What is the TOEFL iBT?
The TOEFL iBT is published by ETS. It measures the four skills of academic English: reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Each section is scored from 1 to 6 in half-point increments; the overall score is their average rounded to the nearest half point. Each institution sets its own requirements, so check its admissions page for the required score and scale.
ETS names the tasks in each section as follows. Reading: “Complete the Words,” “Read in Daily Life,” and “Read an Academic Passage.” Listening: “Listen and Choose a Response,” “Listen to a Conversation,” “Listen to an Announcement,” and “Listen to an Academic Talk.” Writing: “Build a Sentence,” “Write an Email,” and “Write for an Academic Discussion.” Speaking: “Listen and Repeat” and “Take an Interview.”
ETS recommends allowing about two hours; test length and question counts may vary. Reading and Listening are two-stage adaptive, while Writing and Speaking are linear, according to the 2026 specifications. The item counts in ETS’s table are section-level estimates, not fixed totals to add together.
The test is taken on a computer, either at an authorized test center or at home with the Home Edition. ETS describes the Home Edition as the same test taken at home under the online supervision of a human proctor. Since January 21, 2026, the test has changed in content and scoring scale; the next section explains what ETS says about it.
To prepare, start with the four section guides below. Each explains the tasks, a method, and a worked example. The free preparation guide at the end of the page connects self-assessment, planning, practice, and mock tests. The resource index groups our articles by topic so you can explore a specific challenge; find its link under the scoring section.
Before following an old tip
What has changed
- In January 2026 ETS has updated the test with adaptive technology that personalizes the test experience and a wider range of real academic content. Before returning to an old study plan or book, check that it covers the current tasks. What changes in January 2026, advisors page (opens in a new tab)
- In the April 2026 report ETS adds that the update introduces new task types, while the “Write for an Academic Discussion” task remains unchanged. April 2026 report on the 1-to-6 scale (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- Since January 21, 2026 Scores are reported on a 1-to-6 scale in half-point increments, replacing the former total scale of 0 to 120 and section scale of 0 to 30. The comparable 0-to-120 score is only a transitional reference. A score such as “100” uses the 0-to-120 scale, while “5” uses the 1-to-6 scale; always check which scale appears beside the number. Understand your scores (opens in a new tab)
What are the four TOEFL iBT sections, and how can you prepare for them?
A guide to Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking, with current tasks, a study method, and worked examples. Choose a section, then explore its articles.
How is the TOEFL iBT scored?
The four sections and overall score are reported from 1 to 6 in half-point increments. The item counts below come from ETS’s table and may vary with the adaptive path.
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Reading
Complete the Words · Read in Daily Life · Read an Academic Passage
About 50 items in ETS’s table · scored from 1 to 6
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Listening
About 47 items in ETS’s table · scored from 1 to 6
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Writing
Build a Sentence · Write an Email · Write for an Academic Discussion
About 12 items in ETS’s table · scored from 1 to 6
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Speaking
Listen and Repeat · Take an Interview
About 11 items in ETS’s table · scored from 1 to 6
Four section scores and one overall score, all from 1 to 6 in half-point increments. The overall score is the average of the four sections, rounded to the nearest half point; ETS gives the example of an average of 5.25 rounding to 5.5.
For two years after January 2026, the score report also includes a comparable overall score on the 0-to-120 scale, representing the midpoint of the corresponding total-score range. ETS’s April 2026 report maps the 1-to-6 bands to the former scale; we do not use that mapping to convert an institution’s score, which should be read on the scale specified by that institution.
The score report includes your scores and MyBest Scores, also called superscores by the publisher. For reports using the new scale, ETS says the MyBest section converts older scores from 0 to 120 to the 1-to-6 scale.
Each institution sets its own score requirements. When choosing a target, check the overall score, any section minimums, and whether your program accepts MyBest Scores.
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TOEFL iBT at home or at a test center: ETS requirements
The test, in practice · 9 min -
Rescheduling or canceling the TOEFL iBT: ETS deadlines and fees
The test, in practice · 10 min
Which CEFR level does a score correspond to?
