IE University Admission Test 2026

If you are applying to a Bachelor at IE University, the test you take is the IE University Admission Test.

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Updated 6 September 2026

In a nutshell: if you are applying to a Bachelor at IE University, the test you take is the IE University Admission Test. It assesses verbal, logical and numerical reasoning, you sit it in Spanish or English at the Segovia campus, the Madrid campus or one of 25 IE offices worldwide, and IE says no advance study is required. The ieGAT is a different test, used for IE’s master’s programs. You can submit SAT, ACT or LNAT scores instead.

First, the confusion worth clearing up

A lot of what is written online about applying to IE University as a school leaver describes the ieGAT. That is the wrong test. The ieGAT (IE Global Admission Test) belongs to IE’s master’s programs. Undergraduate candidates take the IE University Admission Test; IE publishes the timing of each section (about 70 to 90 minutes in total) but no scoring curve and no minimum score for it (source: IE University, consulted 6 September 2026).

IE is also direct about preparation courses for the ieGAT: it states that there are no authorised or official centres to prepare you for it, and that any website claiming to offer ieGAT preparation is not affiliated with IE University. We do not sell ieGAT preparation, and you should be wary of anyone who does.

What the IE University Admission Test assesses

The test measures the verbal, logical and numerical abilities you have built up inside and outside the classroom. It centres on your ability to reason rather than on recall of specific material, which is why IE says you do not have to study for it beforehand to pass it successfully.

Where and how you take it

If neither Madrid nor Segovia is practical for you and you are unsure which office is nearest, IE’s admissions department will tell you.

SAT, ACT and LNAT: the alternatives IE accepts

Taking the SAT or ACT makes sense if you are applying to universities beyond IE as well. If IE is your only target, the IE University Admission Test is the simpler route.

English proficiency, separately

The admission test is not an English test. If you are not a native speaker and did not study in an Anglophone system throughout, or for at least the last two years of high school, IE will want a certificate: TOEFL 100 (105 recommended), IELTS 7 (7.5 recommended), Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) or C2 Proficiency (CPE), or Duolingo 130. Certificates are valid for two years from the exam date.

Be careful with numbers you find elsewhere. IE publishes a lower set of thresholds for master’s programs taught fully in Spanish, and those are frequently mistaken for the undergraduate requirements. The figures above are the undergraduate ones.

How to prepare, honestly

IE’s own position is that no advance study is needed, and that is close to true: a reasoning test is hard to cram for. What does help is removing surprise. Sit a few verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning practice sets so the question formats are familiar, practise reading data tables and charts quickly, and get used to moving on from a question rather than getting stuck on it.

Then stop. The marginal hour is worth far more on your personal statement, your interview preparation and your choice of program than on another reasoning drill. Those are the parts of the application where the Admissions Committee is actually forming a view of you.

The rest of the application

The test is one step of five. For the full picture, including required documents, the online assessment, the interview, fees and the academic entry requirements for your school system, see our IE University application guide 2026.

Need help with your IE application?

Your Dream School works with you on the parts of an IE application that actually move the decision: program choice and strategy, the personal statement, interview preparation, and familiarisation with the admission test format. Our consultants know what the Admissions Committee looks for.

Author: Adam Girsault, co-founder of Your Dream School (2018). Test details verified against ie.edu.

Frequently asked questions about the IE University Admission Test

Is the ieGAT the test I take to apply for a Bachelor at IE University?

No. The ieGAT is IE’s admission test for its master’s programmes. Undergraduate applicants take the IE University Admission Test, which assesses verbal, logical and numerical reasoning. IE also states that no centre is authorised to prepare candidates for the ieGAT.

Where do I take the IE University Admission Test?

At the Segovia campus, the Madrid campus, or any of the 25 IE offices around the world, in Spanish or in English depending on the language of your programme. Visiting students are exempt (source: IE University, Admissions Test page, consulted 6 September 2026).

How long is the IE University Admission Test?

IE describes timed sections of 12 minutes (numerical reasoning, 37 tasks), 12 minutes (verbal reasoning, 49 tasks), 6 minutes (deductive logic) and 5 minutes (learning efficiency), plus a 15-minute mathematics assessment for the BBA, BIE and PPLE and a 60-minute one for Science and Technology programmes. IE estimates the whole test at 70 to 90 minutes (source: IE University, Admissions Test page, consulted 6 September 2026).

Can I take the SAT, ACT or LNAT instead?

Yes. IE accepts the SAT from 1300 (institution code 6293; 700 in Mathematics for Science and Technology programmes), the ACT from 28 (code 5360) and the LNAT from 22 for the Bachelor of Laws (source: IE University, Admissions Test page, consulted 6 September 2026).

How should I prepare for the IE University Admission Test?

IE states you do not need to study for it, because it measures reasoning rather than knowledge. Working through a few verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning practice sets, and revising core school mathematics for the 15-minute assessment, removes surprise on the day. Most of your preparation time is better spent on the personal statement and the interview.