What does ETS require before you can book?
ETS says accommodations are available to test takers with disabilities or health-related needs who meet its criteria, and any requested accommodations must be approved before registration. Its page reiterates that you must submit a request and receive approval from ETS Disability Services before scheduling, and asks you to wait for the approval email before looking for an appointment. The 2026–2027 Bulletin refers to a 2026–27 supplement, but the PDF offered on the ETS page was labeled 2024–25 when reviewed. “The supplement” here refers to that PDF; the ETS page and Bulletin take precedence if they conflict.
Health-related needs use the same process as disabilities. The supplement mentions diabetes, Crohn’s disease, and chronic pain, which may require breaks for medication, a snack, a drink, or blood-glucose monitoring equipment. Some items may enter the testing room without a request and others may not; the supplement gives examples below and refers to a separate document for the full list, which was not reviewed here.
The supplement adds that applicants may ask their intended institution whether it will waive the test requirement and consider the application based on other materials. That decision belongs to the institution, not ETS.
- Allowed without a prior request, according to the supplement: bandages, spinal cord stimulators, footrests, lumbar cushions, service animals, hearing aids, and cochlear implants.
- A request is required for: a Bluetooth-enabled hearing aid or implant, blood-glucose testing equipment in the testing area, or a two-part or especially noisy insulin pump.
Which forms and supporting documents are required?
The application uses the three-part Testing Accommodations Request Form: your information, including a signed statement; the accommodations requested; and Part III, “Certification of Eligibility: Accommodations History,” which ETS describes as a streamlined approval route for some accommodations. Parts I and II must still be completed even when requesting the same accommodations as in a previous approval. List any accommodation not shown under “Other Accommodations.” Email or mail submissions also require the TOEFL iBT Test Authorization Request Form.
Part III must be signed by the accessibility or disability services office at a postsecondary institution, an employer’s human resources department, or a vocational rehabilitation agency. ETS says forms completed by family members or by the professional who diagnosed or treats the applicant are not accepted.
If Part III or proof of a prior approval is sufficient, do not also send disability documentation; ETS warns that unnecessary documents delay review. The table follows the cases in the 2024–25 supplement still linked by ETS. For renewals limited to that older test year, confirm the current process with ETS Disability Services. ETS retains final discretion over each accommodation.
| Your situation | What the supplement requires |
|---|---|
| Current ETS accommodations for another test (the supplement lists GACE, GRE, Praxis, and School Leadership Series) | Request the same accommodations again without supporting documents; they are reapproved if suitable for the test (the 2024–25 supplement limits this rule to its test year); Parts I and II of the form are still required |
| Accommodations approved for another standardized test (the supplement names ACT, SAT, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT) | Copy of the approval letter, without disability documentation; accommodations are granted if they do not conflict with test design or security (the 2024–25 supplement also limits this to its test year) |
| Learning disability, ADHD, traumatic brain injury, autism spectrum disorder, psychiatric or physical disability; up to 50% additional time or breaks | No supporting documents required with a valid Part III |
| Blindness or legal blindness | No supporting documents required with a valid Part III if you request only accommodations listed in the supplement (screen tools, Braille, large-print or audio formats, reader, scribe, Braille note-taking tools, breaks, up to 50% additional time, or 100% with Braille, a reader, audio, or a screen reader) |
| Deafness or hearing impairment | No supporting documents required with a valid Part III if you request only up to 50% additional time, breaks, or a sign-language or oral interpreter for check-in and spoken instructions |
| Health-related need | Support letter from a physician or other qualified professional describing the condition and reason for the accommodation; a handwritten note or prescription-pad note is not sufficient |
| Outside the exceptions above: human reader or scribe without blindness or legal blindness; more than 50% additional time; any other accommodation | Disability documentation or proof of approval for the same accommodations from another standardized-testing organization, sent directly to ETS |
Where do you submit the request, and how long does it take?
ETS describes online submission as the easiest option: sign in to your ETS account, select “TOEFL Accommodation Status/New Request” on the home page, and follow the instructions. The account also lets you upload documents and indicate your preferred date and location. Other options are email to disability.reg@ets.org with the forms and required documents attached, or postal or courier mail. ETS warns that an incomplete application delays processing.
ETS Disability Services responds by email regardless of submission method. Never send payment card information by email or mail; payment is due when scheduling, and ETS will email payment instructions. Once the request is approved, an email explains how to register.
