What is a good TOEFL score?
There is no pass mark. On the new 1-6 scale, the bachelor's programs below ask for 3.5 to 5, graduate schools for 4.5 and law for 5.
Minimum TOEFL scores at real universities
For tests taken on or after January 21, 2026, from each university's admissions page.
| University and program | Overall | Each section |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona State UniversityMost bachelor's programs | 3.5 | 3.5 in each |
| Arizona State UniversityEngineering and Nursing (BSN) | 4 | 3.5 in each |
| Michigan Technological UniversityBachelor's programs | 4.5 | None set |
| Arizona State UniversityJournalism and Mass Communication | 5 | 3.5 in each |
| University of TorontoSchool of Graduate Studies minimum | 4.5 | Writing 4.5, Speaking 4 |
| University of British ColumbiaGraduate and Postdoctoral Studies | 4.5 | Reading 4.5, Listening 5, Writing 4.5, Speaking 4 |
| Purdue UniversityMS in Finance | 4.5 | 4.5 in each |
| Boston University School of LawGraduate law programs (LLM) | 5 | 4.5 in each |
If your university still lists an old score
ETS's advice to universities moving an old total to the new scale.
| Old requirement (0-120) | New requirement (1-6) |
|---|---|
| 100 | 5 |
| 90 | 4.5 |
| 80 | 4 |
| 70 | 3.5 |
Check each section minimum
Enter what your university asks for, on either scale.
| Section | Written as | Minimum | What ETS publishes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | |||
| Listening | |||
| Writing | |||
| Speaking |
What each band means
| Band | CEFR level | Old 0-120 total |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | C2 | 114-120 |
| 5.5 | C1 | 107-113 |
| 5 | C1 | 95-106 |
| 4.5 | B2 | 86-94 |
| 4 | B2 | 72-85 |
| 3.5 | B1 | 58-71 |
| 3 | B1 | 44-57 |
| 2.5 | A2 | 34-43 |
| 2 | A2 | 24-33 |
| 1.5 | A1 | 12-23 |
| 1 | A1 | 0-11 |
Turn four section scores into an overall with the TOEFL score calculator.
Questions
What is the TOEFL pass mark?
There is none. ETS sets no pass or fail score; each university or program sets its own minimum, often with a minimum for each section too.
What is a good TOEFL score in 2026?
The one your program asks for. Of the eight programs on this page, bachelor's minimums run from 3.5 to 5, graduate minimums are 4.5 and the law LLM asks for 5.
What is 100 on the TOEFL on the new scale?
ETS recommends a 5 to universities that used to ask for 100. An old 100 sits in band 5, which covers old totals of 95 to 106.
What is 90 or 80 on the new scale?
ETS recommends 4.5 where universities asked for 90, 4 where they asked for 80, and 3.5 where they asked for 70.
Is 4.5 a good TOEFL score?
It meets the graduate minimums on this page at the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia and Purdue's MS in Finance, as long as each section also meets their section minimums.
My university still lists a 0-120 score. What do I do?
Nothing extra. Until January 2028 your score report shows a comparable 0-120 total beside the 1-6 scores, so you can compare it directly.