TOEFL_Logo

Measure your English proficiency for academic & professional purposes

All About TOEFL

Test of English as a Foreign Language or TOEFL is a popular and standardized means of demonstrating your proficiency level in the language as a non-native speaker, whether you wish to study abroad or immigrate to an English-speaking country.

Administered globally by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), TOEFL has several modes for the convenience of test-takers. Further, the TOEFL score is valid for two years making it convenient for you to plan and execute your personal and professional goals in line with your score.

Take the test from the comfort of your home as the TOEFL iBT® Home Edition, or in the traditional manner at your nearest test centre as the TOEFL iBT®. In locations where internet connectivity or computer access is an issue, you can even take the TOEFL iBT® Paper Edition.

Crack any of these tests with experienced TOEFL coaching at one of the best TOEFL coaching classes now!

English language expertise is a crucial admission requirement in higher education institutions worldwide. It is also an employability skill that recruiting managers seek in applicants. For migration to a native English-speaking country, language proficiency proves to be a deciding factor. TOEFL is globally considered one of the best standardized and most objective systems to evaluate your comfort level in integrating all four language skills, viz., reading, writing, listening, and speaking, as a non-native user of English.

Excel in your tests with top-notch TOEFL coaching!

How Important is TOEFL for Foreign Education Aspirants?

Since its inception, TOEFL has gained popularity as a cent per cent academic evaluation of the English language. The test assesses the candidates’ competency in understanding the language used in academic environments. Your test scores demonstrate to universities your capabilities to read complex textbooks, listen to lectures, and combine all your understanding from both activities – to effectively speak in class and write your papers. This increases your chances of getting the much-coveted admission offer at the school of your choice. Besides, a good TOEFL score substantially eases the visa process for you, all this is possible with a dedicated approach towards TOEFL course and an expert TOEFL training. 

So, sign up for TOEFL coaching classes now and set the ball rolling towards your foreign education goals.

Understanding the TOEFL Structure

In approximately two hours, TOEFL tests four dominant communication skills – Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing, assessing levels of English proficiency in the way the language is used in global classrooms. Individual sections are scored on a scale of 0-30, amounting to a total score of 120.

With a focused TOEFL exam coaching you can achieve your targeted score easily.

Reading Section

In this section, you have to read two excerpts of about 700 words each. The excerpts will be of university-level introductory contexts from various topics. To demonstrate how well you can comprehend academic text, you have to answer ten questions based on each passage in about 35 minutes.

Listening Section

The Listening section of TOEFL will grade your ability to understand classroom lectures and conversations. You will have to listen to three lectures, interspersed with classroom discussion, each 3–5 minutes, and answer six questions per lecture. There will also be two conversations of three minutes each and five questions per conversation. The estimated time taken to complete this section is about 36 minutes. 

Writing Section

The writing section in TOEFL examines your academic writing skills and comprises an integrated task and an independent task. In the former, you have to type in your response after reading a passage and listening to a lecture. The latter task is all about writing your opinion or supporting one stated in an online classroom discussion. The total time taken for this section is no more than 30 minutes.

Speaking Section

The Speaking section comprises of four tasks, of which three are integrated tasks based on what is read and heard in a classroom setting. The final task involves expressing an independent opinion about a familiar subject or sharing an experience or idea. Test takers are allowed up to 30 seconds to prepare their response and up to 1 minute to respond. The duration of this section is 16 minutes.



Comparison between TOEFL iBT Computer and Paper Editions

The Paper Edition of TOEFL differs slightly from the Computer Edition in terms of the number of questions and estimated time for each section. Besides, the test-takers have to take the Speaking section of the Paper Edition at home and the remaining sections at the test centre. After you attempt the Reading and Listening sections in the Paper Edition, there is a short break of 10 minutes before resuming with the Writing section.

TOEFL Sections

Task Description

TOEFL iBT

TOEFL iBT Paper Edition

Estimated Time

Questions/Tasks

Time Limit

Questions/Tasks

Reading

Read passages and respond to questions.

35 minutes

20 questions

54–72 minutes

30–40 questions

Listening

Answer questions about brief lectures or classroom discussions.

36 minutes

28 questions

41–57 minutes

28–39 questions

Writing

Read a passage, listen to a recording and type your response. State and support an opinion in an online classroom discussion.

29 minutes

2 tasks

50 minutes

2 tasks

Speaking

Talk about a familiar topic and discuss material you read and heard.

 

16 minutes

4 tasks

17 minutes

4 tasks

TOEFL Preparation with UniApplica

Two to three months of focused practice, including academic reading, writing and vocabulary building will set up an aspirant for a good TOEFL score. However, the exact time you need for TOEFL preparation will depend upon your proficiency in the English language. At the beginner level, you will do well if you start your TOEFL training about 1 – 2 years ahead of starting the application process. This way, you will have ample time to prep with a bespoke TOEFL course and take the test; if you do not get your desired score at the first attempt, retake the test to improve your score ahead of university application deadlines.

