TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic:
which test should you choose?

How do TOEFL iBT and IELTS Academic formats differ?

Both tests cover four skills. ETS says TOEFL iBT measures the four academic English skills: reading, listening, speaking, and writing. IELTS also has four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. It offers two main versions; ielts.org presents Academic for study, while General Training is described for everyday and workplace situations and has different Reading and Writing tasks.

The test lengths are not comparable down to the minute. ETS recommends allowing about two hours for TOEFL iBT and notes that the adaptive test’s length and number of questions may vary. The British Council lists about 2 hours 45 minutes for IELTS: approximately 30 minutes for Listening, 60 for Reading, 60 for Writing, and 11–14 for Speaking. These figures help compare formats; also check your appointment details.

Another difference described by the test makers: IELTS Speaking is conducted with an examiner, face to face at a test center or by video call for IELTS Online. ETS names the two TOEFL iBT speaking tasks “Listen and Repeat” and “Take an Interview”; the test is taken on a computer.

Can you take either test at home, and will the school accept it?

Both offer at-home options, with different caveats. ETS offers the TOEFL iBT Home Edition, monitored online by a human proctor, and says to register at least 24 hours before the appointment. Its testing options page emphasizes checking the requirements of the institutions you are applying to; it does not say the Home Edition is accepted everywhere. For registration details and timing, see this guide’s article on at-home versus test-center testing.

For IELTS, IELTS Online is available only for Academic. The test maker says it has the same format, questions, length, and scoring criteria as the test-center version, with Speaking conducted by video call with a trained examiner. It also says each receiving organization decides whether to accept IELTS Academic Online results, and that IELTS Online is not currently accepted for visas or immigration. The IELTS partners announced that fully paper-based testing would be phased out from mid-2026 on a market-specific schedule. At test centers, the test is taken on a computer; in some markets, the “Writing on Paper” option allows handwritten responses. Check the available format when booking.

Some schools specify their policy: Stanford GSB accepts online versions of TOEFL and IELTS for its MBA, and LSE accepts the Home Edition for the requirements cited here. This does not apply to every program. If your program’s page is silent, contact admissions before booking and keep its response.

How do the two score scales work?

Since January 21, 2026, TOEFL iBT is scored from 1 to 6 in half-point increments. Each section receives a score, and the overall score is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half band. For two years after January 2026, the report also includes a comparable overall score on the old 0–120 scale; “100” and “5” are therefore scores on two scales for the same test. ETS says neither the TOEFL program nor ETS sets a passing or failing score; each institution sets its own requirements.

IELTS is scored from 0 to 9 in whole or half bands. The overall score is the average of the four sections, using the rounding rule on ielts.org: an average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band, and one ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band.

The key point is that a minimum only makes sense on its scale. “6.5 on IELTS,” “4.5 out of 6 on TOEFL,” and “95 out of 120 on TOEFL” refer to different scales. The same number can appear on more than one scale, so the test name and scoring scale must accompany any minimum.

Do schools require one test or accept both?

Programs in the table that require an English test generally accept both. MIT Sloan’s MBA accepts neither TOEFL nor IELTS; English is assessed in the interview. Cambridge Judge has a discrepancy to clarify: its MBA FAQ accepts TOEFL iBT and Home Edition, but its language requirements PDF for 2026 entry, still provisional for 2027, lists only IELTS Academic and Cambridge C2 Proficiency. Its Master of Finance lists both tests. Columbia does not require a separate English test for its MBA, using the GMAT or GRE Verbal score instead; its three MS programs require a test unless a waiver applies.

Any minimum is specific to the school, program, and cycle. Each figure in the table is reported by the school on the scale it specifies; none has been converted. INSEAD’s Master in Management, for example, calls its minimums “recommended.” Harvard Business School lists no minimum and advises against applying below certain levels—TOEFL 5 out of 6 or 109 out of 120, IELTS 7.5; this is advice, not a minimum.

Several schools require a recent test: ESSEC requires scores less than two years old at the deadline for the chosen round; for its MiM, London Business School requires scores less than two years old at the August start; Cambridge Judge requires scores less than two years old before the program begins. ETS sets a two-year validity period and IELTS recommends two years; the school’s reference date determines what counts.

How should you choose between the two tests?

Start with your program page, not the tests: it states which tests are accepted, the required minimum, and score validity. If it lists only one test, the choice is clear. If it lists several, compare the test makers’ descriptions.

• Timing: TOEFL iBT scores appear in your ETS account about 3 days after the test; IELTS results usually arrive in 1–2 days for computer-delivered tests (another IELTS page says 1–5 days) and within 13 days for paper tests. Allow for these timelines before the school deadline.
• Delivery method: both are available at test centers; TOEFL iBT also offers Home Edition, and IELTS Academic offers IELTS Online. Ask the school whether it accepts your intended format.
• Format: TOEFL Reading and Listening are adaptive; IELTS is listed as about 2 hours 45 minutes, with Speaking conducted by an examiner. Choose the conditions that suit you better.
• Minimum score scale: the school page will say whether it reports TOEFL scores out of 120, out of 6, or both. Read a minimum stated on one scale using that scale.
• Cost: ETS displays the TOEFL iBT fee after you select a test location; ask your chosen IELTS center for its fee. Compare the amounts, including currency, when you register.