardest degrees in the world and is infamous, especially among Indian students for its rigorous exams. The degree has so many exams. If you do not qualify for even one of the exams, you cannot be eligible for the degree.
Additionally, with the exams, an articleship is also needed, similar to an internship. These reasons make the course one of the hardest in the world.
KEY FACT: Chartered Accountants are among the highest-paid professionals with excellent career prospects. Their average annual salary is around $120,000. |
Also read: Most demanding courses in future
Which are some of the countries with tough education systems?
- South Korea is known for its highly competitive environment and some of the toughest exams, especially for high school and bachelor's degree students.
- Japanese education is also highly competitive, with students spending years in preparation for university entrance exams.
- Indian institutes like the IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) are globally recognised for engineering and technology, specifically their most challenging courses, entrance exams and coursework.
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What are some of the most difficult degrees in the world?
- Doctor of Medicine (MD)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Master of Law (LLM)
- Bachelor of Engineering
- Doctorate degrees (PhD)
While the tough courses in the world are challenging, they also come with good rewards. The effort and dedication you put in to complete these courses lead to high qualifications, leading to high-paying jobs and successful careers.
However, if getting admission to these courses in your home country is highly competitive, then studying abroad would be a great choice to consider. Many top-tier universities abroad offer modern facilities and expert faculty that make these toughest courses more manageable.
To make your study-abroad journey smoother, simplify it with Edvoy. Discover the perfect course and university to boost your education. Whether you’re planning to study a course that’s particularly tough back home, or at a leading university abroad, Edvoy helps you find the right fit.
Edvoy offers end-to-end assistance throughout the study-abroad process, including university selection assistance, application guidance and funding advice, visa application support, and more.
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FAQs
Which university course is the hardest?
Medicine, Chartered Accountancy (CA), and Engineering are commonly regarded as some of the tough courses, due to their curriculums and extensive study hours. Medicine especially, is challenging due to the long course duration and practical training.
Is engineering the toughest course in the world?
Engineering is considered one of the toughest courses in the world, especially Aerospace, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering.
Which countries have the hardest math?
India, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Russia are known for having some of the hardest math curriculums. In particular, India's IIT entrance examinations and South Korea's competitive education system test students to their limits.
Is CA the toughest course in the world?
Chartered Accountancy (CA) is known as one of the toughest degrees globally due to its rigorous exams. Qualifying in all the exams and completing an articleship is mandatory to obtain the degree. CA is among the top 10 toughest courses in India.
Which is the toughest course in the world?
Generally, Medicine is considered one of the most difficult courses in the world due to its study duration and clinical training. Other fields like Engineering and Criminal Law are also among the most difficult courses in the world.
