What is the TOEFL?
5 min read · updated 2026-09-02
The TOEFL iBT is the Test of English as a Foreign Language, run by ETS and accepted by universities across the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia and beyond. For students educated outside English-medium schools, it is often the final box to tick before an offer becomes unconditional.
Format and scoring
The internet-based test has four sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing, each scored out of 30 for a total of 120. Since the 2023 redesign the whole test takes under two hours, which makes it one of the shortest major English exams. Speaking is recorded rather than face-to-face, and the test can be taken at a test centre or at home under proctoring.
Scores are valid for two years. There is no official pass or fail; each university sets its own requirement, commonly in the 80-100 range for competitive undergraduate courses, with some courses asking for higher speaking or writing minimums on top of the total.
TOEFL or IELTS?
Both are accepted almost everywhere, so the choice is mostly about fit. TOEFL is fully computer-based with recorded speaking, which suits students comfortable typing and speaking to a microphone. IELTS includes a face-to-face speaking interview, which some students find more natural. American universities historically favoured TOEFL and British and Australian universities IELTS, but in practice both are accepted by both, and the deciding factor should be which format suits your child.
How to prepare
The single best preparation is the official ETS practice materials, because section formats and timing are exact. Beyond that, scores move when two things improve: academic listening and note-taking (lectures, podcasts, summarising aloud), and structured writing under time. A tutor's role is usually diagnosis plus weekly timed essays and speaking drills with specific feedback, the same feedback loop that moves exam scores in any subject.
FAQs
How long does it take to get TOEFL results?＋
Scores are typically available online within about four to eight days, considerably faster than most major exams. Because results arrive quickly and tests run most weeks, re-taking to push a score over a university's line is a normal, low-drama strategy.
Can my child take the TOEFL at home?＋
Yes. The Home Edition runs on your own computer under live proctoring with strict room and equipment requirements. Some families prefer a test centre to avoid technical risk, but content and scoring are identical.
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