What is the TOEFL?
The TOEFL iBT is an English test for university admission, made by ETS. It has four sections, takes about two hours and is scored from 1 to 6.
Reading
30min
- Complete the Words
- Read in Daily Life
- Read an Academic Passage
Listening
29min
- Listen and Choose a Response
- Listen to a Conversation
- Listen to an Announcement
- Listen to an Academic Talk
Writing
23min
- Build a Sentence
- Write an Email
- Write for an Academic Discussion
Speaking
8min
- Listen and Repeat
- Take an Interview
About 90 minutes of questions in this order. Allow about two hours with directions.
How the TOEFL is scored
Each section gets a band from 1 to 6 in half steps. The overall is their average, rounded to the nearest half band.
| 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 |
Work out your own overall band with the TOEFL score calculator.
Who needs the TOEFL
- Students applying to universities taught in English, for bachelor's and graduate programs.
- Anyone whose university, program or employer names the TOEFL in its English requirement.
- Not UK visa applicants or Canada Express Entry: neither accepts the TOEFL.
See what score universities ask for, or compare TOEFL vs IELTS.
Where and when you take it
| Test center | At home | |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | more than 170 times a year | 24 hours a day, 4 days a week |
| Supervised by | Test center staff | A live online proctor |
| Scores | 3 days later | 3 days later |
Plan your date with the TOEFL date planner.
Questions
What does TOEFL stand for?
Test of English as a Foreign Language. The main version, the TOEFL iBT, is taken on a computer at a test center or at home.
What is the TOEFL used for?
Mainly university admission where English is the language of study. ETS says more than 13,500 institutions in over 160 countries accept it.
How is the TOEFL scored now?
Each section and the overall score run from 1 to 6 in half bands. The overall is the average of the four sections, rounded to the nearest half band. Until January 2028 your report also shows a comparable 0-120 total.
Is there a pass mark?
No. ETS sets no pass or fail score; each university sets its own minimum.
How long is the TOEFL?
About two hours. The four sections add up to about 90 minutes before directions, and Reading and Listening adapt, so time can vary.
How much is the TOEFL?
It depends on the country: US$280 in the US, and from US$164 to US$475 worldwide.