Your TOEFL iBT® scores do more than just measure English, they help you stand out to colleges and universities around the world. Each score provides:

• A reliable reflection of how you’ll perform in real academic settings
• Fair, unbiased evaluation through a secure and centralized scoring system
• Global recognition, accepted by over 13,000 institutions in more than 160 countries

When your goal is advancing your academic career, choose the test that’s widely accepted and trusted by admissions teams globally.
 

Score requirements

Whether you’re taking your TOEFL test before or after January 2026 there are no passing or failing scores set by the TOEFL Program or ETS.

Each institution sets its own score requirements. For more information about how your scores will be used or interpreted, contact the institution directly.

TOEFL tests are only scored by a centralized scoring network, never at the test center.

Our scoring methods:

•  Offer a complete and accurate picture of your ability
• Minimize the rater bias that can occur with face-to-face interviews
• Ensure consistency and fair scoring standards.

Your scores will be available in your ETS account 4-8 days after your test date. This date will be displayed at the end of your TOEFL iBT test, and you’ll receive an email when your scores are available.

Your scores are valid for 2 years and PDF score reports are ready for download 1 day after you receive your electronic scores.

If requested, a paper copy of your score report will be mailed 11-15 days after your test date. Times will vary based on your local postal service.

Express score reports are delivered 2-5 business days after your test scores are confirmed.

Your test fee includes up to four free official TOEFL score reports to be sent to institutions, agencies or other recipients who can be added through your ETS account until 10 p.m. on the day of your test.

Score times vary based on how the recipient receives the score:

• ETS® Data Manager: 4–8 business days
• Server feeds: 8–10 business days
• Postal mail: 10–12 business days plus zailing time.

You can order additional score reports through your ETS account for US$25 per institution/agency.

You can find information about reinstating your scores, score reviews and other policies in the TOEFL iBT® Information Bulletin (PDF).
 

Current Scoring: What Your Scores Will Show January 21st 2026

The TOEFL test is designed to measure your academic English skills in a way that helps you, universities, and employers understand your readiness for real-life communication. Your score report gives a clear picture of your performance across four key areas: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing.

Currently, the TOEFL test uses four scaled section scores and a total score. Each section has a score range of 0-30, which are added together for a total score of 0-120.

What your scores mean

You’ll receive four scaled section scores and a total score.

• Each section has a score range of 0–30.
• These are added together for a total score of 0–120.

Each skill has four or five proficiency levels, so where your score falls within that range tells you your proficiency for that skill.

Score reports now feature a more modern, visually intuitive design. You can download a PDF copy of your score report from your ETS account.

TOEFL iBT test taker score reports look like this:

Beginning January 21, 2026, TOEFL iBT score reports will feature a new 1 – 6 scale, in half point increments, with a more intuitive alignment to the Common European Framework of References for Language (CEFR).

A few notes on this scoring change:

• You’ll receive four sections scores, as well as an overall score, on the 1 – 6 scale.
• The overall score will be the average of all four sections, rounded to the nearest half band (for example, if the average of your section scores is 5.25, you will receive an overall score of 5.5).
• For a two-year transition period after January 2026, you will also receive a comparable overall score on the 0 – 120 scale.

This updated 1 – 6 scale will help both institutions interpret TOEFL scores in a faster and more intuitive manner, while more directly aligning TOEFL scores with CEFR, the key global benchmark.

And the two-year transition period, featuring the inclusion of a comparable 0 – 120 score on every score report, will help ease the score scale shift for global institutions.

Note: This is a sample for reference. Actual report might have minor variations.

View the list of institutions that accept TOEFL iBT Home Edition scores.

ETS scoring policies make sure that scoring is fair and unbiased. Read about the scoring policies in the TOEFL iBT® Information Bulletin (PDF).

Visit our Registration Page to book your spot and explore resources to help you prepare confidently.

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