Globally Recognized for Study, Work, and Beyond
TOEFL iBT® isn’t just a test, it’s a gateway. For over 60 years, students around the world have trusted TOEFL to open doors to top universities, future careers, and life-changing opportunities.
Whether you're heading to campus or stepping into the global job market, TOEFL iBT is built to help you get there and thrive once you do.
Why Students Choose TOEFL
You’re not just testing your English. You’re opening doors for your future.
TOEFL iBT is more than a test; it’s a reflection of your readiness to succeed in real academic environments.
Fair, objective, and built around you
TOEFL iBT is designed to measure your English skills fairly, no matter where you test. With consistent scoring, inclusive content, and trusted standards recognized globally, you can count on a secure and equal experience every time.
A globally trusted path to opportunity
TOEFL is accepted by 13,000+ institutions across 160+ countries, including the most competitive universities. It’s one of the most widely recognized and accepted English-language tests in the world.
TOEFL is accepted by 13,000+ institutions across 160+ countries, including the most competitive universities. It’s one of the most widely recognized and accepted English-language tests in the world.
Available worldwide
Access the TOEFL iBT almost anywhere in the world, with testing available in more than 200 countries and territories.
Test Content and Structure
Use the table below to view the breakdown of each TOEFL iBT test section.
| Test Section | Task type | Number of items | Approx. Base Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading |
| 50 | 30 |
| Listening |
| 47 | 29 |
| Writing |
| 12 | 23 |
| Speaking |
| 11 | 8 |
Test time does not include directions. Please allow approximately two hours to complete the test. As the test adapts, test time and items may vary.
Administration and testing options
The TOEFL iBT test is offered two ways:
- TOEFL iBT test: on a computer at an authorized test center
- TOEFL iBT Home Edition: on a computer at home, monitored by a live human proctor
Scoring
- Receive four section scores, as well as an overall score, on the 1 – 6 scale.
- The overall score will be the average of all four sections, rounded to the nearest half band (for example, if the average of a student's section scores is 5.125, they will receive an overall score of 5).
- For a two-year transition period after January 2026, students will also receive a comparable overall score on the 0 – 120 scale.
Beginning January 21, 2026, TOEFL iBT score reports will feature a new 1 – 6 scale, in half point increments, with a more intuitive alignment to the Common European Framework of References for Language (CEFR).
A few notes on this scoring change:
- You’ll receive four sections scores, as well as an overall score, on the 1 – 6 scale.
- The overall score will be the average of all four sections, rounded to the nearest half band (for example, if the average of your section scores is 5.25, you will receive an overall score of 5.5).
- For a two-year transition period after January 2026, you will also receive a comparable overall score on the 0 – 120 scale.
TOEFL Score Comparison for Tests Taken Before January 21, 2026
| Total (1-6) | Reading | Listening | Writing | Speaking | Est. Total (0–120) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 29-30 | 28-30 | 29-30 | 28-30 | 114+ |
| 5.5 | 27-28 | 26-27 | 27-28 | 27 | 107+ |
| 5 | 24-26 | 22-25 | 24-26 | 25-26 | 95+ |
| 4.5 | 22-23 | 20-21 | 21-23 | 23-24 | 86+ |
| 4 | 18-21 | 17-19 | 17-20 | 20-22 | 72+ |
| 3.5 | 12-17 | 13-16 | 15-16 | 18-19 | 58+ |
| 3 | 6-11 | 9-12 | 13-14 | 16-17 | 44+ |
| 2.5 | 4-5 | 6-8 | 10-12 | 13-15 | 34+ |
| 2 | 3 | 4-5 | 5-9 | 11-12 | 24+ |
| 1.5 | 2 | 2-3 | 3-6 | 5-9 | 12+ |
| 1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-4 | 0-2 | 0+ |
This updated 1 – 6 scale will help both institutions interpret TOEFL scores in a faster and more intuitive manner, while more directly aligning TOEFL scores with CEFR, the key global benchmark.
And the two-year transition period, featuring the inclusion of a comparable 0 – 120 score on every score report, will help ease the score scale shift for global institutions.
Note: This is a sample for reference. Actual report might have minor variations.
Comparing TOEFL iBT and IELTS scores
Total Score Comparison Table
The table shows how TOEFL iBT total scores align with IELTS Academic overall band scores.
| TOEFL iBT Score(0–120) | IELTS Band(0–9) |
|---|---|
| 120 | 9 |
| 115 | 8.5 |
| 108 | 8 |
| 100 | 7.5 |
| 91 | 7 |
| 81 | 6.5 |
| 67 | 6 |
| 51 | 5.5 |
| 37 | 5 |
| 26 | 4.5 |
| 14 | 4 |
TOEFL iBT Test Security
In the academic community, we’re all dealing with a world where the motivation and capability to commit academic and admissions cheating is on the rise. There is significant competition among students applying to academic programs, which can result in attempts by test takers to gain an unfair advantage on required tests or falsify score information.
Results you can trust
ETS has long been at the forefront of combatting test security concerns, and we are continually invest in and implement new, state-of-the-art measures to help protect the integrity of TOEFL test scores. With these efforts, the TOEFL iBT test offers the best security of any English-language assessment.
- Test-day security procedures include biometric voice identification, facial recognition and the use of electronic wanding at test centers.
- For the TOEFL iBT Home Edition, ETS employs both live human proctors and artificial intelligence technology to prevent and detect suspicious activity.
- The TOEFL Speech Sample Service and test-taker photos confirm student identity.
- All human rating is done anonymously, eliminating opportunities for fraud between test takers and interviewers.
- Since scoring isn't done at test centers and records aren't stored there, opportunities for scoring fraud are virtually nonexistent.
- Tests are delivered directly from ETS to the test taker's computer, minimizing opportunities to steal content.
