If you wish to study overseas, one of the most vital exams that you must take is the TOEFL iBT exam. The TOEFL test is recognised worldwide in over 11,500 colleges in more than 160 nations and accepted in the finest institutions not just within the USA but around the globe, such as the UK, Canada, Australia, and the European Union. No matter whether you seek admission into MS in engineering or any other program such as an MBA, a graduate arts programme or even undergraduate studies, knowing the TOEFL exam completely is the foremost thing that you should do before studying abroad.

The present guide offers all essential information on the TOEFL test 2026, right from understanding the TOEFL test itself to learning its format, TOEFL scores, validity, TOEFL exam registration, TOEFL Home Edition, and TOEFL MyBest score, among others.

 

What is TOEFL? Full Form, Meaning, and Objective

Test of English as a Foreign Language is known by its abbreviation TOEFL. This test is conducted by ETS (Educational Testing Services), a non-profit US organization responsible for the conduct of GRE test. Among various forms of the test, TOEFL Internet-based Test is the most popular one. In this form of test, your knowledge of the English language in an academic context is evaluated.

There are four important language skills that TOEFL test tries to evaluate. These language skills are Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. Scores out of 30 are awarded for each language skill, and adding up of all four scores will give you an overall score ranging from 0 to 120. TOEFL results help universities decide on your suitability for their academic programs.

TOEFL differs from other English language proficiency tests such as IELTS and PTE because it only evaluates your proficiency in academic English language usage and mainly in North America. Reading passages in TOEFL are excerpts from university-level textbooks. Listening includes lectures from university teachers and campus conversations. Speaking and writing tasks emulate what happens in university environments.

TOEFL iBT Test Format 2025 - Revised Following the TOEFL iBT Update in 2023

ETS conducted a complete overhaul of the TOEFL iBT in 2023, which all examinees should be aware of. The TOEFL test format has been revised and now takes into account the actual needs for academic English usage. With the new TOEFL iBT test format, the total time it takes to complete the entire test has been shortened to about 2 hours, as opposed to the three-hour exam that students used to have to complete.

The current TOEFL iBT includes the following four components:

•   Reading: Two university-level academic passages, each consisting of around 700 words. 20 questions altogether, 10 for each reading passage. Time allotted for completion is 35 minutes. Question types include multiple choice, drag-and-drop prose summary, and completing tables.

•   Listening: Three lectures (academic context, 4 to 6 minutes long) and two discussions (on campus, 2 to 3 minutes long). 28 questions altogether. Length: 36 minutes. Notes may be taken during the test. The questions involve inferring information, attitudes of speakers, structure, and recall of details.

•   Speaking: Four tasks in 16 minutes. Task one is independent and asks you to give your opinion on an issue with a 45-second speech. The other three tasks are integrated tasks; they will ask you to read and/or listen to something and then speak for 60 seconds. All speeches are recorded and evaluated using both artificial intelligence and certified human raters.

•   Writing: Two tasks in 29 minutes. In the Integrated Writing task (20 minutes), you must write a 150 to 225 word essay based on a reading passage and a lecture. The Academic Discussion task (10 minutes) requires you to write a 100 to 150 word discussion post on an issue raised by your professor and two students.

The Maximum overall score is 120. Each of the four modules is worth up to 30 marks. Universities may have a cut-off mark for the overall score and for some of the modules, notably Speaking and Writing.

Change Introduced In the Redesign of the Exam in 2023: Writing Task

Undoubtedly, the most remarkable change introduced by ETS in the 2023 redesign is changing the Independent Writing task to a new type of writing called an Academic Discussion. In the previous writing section of the exam, the candidate had to produce a 300-word-long essay based on his/her opinion on the matter and defending this view. The new Academic Discussion task requires writing a 100 to 150 word-long response to an ongoing academic discussion initiated by a professor.

In this type of writing task, the prompt includes a question from the professor and two students' responses to it. Your task is to read those students' replies and provide your own answer, which should be original and bring a new approach or an argument that hasn't been discussed yet. Agreeing with one of the students or simply summarizing the discussion won't give you a good mark.

