Introduction: Memory is a fundamental mental process and without memory we are capable of nothing, except simple reflexes and stereotype behaviors. The memory deficits followed by head injury, stroke, psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases are common. Learning and memory is one of the main subjects that have been studied in the field of neuroscience. Considering ethical issues, humans can rarely be used as experimental model in medical researches. Thus, different kind of experimental tests have been designed that assess learning and memory deficits in animals in order to find effective treatment strategies. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the most commonly used tests for memory and learning in rats, including open field, habituation, Y-maze, step through passive avoidance test, step-down inhibitory avoidance task, the Morris water maze, active avoidance test, 8-arm radial maze, and novel object recognition test. Conclusion: Different tests have been designed to evaluate various kinds of memory (depends on function and duration). Behavioral tests in the field of learning and memory have been beneficial to improve our understanding of information processing in healthy and damaged brain as well as the physiological and psychological aspects of memory disorders. This may be helpful to design new therapies for learning and memory deficits in patients with neurological disorders.