In its April 2026 report on the 1-to-6 scale, ETS publishes a table mapping scores to CEFR levels. The figures are the same for each of the four sections and the overall score.
| CEFR level | Score, section or global |
|---|---|
| C2 | 6 |
| C1 | 5 – 5.5 |
| B2 | 4 – 4.5 |
| B1 | 3 – 3.5 |
| A2 | 2 – 2.5 |
| A1 | 1 – 1.5 |
ETS’s table gives the same ranges for all four sections and the overall score: a score of 4 corresponds to level B2 in every column. We reproduce the table as ETS prints it, level by level, without deriving program cutoffs from it. Institutions set their own requirements and specify the scale they use.
How do you take the TOEFL iBT?
- Register
- Create an ETS account and register online. Regular online registration closes 7 full days before the test; late online registration, which costs extra, closes 2 days before. Accounts and registrations cannot be transferred. Bulletin d’information 2026-2027 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- At an authorized test center, or at home with the Home Edition, which is monitored online by a human proctor. For the Home Edition, the options page says to register at least 24 hours before your appointment, which differs from the bulletin’s deadline; check both before booking. Testing options: test center or Home Edition (opens in a new tab)
- Price
- Select your test location on ETS’s fees page to see the registration price. Additional fees, in US dollars before tax: rescheduling US$69, late registration US$49, each additional score report US$29 per institution, and reinstatement of canceled scores US$20. ETS’s two texts differ on VAT: its fees page excludes VAT except in EU countries, while the bulletin lists France among countries where fees are before tax. Check the total at checkout. Registration fees and additional fees (opens in a new tab)
- Sessions
- At a test center: more than 170 dates a year. At home: 24 hours a day, 4 days a week. Testing options: test center or Home Edition (opens in a new tab)
- Passages
- There is no lifetime limit, but you cannot test more than once in a 3-day period, even if you canceled scores from an earlier attempt. Bulletin d’information 2026-2027 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- Test day
- At a test center, ETS asks you to arrive at least 30 minutes before your assigned time for check-in. If you arrive or check in after that time, you cannot take the test and your fee is not refunded. At home, check-in opens 15 minutes before your appointment and remains available for 30 minutes after it; after that, the test is canceled without a refund. ETS says no break is scheduled. Bulletin d’information 2026-2027 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- Identification
- In general, bring an original, valid government-issued ID with a photo and signature. Your name and date of birth must match your registration; ETS makes an exception for accents and diacritics in names. Copies and IDs displayed on a phone are not accepted, except for the exceptions ETS lists. Requirements depend on your test location and citizenship; check the ETS page for your country. Accepted forms of ID (opens in a new tab)
- Results
- In your ETS account about 3 days after the test, according to the bulletin (the scores page says “3 days after your test date”); the PDF report is available to download 1 day after you receive your electronic scores. Understand your scores (opens in a new tab)
- Validity
- Two years from the test date. ETS cannot report or verify a score more than 2 years old. Bulletin d’information 2026-2027 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- Sending scores to schools
- Up to 4 free score reports. The bulletin says you can change recipients until 10 p.m. local time at the test center on the day before your test; the “Understanding Your Scores” page says test day. To be safe, choose recipients before the bulletin’s deadline. The fees page lists additional reports at US$29 per institution before tax, while the scores page lists US$25; check the amount in your account. Bulletin d’information 2026-2027 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- Reporter or cancel a session
- Cancel at least 4 full days before your test date, through your account rather than by mail, email, or at the test center; after that deadline, fees are not refunded. Within the deadline, 50% of the registration fee you paid is refunded. The bulletin says late-registration fees are also refunded, but this appears after its 100% refund rule, which it defines only for Korea. Rescheduling costs US$69. Bulletin d’information 2026-2027 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- Cancel a score
- Canceled scores can be reinstated within 60 days of the test for US$20. Once you choose to have your scores reported, you cannot cancel them. Bulletin d’information 2026-2027 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
The bulletin cited is in effect from July 2026 through June 2027. Additional fees are in US dollars before tax. Check the fee for your test location and the total before booking; differences between ETS pages are noted above.