The TOEFL Test Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Understand how TOEFL scores open the door to global universities and why it's one of the most widely accepted English tests worldwide.
Learn that scoring well on the TOEFL is only part of the process.
Find out more about the TOEFL Home Edition, which you can take anywhere you are.
Understand what to expect in exam structure, timing, and cost.

The TOEFL exam is the most widely accepted English-language test in the world. It is accepted by more than 13,000 colleges, universities and agencies in more than 160 countries (virtually anywhere in the world), including the major English-speaking ones: Australia, Canada, the UK and the United States.

In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about what TOEFL is, how to prepare for it, what scores are enough to qualify and many more. Let’s dig in!

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What is TOEFL?

TOEFL (abbreviation ‘toe-full’) is an internationally standardised exam measuring English proficiency. The TOEFL full form is ‘Test of English as a Foreign Language’.

The test is developed and administered by ETS (Educational Testing Service). People who do not come from English-speaking countries take TOEFL to demonstrate their ability to read, listen, speak, and write in English at a university levelâ€‹.

There are two versions of the test:

Internet-based (TOEFL iBT® test)
Paper-based (revised TOEFL® Paper-delivered Test).

The iBT is the most popular version. The TOEFL iBT® test is available over 50 times per year in authorised centres worldwide. The paper test is only available in regions where an internet-based test is not available.

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What is the TOEFL Home Edition

The TOEFL iBT Home Edition is the same online English exam as the one taken at testing centres, but you complete it at home, under live remote supervision. Here's what you need to know:

The Home Edition is accepted everywhere the regular TOEFL iBT is — for university applications and visas worldwide.
It has the same format like the regular TOEFL test: 4 sections — Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing, total 120 points.
You take it on your own computer, monitored by a human proctor via webcam and screen sharing.
It takes about 3 to 3½ hours, including checkâ€‘in and a single 10-minute break .

Find out more about the TOEFL Home Edition

What is the TOEFL used for?

Many Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes ask students to prove a minimum TOEFL score when applying (you can read more about it in a dedicated section below). MBA programmes and doctoral programmes in English-speaking countries nearly always require TOEFL or a similar test unless you have graduated from an English-taught school. But what is TOEFL used for besides studies? Let’s explore a bit:

Visa and immigration: Many countries’ immigration offices accept the TOEFL when granting student and work visas.
Professional certification or jobs: Companies or organisations looking for employees in international, English-speaking roles may ask for TOEFL.

TOEFL eligibility and registration

The TOEFL is mostly taken by students from non-English-speaking countries who are aiming to study for English-speaking degrees. However, anyone who needs to prove English proficiency can take it. Let’s explore the TOEFL eligibility conditions and the registration process.

Who can take the TOEFL?

The TOEFL eligibility is very flexible. There are no strict limitations on age, education, nationality, or the number of times you can take the test if you fail. Let’s explore some specific requirements:

Criteria	Details	Specific requirements
Age	No official minimum age	Typically 16+ due to college preparation (test is valid for 2 years). Younger students can take it if needed.
Education	No restrictions	High school (12th grade) level is recommended due to the test’s academic language and tasks.
Nationality	Open to all nationalities	Valid ID (passport or national ID) is required for registration and test day.
Attempt Limit	Unlimited attempts	Cannot retake within 12 days of a previous test.

Registration process and deadlines

TOEFL registration deadlines depend on your application timeline. If you fail the exam, you must wait one or two weeks until you can take it again, but other than that, there are no constraints on when to take the exam. The registration is also pretty straightforward as well. Let’s review it step by step:

Step 1. Create an ETS account on the official ETS TOEFL website. There, you can register for the test and view your scores.
Step 2. Choose a date and a centre: TOEFL iBT is offered over 50 times yearly at authorised centres worldwide. Since the introduction of the TOEFL iBT Home Edition, you can also take it from home.
Step 3. When to take the TOEFL: There is no formal deadline, but you should plan to take the test 2–3 months before your earliest application deadline. This gives you time to try again if you fail. Also, it takes about a week for you to receive the scores.
Step 4. Registration deadlines:
- TOEFL is offered year-round—there’s no application window.
- Registration closes 7 days before the day of the exam.
- You can pay for Late registration (about 40 USD), which closes 2 days before the exam.
- There are some ‘peak seasons’, so plan ahead and register 3–4 months in advance to ensure you find the date and location that are right for you.
Step 5. On the ETS account, fill in your details (personal information and the number of your ID document).
Step 6. Select the universities that receive your score (score recipients). You can choose up to four institutions that get your TOEFL scores directly from ETS for free.
Step 7. Pay the exam fee (see next section for current pricing).
Step 8. You are registered once you receive a confirmation email from ETS.
Step 9. On the test day, arrive at least 30 minutes early. If you take the test at home, do an equipment check. In any case, have your registration confirmation and ID at hand.

