Students attending a college or university in the U.S. have to submit various documents to be considered for admission, like their high school transcript, essays, teacher recommendations and, in some cases, SAT or ACT test scores. But that list of requirements is longer for international students, who also usually need to demonstrate English proficiency.
To measure language skills, many colleges look at how an applicant fared on a standardized English language assessment. One exam option is the Test of English as a Foreign Language, known as TOEFL, which is administered by the Educational Testing Service, a company that conducts educational research with an emphasis on testing.
An enhanced version of the exam launched in January 2026 and includes a new scoring scale, faster score reporting and adaptive reading and listening sections.
From qualifying scores to exam layout, here’s what to know about TOEFL.
What Is the TOEFL Exam?
TOEFL has evolved since its inception in 1964. Originally created as a paper-based test, TOEFL transitioned to computer-based in 1998 and then to an internet-based exam in 2005, known as the TOEFL iBT.
TOEFL is “designed to provide a common assessment tool for us to be able to make sure that students have an acceptable level of English capacity to be able to succeed” in college, says Grant Gosselin, dean of undergraduate admission and financial aid at Boston College in Massachusetts.
Though administered by computer, the TOEFL iBT is taken in person at an ETS-authorized testing center. However, there’s an option to take an at-home version of the test — the TOEFL iBT Home Edition, which uses a live proctor. The TOEFL iBT and TOEFL iBT Home Edition share the same content: four timed sections in the skill areas of reading, listening, speaking and writing.
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Changes to TOEFL
As part of the January 2026 enhancements, test-takers are now scored on a 1-6 scale with half-point increments instead of 0-120, to align with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. For the next two years, test-takers will receive their scores on both scales. Results are released within three days rather than the previous three to five days.
Additionally, the listening and reading sections “adjust based on performance to measure (a student’s) true ability more precisely,” says Omar Chihane, global general manager of TOEFL at ETS.
“It becomes a lot more accessible to all levels of proficiency,” he says. “If you’re an A1 student, you don’t want to end the exam with C2-level questions. You’re going to feel utterly inadequate and it’s going to be hard for you to be measured and progress. Being able to have adaptive reading and listening sections really enable us to hone in on the skillset.”
TOEFL Structure
TOEFL was updated to include “more real-world academic content that reflects today’s global student,” according to ETS.
“We’ve enhanced TOEFL iBT to really better reflect how English is actually used at a university,” Chihane says.
Length
The TOEFL totals about two hours, with additional time for directions.
The reading section is about 30 minutes, in which test-takers must answer questions about nonacademic texts that range from 15 to 100 words and are seen in daily life — such as a menu, advertisement or social media post — and 200-word academic passages. Test-takers must also fill in letters missing from several paragraphs.
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The listening section is about 29 minutes, and test-takers hear and respond to conversations, academic talks and announcements.
The writing section consists of three tasks: creating a sentence, email response and a reply to an online classroom discussion for a total of 23 minutes.
Additionally, an eight-minute speaking section includes two tasks resembling real-life scenarios that students may encounter in or outside class, such as processing and repeating dialogue and being interviewed.
Cost
Costs vary per country. In the U.S., taking the TOEFL costs $270, with additional fees for express registration and scoring, score reviews, test date reschedules and other services. High school students studying in the U.S. who meet a certain household income threshold may be eligible for a 50% fee reduction.
The test price includes free submission of up to four score reports. Score report recipients can be added through a test-taker’s ETS account until the night before the exam. Each additional report costs $25 and scores are valid for two years.
Registration can be completed online, typically requiring creation of an account, or by phone. Visit the ETS website for more information.
Where TOEFL Is Accepted
TOEFL is accepted at more than 13,000 institutions in more than 160 countries, and everywhere in the U.S., according to ETS.
Many schools also accept other exams, like the International English Language Testing System, known as IELTS, or the Duolingo English Test.
If students are “applying to a U.S. institution that accepts more than one version, they generally are not going to put a preference on one over the other unless they are explicit about that,” Gosselin says. “They should be taking the one that is most convenient for them and most cost-effective as well.”
[Read: Prepare for Medical Emergencies as an International Student]
Good TOEFL Scores for Colleges
A score of at least 100 is required by the most selective institutions, Gosselin says. That equates to a 5 under the new scoring system.
But many schools accept lower. George Mason University in Virginia, for example, requires a minimum score of 80 for undergraduate students who took the exam prior to January 21, 2026, or 4.5 if taken after. All applicants must also meet a subsection score of at least 4.0 except for those wanting to enroll in the College of Engineering and Computing, which requires a total score of 4.5 and no minimum subsection score.
To better understand the TOEFL score comparison, see the chart below with a breakdown by each section of the exam for tests taken before Jan. 21, 2026, according to data from ETS.
TOEFL Score Comparison
| Total and section scores (1-6) | Reading (0-30) | Listening (0-30) | Speaking (0-30) | Writing (0-30) | Total (0-120) |
| 6 | 29-30 | 28-30 | 28-30 | 29-30 | 114+ |
| 5.5 | 27-28 | 26-27 | 27 | 27-28 | 107+ |
| 5 | 24-26 | 22-25 | 25-26 | 24-26 | 95+ |
| 4.5 | 22-23 | 20-21 | 23-24 | 21-23 | 86+ |
| 4 | 18-21 | 17-19 | 20-22 | 17-20 | 72+ |
| 3.5 | 12-17 | 13-16 | 18-19 | 15-16 | 58+ |
| 3 | 6-11 | 9-12 | 16-17 | 13-14 | 44+ |
| 2.5 | 4-5 | 6-8 | 13-15 | 11-12 | 34+ |
| 2 | 3 | 4-5 | 10-12 | 7-10 | 24+ |
| 1.5 | 2 | 2-3 | 5-9 | 3-6 | 12+ |
| 1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-4 | 0-2 | 0+ |
How to Prepare
Experts advise test-takers to engage with people who are native English speakers. That could mean watching a documentary without subtitles or reading books or magazines in English.
Another way to prepare is to take practice tests, which helps test-takers get familiar with the exam’s content, layout and rules. ETS offers the TOEFL TestReady platform, which houses both free and paid customizable TOEFL practice materials, including mock tests, section tests, courses and tailored study plans. More materials are set to be added in July.
Other options include test prep services such as Magoosh and Kaplan, and a MOOC, or massive open online course, offered through the edX platform in partnership with ETS.
?”You need to practice not only on the item types and the content, but really getting your timing right,” Chihane says.
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originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 02/17/26: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