This change is extremely helpful for candidates who can think fast and respond promptly to an academic prompt. Those test takers who practice using outdated materials and courses may never come to know about this change.

TOEFL Eligibility Criteria: Who Can Sit for TOEFL iBT?

There is no minimum age requirement, and no academic eligibility criterion, for registration in the TOEFL examination. Anyone who needs to prove English language skills for admission in universities or applying for scholarships or visa-related needs can appear for TOEFL iBT. There are however some important things to remember.

The TOEFL iBT examination is intended for academic purposes only, which means that its results are acceptable proof of English language proficiency for university applications in the United States, Canada, UK, Australia, Europe, and various other countries. However, it cannot be used for immigrating to these places under immigration visas. Instead, for UK Tier 4 visas, Canadian Express Entry program for immigration, or Australian citizenship, IELTS or other tests are preferred.

Validity Period of TOEFL Scores: Duration Until Your Score Expires

Your TOEFL iBT test score remains valid for a period of 2 years after your examination date. If 2 years pass since your examination, ETS will no longer release your score reports to educational institutions. Hence, if you write your TOEFL exam in September 2025, your score will be valid until September 2027.

Students typically take their TOEFL exam date 6 to 12 months before their target institution's application deadline. You have enough time to get your TOEFL score report, analyze your performance and see if you need to take another exam, and submit your application to universities on time. Taking your TOEFL test too soon may lead to score expiration during the application period.

The TOEFL MyBest Score: Understanding the Superscore Option

One of the most effective yet least utilized aspects of TOEFL is the MyBest Score option. MyBest Score is the official superscore scheme used by ETS. This is achieved by adding up your best individual scores for each section of TOEFL tests that you took within the past 2 years.

For instance, imagine you took TOEFL two times. In your first test, you got 24 in reading, 22 in listening, 20 in speaking, and 23 in writing, giving you a score of 89. On the second try, you got 22 in reading, 25 in listening, 24 in speaking, and 25 in writing, giving you a score of 96. With MyBest Score, you can use your best sections from both attempts, resulting in 24 reading + 25 listening + 24 speaking + 25 writing = 98.

Most universities in America have started accepting MyBest Scores. This strategy can help you immensely when it comes to taking the GRE a second time. While your overall score may not change drastically, there is a chance for you to score better with MyBest Scores by improving your lower areas. Remember to check whether your chosen institution will accept this method or not.

TOEFL Retake Policy

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) allows you to give the TOEFL iBT every 3 days. Over the course of a year, you can appear for the test a maximum of 5 times. On average, most students attempt the TOEFL once or twice. Considering that the MyBest Score option is available, there is good reason to retake the test even if you have performed satisfactorily on your first attempt, because a re-test allows you to improve upon your worst-scoring segment.

Each attempt will cost you approximately INR 17,900 (~USD 215). Make sure that the cost of practice tests and books is taken into account before determining the number of times you want to attempt the test. The majority of students who follow a strict study schedule for 8 weeks and take practice tests manage to get their targeted score within two attempts.

TOEFL Test Centre Vs TOEFL Home Edition

There are two methods in which TOEFL exams are conducted by ETS; the traditional test centre mode and the TOEFL Home Edition method. The two have no difference in the format of the questions, difficulty level and the grading process involved.

Test centre locations can be found in all the major cities across India like Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad among others. The test centre setting gives a distraction-free environment with proctors, standardised equipment and physical scratch paper. Some students like conducting their exam through the test centre method to eliminate worries related to setting up equipment and ensuring that they have the perfect atmosphere.

Home Edition requires a personal quiet room, an active internet connection, a computer with webcam and the ProctorU software. You need to do a test on the equipment you will use at least two days before you take the test. It is a great choice for people living in areas where no test centre exists but it requires discipline to conduct the exam without being supervised.

