TOEFL (Test of English as Foreign Language)

What is TOEFL

TOEFL is an exam required by most US and Canadian university to prove proficiency(especially international students coming from countries where English is not native language) in English. It measures your listening, reading, speaking and writing skills to perform academic tasks in English. Many Universities in Europe and other countries also accept TOEFL (IELTS is popular outside USA). Popularity of TOEFL is growing.

There are two formats for the TOEFL test. The format you take depends on the location of your test center. Most test takers take the TOEFL iBT test. Test centers that do not have Internet access offer the Paper-based Test (PBT).

TOEFL Test centers

TOEFL Cost

TOEFL cost ranges from US$160 to US$250

TOEFL Test (iBT) Structure

Section	Time Limit	Questions	Tasks	Score
Reading*	60-80 minutes	36-56 questions	Read 3 or 4 passages from academic texts and answer questions.	0-30
Listening	60-90 minutes	34-51 questions	Listen to lectures, classroom discussions and conversations, then answer questions.	0-30
Break 10 minutes
Speaking	20 minutes	6 tasks	Express an opinion on a familiar topic; speak based on reading and listening tasks.	0-30
Writing	50 minutes	2 tasks	Write essay responses based on reading and listening tasks; support an opinion in writing.	0-30

TOEFL Scoring

Each section of TOEFL has a max score of 30; total max score is 120. Most universities require TOEFL score ranging from 80-100. Scores will be posted online within two weeks of the test date. You can view score online at ets.org (yes you will have to create a login id). On test day, you can select up to four institutions to send your score for free. You can send your scores to as many institutions as you choose for a fee of US$17 per report. Scores are mailed approximately four to seven days after receipt of your request and payment.

Last question in reading section (in each set) is worth 2 points and it may have up to 3 correct answers (out of 6 choices)

For 0/1 correct answers you will get 0 points

For 2 correct answers you will get 1 point

For 3 correct answers you will get 2 points

TOEFL Sample Tests

TOEFL Sample Test 1
TOEFL Sample Test 2
TOEFL Sample Test 3
TOEFL Practice Test 4
TOEFL Practice Test 5


More...

• TOEFL score is valid for two years.
• TOEFL iBT test can be given on fixed dates, it happens multiple times in a year. You might have to check ETS website for exact date and timing for your desired location.
• You can take TOEFL any number of times (you can only take once in 12 days).
• Your official scores can be sent to up to four Universities (if you select them before the test).
• Your responses are scored holistically on a scale of 0 to 5. The average score on the two tasks is converted to a scaled score of 0 to 30.
• TOEFL may not be required by students from countries where native language is English.
• You are given the option of canceling your scores at the end of your test session
• Yes, you can reinstate your scores if your request is received at ETS within 10 days of your test date, for a fee of US$20.
• TOEFL Departmental code list https://www.ets.org/s/toefl/pdf/dept_code_list.pdf
• TOEFL Institution/University code can be searched from http://www.toeflgoanywhere.org/search-who-accepts-toefl