Exam costs and additional fees

The TOEFL costs are between 180 and 250 USD. You may choose to pay additional fees (like preparation, rescheduling, and late registration), which can increase the cost of your TOEFL exam by up to 200 USD to the amount you pay. The table below provides an overview of TOEFL exam costs and additional fees:

Quick Tip: Register early to avoid late fees and use the 4 free score reports. If budget is a concern, consider the cheaper TOEFL Essentials test, though it is less widely accepted.

Exam structure and scoring

The TOEFL syllabus is built to measure how well you can read academic texts, understand lectures and conversations, speak on familiar and academic topics, and write responses that combine ideas from what you read and hear. Each TOEFL section focuses on practical, real-world language skills you’ll use in a study environment.

What’s on the TOEFL?

The TOEFL pattern consists of four sections, which you will always take in the same order: Reading → Listening → Speaking → Writing. The TOEFL exam duration is just under 2 hours for the test itself. Consider that there are also some check-in procedures, so you may spend more time.

Section	Time	Number of Questions/Tasks	What You Do	Skills Assessed	Question Types
Reading	35 minutes	20 questions	Read university-level texts on science or art and answer questions to show understanding.	Understand main ideas, details, vocabulary, inferences, and how ideas connect in academic texts.	Multiple-choice, vocabulary, sentence insertion, summary
Listening	36 minutes	28 questions	Listen to short lectures and student conversations, then answer questions.	Understand spoken English in academic settings, main ideas, details, speaker attitudes.	Multiple-choice, matching, table/sentence completion
Speaking	16 minutes	4 tasks	Talk about familiar topics and respond to prompts using reading or listening information.	Speak clearly and logically, summarise and express opinions using combined input.	Independent and integrated tasks
Writing	29 minutes	2 tasks	Write an essay combining reading and listening and another giving your opinion.	Write effectively, summarise key points, and express opinions clearly and structured.	Integrated writing and independent writing

Score range and difficulty

The TOEFL test evaluates your proficiency in each of the four language skills. Your scores reflect your ability to perform academic tasks in English.

Score range and percentiles

Score Aspect	Details
Scoring Range (per section)	0 to 30
Total Score Range	0 to 120 (sum of the four sections)
Lowest TOEFL Score	0 (if all answers are wrong or skipped - extremely rare)
Highest TOEFL Score	120 (perfect score: 30 in each section)
Average Total Score	Around 88 globally; typically mid-80s for undergraduates, slightly higher for graduates
Average Per Section	About 20-22
Score Percentiles	120 = 99th percentile (top 1%)
	100 = 80th-90th percentile
	90 = around 70th percentile
No Pass or Fail	Institutions set their own required scores. There’s no universal passing mark.

What is a good TOEFL score?

TOEFL doesn’t have a universal passing score. In their specific case, each university decides what is a passing TOEFL score. Let’s explore what is a good TOEFL score, in general:

Lowest TOEFL Score: The minimum possible score is 0, meaning all your answers are incorrect or omitted. However, almost no one scores this low.
Highest TOEFL Score: The perfect score is 120 (30 points for each of the four sections). Achieving this demonstrates advanced proficiency in all areas.
Average TOEFL Score: The global average score is around 88. Bachelor’s applicants usually score around 85 points, while Master’s applicants tend to score slightly higher.

This said we may consider 80 to be a good TOEFL score. Many US universities consider 80+ as their passing TOEFL score. More competitive US schools might say 90 or 100 minimum. But this also depends on the region. For example, European schools might accept scores in the 60s or 70s for English-taught programmes.

You should expect programmes that rely more on language proficiency (like Journalism or Literature) to rely more on language proficiency (like Journalism or Literature) to demand higher TOEFL scores (100+).

How to find the TOEFL required scores for your degree:

Minimum TOEFL scores differ from one programme to another. Most universities set their required TOEFL iBT score between 70 and 100. More competitive programmes, like medicine or law, may ask for scores of 100 or higher.

All study programmes on Bachelorsportal, Mastersportal, or PhDportal have their minimum passing TOEFL scores listed, so you know in advance what to expect.

You can easily check out these scores by following these steps:

Go to the Bachelorsportal, Mastersportal, or PhDportal search page.
Use the search filters on the left and select your degree by subject, university, or country.
Click on the study programme you prefer in the list.
Scroll down to the Entry Requirements or Admission section to see the minimum TOEFL score for that program (together with other minimum scores from popular language proficiency test providers).

How hard is the TOEFL?

TOEFL’s difficulty ranges from moderate to high for non-native English speakers. With enough practice tests and familiarity, you can reduce the surprises. Think of it as a test of skill and endurance rather than trickiness. When evaluating how hard the TOEFL exam is, consider the following:

TOEFL uses university-level English. Passages might resemble something from a college textbook. For instance, you might encounter words like “ubiquitous” or “henceforth” and need to get meaning from context. You're on the right track if you regularly read and understand English articles or textbooks.
TOEFL is not just about knowing English but also about singing it in specific ways. Exam tasks (especially in Speaking and Writing) are tricky because you have to absorb info and respond. Taking notes quickly is key. Many questions require inference or understanding nuances.

How many times can you take the TOEFL?

