Preliminary examination may refer to:
In education Prelim, an examination that qualifies a student to continue higher level studies and/or allows a student to see how prepared they are for the looming examinations Comprehensive examination, a required examination that a student must pass to continue a course of study The Preliminary College Scholastic Ability Test in South Korea PSAT/NMSQT, a national standardized test taken by high school students in the United States
Legal processes An examination performed by an International Preliminary Examining Authority under the Patent Cooperation Treaty Preliminary hearing, a court appearance to determine if there is enough evidence to bind the accused for trial
Civil services A component in several examinations in the Indian Civil Services: Civil Services Examination of India Karnataka Administrative Service examination Bangladesh Civil Service Examination