The TOEFL iBT is an English-language proficiency test designed to measure how well students use and understand English in academic settings. It is accepted by more than 13,500 institutions in over 160 countries, including universities in major study destinations such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Germany.
The test can be taken at an authorised test centre or at home through the TOEFL iBT Home Edition, where the test is monitored by a live human proctor.
TOEFL iBT Test Structure
The TOEFL iBT assesses four academic English skills: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. Since 21 January 2026, the test has used an updated format designed to better reflect how students use English in modern academic environments.
The Reading and Listening sections use an adaptive format, meaning the test adjusts according to the candidate’s performance. The complete test takes approximately two hours.
Reading
The Reading section measures a candidate’s ability to understand and analyse written academic material. It assesses skills such as identifying main ideas, understanding details, interpreting vocabulary in context and recognising relationships between ideas.
Listening
The Listening section measures the ability to understand spoken English in academic settings, including lectures, discussions and conversations. Candidates are assessed on their ability to identify main ideas, important details, speaker attitudes and relationships between information.
Speaking
The Speaking section assesses the ability to communicate clearly and effectively in English in academic situations. Candidates respond to tasks that require them to express ideas, summarise information and combine information from different sources.
Writing
The Writing section measures the ability to communicate ideas effectively in written English. Candidates complete tasks that assess organisation, clarity, language use and the ability to respond appropriately to academic information.
TOEFL iBT Scoring
For tests taken on or after 21 January 2026, TOEFL iBT section scores and the overall score are reported on a 1 to 6 scale in half-point increments. The overall score is calculated as the average of the Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing section scores and is rounded to the nearest half band.
During a two-year transition period, score reports also include a comparable overall score on the previous 0 to 120 scale. ETS currently recommends approximate comparisons such as 80 corresponding to 4, 90 corresponding to 4.5 and 100 corresponding to 5 on the new scale.
Score Requirements
TOEFL does not have a universal passing score. Each university, college or organisation sets its own minimum TOEFL score requirements. Students should always check the current English-language requirements of the institution to which they are applying.
Test Registration and Fees
TOEFL iBT fees and additional service charges vary by country and testing location. Candidates should check the official ETS TOEFL registration system for the latest test fee, late-registration fee, rescheduling charge and additional score-report fees before registering.