Acceptance of TOEFL in the UK, Canada, and Australia

TOEFL is widely recognized by UK universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, UCL, and other Russell Group universities. It should be noted that TOEFL results cannot be submitted for UK visa application (Tier 4 Student Route). In case you want to stay and work in the UK upon graduation from your program, you should take an approved test like IELTS Academic.

All Canadian universities, including the University of Toronto, McGill, UBC, University of Waterloo, accept TOEFL test results when it comes to admissions. However, for Canadian immigration via Express Entry or nominee programs, TOEFL Academic is not accepted; applicants should submit their IELTS General Training or PELP score.

In Australia and New Zealand, TOEFL scores are accepted at many universities like University of Melbourne, ANU, University of Sydney, University of Auckland. The same situation is valid for Australia; candidates should provide their IELTS or PTE Academic results when applying for visas and immigrating there.

Which Test To Take: TOEFL Or IELTS?

This is the most frequent question Indian students ask prior to making an exam choice. TOEFL and IELTS are equally accepted by schools worldwide, but depending on your destination and future plans, the choice will be either TOEFL or IELTS.

If your prime destinations are US universities, you are confident typing essays (both types are typed using a computer keyboard), prefer American accents, and do not mind the quick score release in just 4-8 days (IELTS results will be released in 13 days), go ahead with TOEFL.

If you are applying to UK or Australian universities or immigration visa to these countries or Canada, or you prefer a face-to-face oral interaction instead of speaking into a microphone, then opt for IELTS, which is also a prerequisite for all UK Student Visas.

CATKing recommends: If you plan to apply to 3 or more US programs plus 1 or 2 UK or Australian programs, opt for TOEFL first. With MyBest Scores and 2-hour test length, there will be no stress for retaking. If immigration visa is important for you (to Canada, UK or Australia), take IELTS or both tests.

Why Choose CATKing for TOEFL Preparation?

CATKing is one of the best TOEFL test preparation institutes in India with more than 50,000 students in Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and all over India via our online program. Our TOEFL training program will cater specifically to Indian candidates preparing for the prestigious colleges abroad and includes everything you learned about from the above guide - including strategies for each section, speaking templates, writing formats, an 8-week plan, and 10 practice tests.

No matter whether you are at the very start of your TOEFL test preparation journey or wish to improve your existing TOEFL score from 90 to 105 plus, CATKing has got just the program for you. Begin your preparation with our complimentary mock test diagnostic and our faculty will take care of the rest.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Q1: What is the TOEFL iBT?

Answer: The acronym TOEFL is used to refer to the Test of English as a Foreign Language. It is a computerised examination administered by Educational Testing Services (ETS) that tests your competence in English in an academic setting.

Q2: How long does the examination last?

The 2023 update has significantly reduced the test duration. It currently lasts for about 2 hours, whereas previously it took 3 hours.

Q3: Is it possible to take the exam at home?

Yes. There are two options for you: Test Center and TOEFL Home Edition. The formats of the exam, its complexity, and scoring will be the same in both cases. Test Center: Offers an undisturbed testing space, where there are proctors and standardised hardware. Home Edition: Requires a silent room, a laptop with a camera, and ProctorU software.

Q4: What is the "MyBest Score" feature?

Also known as a superscore, this option combines your highest section scores from all valid TOEFL tests taken within the last two years. This allows you to present your best possible performance to universities, provided they accept this method.

Q5: What’s the scoring procedure?

This examination consists of four parts: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. Each part carries 30 marks, thus making a perfect score of 120 points.

Q6: How long is my test score valid?

Your test score will be valid for 2 years from the date of your test completion. Beyond that period, the Educational Testing Service will not send your score report to any educational institution.

Q7: Will my accent be marked in the Speaking test?

Not at all. You will be assessed on Delivery (pronunciation and speed), Language Use (grammar and vocabulary), and Topic Development. It makes no difference if you have an Indian, American, or British accent; just make sure that you are coherent and organized.

Q8: What is the “Integrated Writing” task?

As part of this task, you will first have to read an academic passage, followed by listening to a lecture which usually contradicts the arguments raised in the reading. Then, you have to write an essay (of 150-225 words) comparing the two.