As mentioned before, there is no limit to the number of attempts. You can take it as many times as you want until you get the score you need. Some things to consider:

12-day rule: After you take a TOEFL, you must wait at least 12 days to take it again. This means you could, in theory, take it about twice a month.
Application timing: If you’re applying for a certain intake (say Fall 2025 admissions), plan your test dates so you have time for a retake or two if needed. Don’t make your first attempt a week before university deadlines – give a buffer.
One more thing: on test day, you can cancel your score (before seeing it) if you feel you did terribly. If you cancel, no score is reported. You can reinstate it within 60 days for a fee (~$20) or consider it a void attempt.

How to prepare for TOEFL

There are many ways in which you can prepare for the TOEFL exam. You can choose private tutoring with a teacher, look for online resources on the Internet, or use the free and paid online preparation material offered by ETS.

Study plan and timeline

Many sources suggest 3-6 months as a reasonable preparation time for high scores, assuming a baseline intermediate English ability.
If you are already near proficiency (for instance, just need a small score boost or practice with the format), you might study for just a few weeks to a month.
If you need to improve by around 10-15 points, consider a 2-3 month plan with regular practice.
If you are far from the level (e.g., your last TOEFL was 60 and you need 90), you may require 6 months or more, including general English improvement, not just test practice.

Timeline example for a 3-month study plan (target +10 point improvement):

Month 1: Build foundation. Each week focus on one section’s strategies (e.g., Week 1 Reading Strategies, Week 2 Listening, etc.). Learn what each section expects. Do practice questions each day.
Month 2: Skill enhancement. Drill complex question types. For example, practice integrated writing weekly, speak daily about new prompts, etc. Improve vocabulary (primarily academic words).
Month 3: Full tests and refinement. Take a timed practice test weekly under realistic conditions. Analyse mistakes. Work on timing – simulate the pace of each section so you’re comfortable with the clock.

Preparation resources and practice tests

Thankfully, there are plenty of resources for TOEFL preparation:

Official ETS resources are highly recommended because they use real TOEFL questions.

TOEFL iBT Free Practice Test: A full sample test available on ETS website.
TOEFL Go! Official App: The ETS app provides practice questions and tips on the go.
TOEFL Official Guidebook: A comprehensive book with strategies and several practice tests.

Online platforms:

ETS TOEFL® Resource Centre: Check if your country has one. They provide local information and sometimes free workshops.
Prep websites like Magoosh, PrepScholar, BestMyTest, etc., offer practice questions, vocabulary lists, and even courses (some free content, some paid).
YouTube has many TOEFL preparation channels (e.g., TST Prep, Notefull, ETS’s own channel) which give section-wise tips, sample answers, and even live classes.

Books: In addition to ETS’s Official Guide, popular ones include Barron’s TOEFL, Cambridge TOEFL iBT, Delta’s Key to TOEFL, and others. These often come with audio CDs or online audio for listening practice.

How to improve your TOEFL score?

If you aim to improve your TOEFL score, you must attack the two painpoints: your English skills and your ability to go through an exam. Here are some tips on how to prepare for TOEFL exams:

Immerse in English: Beyond test materials, increase your daily English intake. Read news articles (NYTimes, BBC) to build reading speed.
Expand vocabulary: Focus on academic vocab. Words relating to science, art, education, etc., often appear.
Practice speaking regularly: Even if you’re alone, speak into your phone and record yourself answering TOEFL prompts. Analyze your clarity, pace, and structure. Work on speaking organised (intro, support, conclusion for tasks).
Master note-taking: Good notes can make a difference during listening and speaking sections. Practice taking notes from TED talks or lectures.
Simulate test day: At least once, do a full test in one sitting (in a quiet environment, with a headset, etc). This builds endurance and confidence.

Pro tip: Consistency beats cramming. Daily practice, even 30 minutes on busy days, keeps you improving. Make a habit, like one reading passage + questions every morning, a short speaking task in the afternoon, listening to a podcast in the evening, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Where can I take the TOEFL?

When you register, you’ll see a list of nearby cities and available dates. You typically visit a computer lab or language centre, an official TOEFL testing site. If you live in a major city, chances are there’s a test centre nearby. Since 2020, there’s also the TOEFL iBT Home Edition, allowing you to take the exam on your own computer at home.

2. How long does it take to get TOEFL results?

Official TOEFL iBT results are available online about 4 to 8 days after your test. You’ll receive an email notification when scores are ready, and then you can log in to your ETS account to view and download your score report.

3. How long are TOEFL scores valid?

TOEFL scores are valid for 2 years from the test date. After this period, the scores expire and cannot be used for university admissions, visa applications, or any official purpose. You must retake the exam if your score expires before completing your application.

4. Which is better: TOEFL or IELTS?

It depends on your goals and preferences. TOEFL is most popular among US universities and is entirely computer-based. It's ideal if you’re comfortable with academic English and recording spoken answers. IELTS is commonly accepted in the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It includes a face-to-face speaking test, making it better for those who prefer direct interaction.