TOEFL iBT at home or at a test center:
ETS requirements

Is the TOEFL iBT the same at home and at a test center?

ETS says the Home Edition is the same TOEFL iBT offered at a test center, taken from home and monitored online by a human proctor. Its article comparing the two options specifies that content, scoring, and score validity are identical. The sections, tasks, and 1–6 scale described in the guide therefore apply to both options.

What differs is the testing environment: the equipment you use, what you may keep nearby, who monitors you, and when your session may be canceled. For availability, ETS says the test is offered at authorized centers worldwide more than 170 times a year, while the Home Edition is available 24 hours a day, 4 days a week. For the Home Edition, its options page says to register at least 24 hours before the appointment; the Bulletin says regular online registration closes 7 full days before the test, followed by express registration closing 2 days before. These deadlines differ: check the appointment actually offered in your account and do not rely on the shorter deadline.

For registration and additional fees, see the guide; this article covers only the choice between the two locations.

What equipment do you need for the Home Edition?

ETS requires a desktop or laptop computer; tablets and mobile devices are not allowed. Use one screen, one keyboard, a licensed operating system (unauthorized or “test mode” versions are not accepted), and keep the computer plugged in for the entire session. ETS accepts an integrated or external webcam, provided it can be moved to show the proctor the room in a 360-degree sweep.

The test is taken in the TOEFL Test App, downloaded from the My TOEFL Home dashboard, which also launches the equipment check. ETS describes it as an application to install. It asks you to close all programs except the test window and disable any screen-sharing or remote-access software, which must remain disabled during the test.

For audio, ETS requires a built-in or external speaker so you can hear the proctor, and a microphone that is not part of a headset. Headsets and earphones are prohibited. At a test center, the rule is different: ETS says a headset is provided and personal headsets and earphones are not allowed.

In some cases, ETS also requires a second camera: a charged and plugged-in smartphone or tablet running iOS 12 or later or Android 8 or later, with working front and rear cameras. The Bulletin specifies that if mobile-app identity verification applies to you, it must be completed at least 48 hours before the test.

• At home: computer, one screen, one keyboard, movable webcam, speaker and non-headset microphone, and TOEFL Test App.
• At a test center: a headset is provided; personal belongings are stored as directed by the center. Personal phones and electronic devices are not allowed in the testing room.

What room and desk do you need, and how can you take notes?

For the Home Edition, ETS requires a private room where no one enters during the test, with the doors closed. Public places (parks, internet cafés, restaurants) are not allowed; transparent walls and doors, as well as large uncovered windows, must be covered. Position the desk and chair so the proctor can see the door. The computer and keyboard must be on a desk or table, and the surface and surrounding area must be clear of cameras, notes, and work materials. After check-in, place the phone used for check-in behind you and out of reach unless it is being used as an approved second camera. Sit on a standard chair, not a bed, sofa, or cushioned armchair. Food and drink are prohibited during the test.

Your face and ears must remain visible. ETS allows religious head coverings if the ears remain visible, does not allow masks, and asks you to remove earphones, smartwatches, jewelry, and hair accessories before check-in; the Home Edition page allows a wedding ring. The proctor guides you through a room scan, showing every wall and corner.

Note-taking has the strictest rule: ETS prohibits notes on loose paper. You may use a small desktop whiteboard with an erasable marker, or a sheet of white paper inside a transparent sleeve with an erasable marker; the paper must never be removed from the sleeve. At the end, show the proctor that everything has been erased.

At a test center, the administrator provides pencils and scratch paper. You may not bring your own or request more sheets until you have used and returned the previous ones, and you must return everything at the end. Personal belongings are stored where the center directs; any phone you bring must remain turned off.

What are arrival, proctoring, and breaks like?

At a test center, ETS asks you to arrive at least 30 minutes before your assigned time to check in; arriving or checking in after the assigned start time means you cannot take the test, with no refund. The center may ask you to show your ID or sign a register at multiple points, before and after breaks, and may conduct a visual security inspection. Friends and family may not wait at the center during the test, except as provided for test takers age 15 or younger.

At home, check-in may begin 15 minutes before the scheduled time and continue until 30 minutes afterward. After that, the test is canceled and fees are not refunded. Have a phone or handheld mirror ready for check-in. The entire session is recorded and monitored by a human proctor, and your photo is taken. You must remain in the proctor’s view, keep your hands visible, stay seated, and avoid anything that may appear suspicious, such as speaking aloud or looking away from the screen; ETS says speaking is allowed only during the Speaking section.

For breaks, the Bulletin says none are scheduled. Unscheduled breaks are not allowed at home. At a test center, ETS lists excessive or prolonged breaks as violations and instructs administrators to strictly monitor unscheduled breaks, without defining when a break becomes excessive; do not count on being able to take one.

For identity verification, both options generally require an original, valid, physical government-issued ID with a photo and signature. Your name and date of birth must match your registration, subject to ETS’s stated exceptions, including accents and diacritical marks; an ID displayed on a phone is not accepted. Requirements depend on test location and nationality: review the ETS page for your country, as the guide advises.

Does the score report differ, and do schools accept the Home Edition?

ETS says the scoring is the same. The Bulletin gives one score-reporting timeline, about 3 days after the test, without distinguishing the two options. On its page for institutions, ETS adds that Home Edition score reports carry the STNRP test-center code, followed by the test taker’s three-digit ISO country code; an institution can therefore tell that the test was taken at home.

Regarding acceptance, in a January 7, 2026 blog post ETS says universities and institutions do not distinguish between Home Edition and test-center scores. However, its options page says to check specific requirements with your intended institutions, and the guide notes that ETS sets no passing score: each institution sets its own requirements. Neither statement replaces your school’s own policy.