IE's current undergraduate test page describes four core sections: numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, deductive logical thinking and learning efficiency. The numerical and verbal sections each allow 12 minutes; deductive logical thinking allows six minutes and learning efficiency five minutes. The overall session is longer because it includes instructions and practice.
The decision behind the test
Numerical reasoning asks candidates to judge statements against numerical data. Verbal reasoning applies the same evidence-based discipline to written information. Deductive logical thinking requires a missing element in a graphic pattern to be identified. Learning efficiency briefly presents objects and tests ordered recall. IE says the full process averages roughly 70 to 90 minutes, while applicants should block up to two hours for setup, instructions and practice.
Current official position
The official page lists 37 numerical tasks and 49 verbal tasks with an instruction to complete as many as possible. The assessment considers correctness and speed, and incorrect answers can affect the total. There is no fixed number of answers published as a universal pass mark. The test has no scheduled break and may be taken only once.
Our recommended next steps
Practise each reasoning mode with a clear evidence rule: answer only from the supplied data, identify the pattern before checking options and use a consistent scan for memory items. Then train transitions between sections. During official examples, learn the interface and response mechanics. On test day, read instructions closely and avoid rushing before a timed section begins.
Mistakes we recommend avoiding
A common error is adding outside knowledge to a verbal or numerical statement instead of evaluating only the provided evidence. Another is spending too long on an individual task even though the official format rewards both accuracy and pace. Finally, do not publish or rely on recalled live questions; use the official examples.
What happens after the test?
IE sends the result directly to the Admissions Committee and does not share a score report with the applicant. The application continues through the online assessment and possible interview. Because there is only one test attempt, there is no retake decision to make within the same application route.
Build stopping rules from section-specific evidence
Review practice by section rather than using one average pace. In numerical and verbal reasoning, record how long it takes to locate decisive evidence. For deductive logic, note when a rule hypothesis stopped explaining the sequence. For learning efficiency, distinguish an encoding error from an order-recall error. These observations identify where a shorter setup helps and where greater care prevents fast mistakes.
Test the resulting limits in the published sequence, including instruction screens and transitions. The short timed sections reward moving forward when an item is no longer yielding information, but a stopping rule should not become blind speed. Track correctness, unsupported responses and unseen tasks together. Since IE does not publish a universal pass mark, use improvement in that balance as the readiness signal and reserve the full technical session time for the one permitted attempt.
Numerical reasoning: evaluate only the data shown
IE allocates 12 minutes to the numerical section and currently describes 37 tasks, with applicants asked to complete as many as possible. The format rewards an efficient evidence check rather than lengthy school-style calculation. Read the title, unit, base and time period before judging a statement. Estimate the direction and scale; an exact calculation that conflicts with the estimate deserves scrutiny.
Practise restating each claim in mathematical terms. Words such as “approximately,” “at least” and “percentage points” change the comparison. Keep working compact, because a labelled ratio is faster to verify than several unstructured figures. If the evidence is insufficient, do not add assumptions from real life.
Verbal reasoning: control inference under speed
The verbal section also lasts 12 minutes and is currently described as containing 49 tasks. The central discipline is to classify statements from the text, not from prior knowledge. Locate the sentence or combination of sentences that supports the answer. Quantifiers such as “all,” “some,” “never” and “only” frequently determine whether a claim goes beyond the passage.
Short passages do not necessarily mean easy decisions. Build a consistent scan: identify the subject, claim and limitation, then assess the statement. When reviewing, explain the precise word that made a wrong option too strong or irrelevant. This creates transferable reading accuracy without memorising secure material.
Deductive logic: six minutes of structured pattern search
Deductive logical thinking is listed at six minutes. Graphic patterns can combine movement, rotation, shading, number and alternation. Rather than staring at all options, name one changing feature and test it across the sequence. Then check whether a second rule operates independently.
A stopping rule matters. Pattern tasks can invite endless hypotheses, yet the whole section is short. If a proposed rule does not explain every transition, discard it quickly. If no stable rule appears within the practised limit, move forward. Review later by describing the actual transformation in words.
Learning efficiency: five minutes of ordered recall
The learning-efficiency section presents objects and tests ordered memory. It lasts five minutes. Use a fixed scan direction and attach simple distinguishing cues to the objects. The goal is reliable encoding, not an elaborate memory palace built during the assessment.
Practice should vary the objects so that you train the process rather than a set. Notice whether mistakes come from skipping an item during encoding, confusing similar features or losing order during recall. Choose one repair for the next run, such as grouping positions or verbalising a concise attribute.
Why section time is not the whole session time
Adding the published timed sections does not produce the complete appointment. IE says the full process averages approximately 70 to 90 minutes because instructions, examples and transitions are included. Applicants should reserve up to two hours. Selected Science and Technology programmes also add a separate 60-minute Mathematics Assessment, which changes the session substantially.
There is no scheduled break. Rehearse transitions, not only isolated sections. A numerical sprint should not leave you too agitated to read verbal evidence accurately. Use the instruction screen as a reset: breathe, read the new rules and recall the method for the upcoming task family.
Use accuracy and pace together
IE explains that correctness and speed matter and that wrong answers can affect the total. It does not publish a universal pass mark or a complete score formula applicants can optimise mechanically. Avoid advice that assigns a guaranteed outcome to a number attempted.
Track three measures in practice: correct judgments, unsupported errors and tasks left unseen. If accuracy is high but many items remain unseen, shorten setup and enforce stopping points. If attempts are high but errors are uncontrolled, slow the initial evidence check. Improvement comes from changing the balance, not simply forcing more clicks.
The assessment can normally be taken only once. Build confidence through fresh mixed rehearsals and the official examples, then stop heavy practice before fatigue accumulates. Do not seek recalled live questions; they are unreliable and breach the integrity of the assessment.
What happens next after the test?
IE sends the result directly to the Admissions Committee and does not provide the applicant with a standard score report. You therefore do not need to upload a score or choose among attempts. Confirm that the rest of the application is complete and turn to the online assessment.
The online assessment uses written and video responses to add evidence about communication, motivation and thinking. Some candidates may also receive an interview invitation. Review the programme and your submitted application before these stages so examples remain specific and truthful.
The committee communicates the final decision in writing. If admitted, follow every condition on final academic records, payment and enrolment. The test performance remains one component of a holistic review alongside academic results, background, extracurricular involvement, English ability and the later assessment stages.
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