ETS gives two estimates for review time. Its page says document review takes about 6 weeks after receipt of the request and complete application, and that a request for more documents may add another 6 weeks from their receipt. The 2026–2027 Bulletin says about four to six weeks, and the supplement adds about two to four weeks after receiving any requested documents. For planning, adding the page’s estimates gives about 12 weeks if ETS requests more documents; this is not a guaranteed maximum, and you also need time to gather documents and find an appointment. ETS asks applicants to submit as early as possible, especially for an alternate test format.
The pages reviewed do not say whether the Bulletin’s standard registration deadlines still apply after approval; the approval email provides instructions.
Which accommodations does ETS list?
The ETS page and supplement list accommodations, but the lists do not match exactly: the page lists special keyboards and transcripts not included in the form, while the form lists the JAWS screen reader, which the page does not mention. The table combines them. The Bulletin describes the supplement as a list of some accommodations ETS most often approves; it does not say that a request will be approved.
Additional time and breaks address different needs. The supplement says the clock stops during breaks, which may be more suitable than extra time for fatigue, rest, or restroom needs; additional time generally does not apply to spoken responses. The Bulletin says there are no scheduled breaks on the TOEFL iBT.
| Category | What ETS lists | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Extra time | 25% (one-quarter extra), 50% (half again as much), or 100% (double time) | All tests are timed; additional time for spoken responses only for a speech-related disability |
| Breaks | Additional or extended breaks, with the clock stopped | Medication, snack, drink, restroom |
| Computer tools | Screen magnification, selectable background and text colors, JAWS screen reader; Kensington trackball mouse, IntelliKeys, ergonomic keyboard, or touchpad keyboard | JAWS: for blind or visually impaired applicants only; keyboards and mouse appear only on the page |
| Human assistance | Reader, scribe, sign-language interpreter, or oral interpreter for check-in and spoken instructions (the page also lists an oral interpreter for the Listening section only); Braille slate and stylus or Perkins brailler for note-taking | Interpreters: deaf or hearing-impaired applicants; Braille tools: blindness or low vision; reader or scribe without blindness or legal blindness: documentation or proof of equivalent approval |
| Alternative formats | Braille, large print (test booklet and answer sheet), recorded audio, regular-print version, “reader’s script,” transcripts of audio items in Speaking and Writing | Braille: blindness or low vision, according to the form |
| Omitted sections | Listening omitted; Speaking omitted | Listening: deaf or hearing-impaired applicants; Speaking: deaf or hearing-impaired applicants or those with a speech-related disability |
The pitfall
Booking first and requesting accommodations later
Booking a standard appointment while waiting for ETS’s response may seem prudent. However, the supplement says accommodations cannot be applied to an already scheduled test, and the ETS page says to wait for the approval email before looking for an appointment. Booking first is not a safety net.
If you have already booked, do not assume the appointment will be converted. Neither the ETS page nor the supplement describes converting a standard test to an accommodated one; contact ETS Disability Services, explain your situation, and follow its response. To change or cancel an accommodated test, the supplement refers you to your approval letter or ETS Disability Services and says rescheduling is allowed only within the same test year.
What happens after approval: location, validity, and score report?
The form asks whether you plan to take the test at home or at a test center. According to the supplement, if testing at home and approved for additional time, extra breaks, screen magnification, or selectable colors, you may schedule through your ETS account. For any other at-home accommodation, scheduling cannot be done online; follow the instructions in your approval letter. For tests at a center, the supplement lists only screen magnification and selectable colors as accommodations that can be scheduled online. The ETS page and Bulletin do not say which other accommodations are available at home; if location matters, ask ETS Disability Services in writing.
For a later test, the supplement says to check your approval letter: if it has not expired, register according to its instructions. The pages reviewed do not publish the approval’s validity period; refer to your letter. Do not confuse this with score validity, which is two years from the test date according to the Bulletin.
For score reporting, if Listening is omitted for a deaf or hearing-impaired applicant, no Listening score or total score is reported. If Speaking is omitted for a deaf or hearing-impaired applicant or someone with a speech-related disability, no Speaking score or total score is reported. Only completed section scores appear on the report, which notes that a section or sections were not taken; ETS says no other information is provided. The documents reviewed do not say whether additional time or breaks are noted. If a section is omitted, ask the institution whether it accepts a report without a total score.
The score calculation, in the TOEFL guide GuideKey takeaways
- Request accommodations before booking, and wait for ETS’s approval email.
- Allow about 6 weeks for review according to the ETS page, and about 6 more weeks if ETS requests documents, starting when they are received.
- Do not add disability documentation when Part III or a previous approval is sufficient; ETS warns that unnecessary documents delay review.
- If Listening or Speaking is omitted, the score report will not show a total score.
- Your approval letter explains how to schedule the test and whether the approval is still valid.