Sending TOEFL iBT scores:
ETS reports and MyBest

Which reports are free, and when must you select recipients?

The 2026–2027 Information Bulletin says the test fee includes up to four score reports, which ETS sends to institutions or organizations you selected before taking the test. ETS calls them “official TOEFL score reports” on its score-sending page. You can add, remove, or change recipients in your ETS account until 10 p.m. local test-center time on the day before the test. After that, each report sent is charged according to the Bulletin. The “Understanding Your Scores” page instead says 10 p.m. on test day; to be safe, use the day-before deadline, which also appears on the “Send Your Scores” page.

These four reports are only part of what the test fee includes; the table reproduces the Bulletin’s list.

Consider one tradeoff before filling in the list. The Bulletin says you cannot request a Speaking or Writing section rescore after asking ETS to send scores to an institution, and ETS’s score-sending page specifies that selecting recipients before the test prevents a rescore request. You may request a rescore within 30 days after the test, for a fee. If you may challenge a score, read both documents before deciding how many schools to name in advance.

How much do additional reports cost, and when do they arrive?

After the test, order additional reports online through your ETS account. ETS’s fees page lists US$29 before tax per institution or organization for each additional report. The VAT exception it mentions for European Union countries applies to the test fee; additional fees are listed before tax. The score-sending page, “Understanding Your Scores” page, and FAQ list US$25, so the pages differ. Check the amount and taxes in your account before placing the order.

An order is final. The Bulletin says selected institutions cannot be changed or removed after an order is placed, and refunds are not available. Review the school name and, if relevant, the program before confirming.

The cited pages do not specify a timeline measured from an order placed after the test. Their table gives approximate timelines by how an institution receives scores; it does not guarantee delivery within a few days of a late order. ETS’s FAQ says official reports are sent to selected recipients “within 11 business days” after the test, while the institution page lists 11–13 business days for mail, plus delivery time; the figures differ across pages. For mail, ETS adds 7–10 days for delivery in the United States and 4–6 weeks elsewhere, so do not order the day before your application deadline.

How does a school receive your scores, and how do you find its code?

On its page for institutions, ETS describes three ways to receive reports: ETS Data Manager, server-to-server feeds, and postal mail. The first two use data transfers; the third is a paper report that includes MyBest Scores. These are the methods described on that page; newer ETS help materials also describe TOEFL Access for institutions. For selected or ordered reports, ETS sends the report; you do not mail anything yourself.

An institution is identified by a DI (“Designated Institution”) code. ETS’s institution help page says an institution receives this code when it registers to receive TOEFL scores. To find a school, use ETS’s “TOEFL Destinations Search,” which lets you search by name, location, or DI code and filter by country. ETS notes that results are a guide and should be confirmed directly with the institution. Verify the code or identity of a school that does not appear in the search or has an ambiguous name by contacting its admissions office.

For institutions classified as “Graduate Organization,” ETS also provides a department code. An applicant to multiple programs at the same institution can choose a different code for each report order, which ETS says produces separate reports; this code appears in reports received through TOEFL Access. Ask the school which recipient to use for each program.

What are MyBest Scores, and do schools use them?

The Bulletin defines them as a combination of your best score in each section across all valid TOEFL iBT scores from the past two years, showing your best performance in each skill. ETS’s FAQ describes them as the highest section scores across all valid test dates. ETS also calls them superscores. Your report shows both scores from the selected test date and your MyBest Scores, which are included in the test fee.

The Bulletin explicitly limits this combination to valid TOEFL iBT scores from the past two years. An expired score cannot improve your MyBest results.

The key question is whether a school considers them. ETS says each institution sets its own requirements and advises applicants to check directly whether it accepts MyBest Scores. For institutions, ETS says MyBest Scores can be viewed alongside scores from a single test date; to receive them through a server-to-server feed, the institution’s data format must support them. Not every school reviews MyBest Scores.

For a report from a test taken on the 1–6 scale, ETS says MyBest converts older scores to that scale. For a report from a test taken on the old scale, MyBest includes only scores on the old scale. Follow the report issued by ETS and the school’s requirements; do not make your own conversion.

How long are your scores valid, and which scale is used for reporting?

The Bulletin says TOEFL scores remain valid for 2 years after the test date; after that, ETS can no longer report or verify them. Our advice, not an ETS rule: count backward from your application submission date and order reports well before the test’s second anniversary, allowing for delivery time.

Since January 21, 2026, scores are reported on a 1–6 scale in half-point increments. ETS says that for two years after January 2026, each report will also include a comparable overall score from 0 to 120, representing the midpoint of the corresponding total-score range, in addition to the CEFR level and 1–6 scores. According to ETS, institutions will receive reports using only the 1–6 scale starting in January 2028.

A “100” and a “5” are therefore scores on two different scales, not a contradiction: one is on a 0–120 scale and the other on a 1–6 scale. When a school publishes a score, it should specify the scale; we do not convert between scales.