Sign up for TOEFL coaching classes with a proven track record to aid your preparations for the test. The ideal TOEFL course will include self-paced modules, guides and ample practice tests to help you achieve your targeted score.

How Widely is TOEFL Accepted Globally?

Recognized and accepted by more than 12,000 institutions in over 160 countries, a TOEFL score can open doors for you. The test is accepted everywhere in the USA. Apart from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Singapore, Japan, and the UK are the top nations that screen international students for higher studies on the basis of TOEFL scores. 

Raise your chances of getting an offer from your dream institution in any of these countries with well-structured TOEFL coaching.

In general, 90 is considered a good TOEFL score by most higher education institutions, although the more competitive or high-ranking an institution is, the steeper its screening criteria.

The average range of TOEFL scores accepted by universities worldwide is presented here.

Country

Score Range

USA

80 – 180

UK

72 – 110

Canada

86 – 110

Australia

65 – 110

New Zealand

80 – 90

TOEFL Registration Charges

Here are the fees associated with the TOEFL iBT® test.

Item

Fees

Registration

Fees vary by testing location.

UAE – US$300

UK – US$245

Late registration

US$40

Rescheduling

US$60

Reinstatement of cancelled scores

US$20

Additional score reports (per institution)

US$20 each

Speaking or Writing Section score review

US$80

Speaking and Writing Section score review

US$160

Returned payment

US$30

 

TOEFL Registration Process

ETS accepts TOEFL registrations online, through the official app, via mail, and over phone calls. The online process is the oft-used one that you can complete in the following steps:

STEP 1:

Create an ETS account on the official website or with the TOEFL® App available for free on the App Store® or Google Play™.

STEP 2:

Complete your profile with accurate details. The name on the application should match your valid passport.

STEP 3:

Confirm the profile after setting your username and password. Your ETS account is non-transferable.

STEP 4:

Select the test type you want to take and choose a date to view the locations open for testing. Select your preferred test location and time slot to proceed.
Please note that registrations open approximately 6-months ahead of test dates. As dates fill up fast, it is advisable to register as early as possible to get the preferred test location and date. Online registration closes 7 days before the test date, but you can register up to 2 days prior to the test with a late fee, provided seats are available. Along with your TOEFL preparation, book the test date early on to ensure that you can attempt the test at a convenient time and place.

STEP 5:

Select the test score recipients and pay your registration fees to complete the online registration process. Pay your fees using credit/ debit cards or net banking methods. You can request your score to be sent to up to four institutions for free.

TOEFL Results Timeline

You can view your unofficial scores for the Listening and Reading sections immediately after the test. However, this convenience is unavailable to TOEFL iBT Paper Edition candidates.

Officially, your scores will appear on your ETS account 6–10 days after the test (11–13 business days in the case of TOEFL iBT Paper Edition).

Your designated institutions will receive your score within 11 business days after the test (15 days for the Paper Edition). If a specific institution prefers a postal delivery, you should add 7-11 more days for the snail mail in the USA and 4-6 weeks for other locations. 

Time to gear up with your TOEFL preparation for a stress-free results day!

Deciphering the TOEFL Score Range

The maximum score in TOEFL is 120 and the score range for each section is 0-30. Does your TOEFL coaching sound enough to get the perfect scores? Not sure, let us help you decide onto which level of TOEFL course preparation is needed for you to excel. We can provide you a sample test to check your levels and give you various options to decide onto which level of TOEFL exam coaching will best suit your requirements.

A combination of AI and ETS-certified raters score the Writing and Speaking sections of the test. To accurately assess the skills of the test-taker, the sectional scores are split into 4-5 proficiency levels.

Reading

Advanced (24–30) High-Intermediate (18–23) Low-Intermediate (4–17) Below Low-Intermediate (0–3)

Listening

Advanced (22–30) High-Intermediate (17–21) Low-Intermediate (9–16) Below Low-Intermediate (0–8

Speaking

Advanced (25–30) High-Intermediate (20–24) Low-Intermediate (16–19) Basic (10–15) Below Basic (0–9)

Writing

Advanced (24–30) High-Intermediate (17–23) Low-Intermediate (13–16) Basic (7–12) Below Basic (0–6)

UniApplica Benefit for TOEFL Preparation

FAQs

Conquering the TOEFL: Your Queries, Our Remedies

UniApplica: Your Comprehensive Guide for All Essential Study Information, Anytime, Anywhere

You can opt to share your official TOEFL reports with up to four recipients including higher education institutions or other agencies. You can add or delete recipients through your ETS account until 10 PM (local test centre time) a day before the scheduled test date. You can request to add additional recipients of your TOEFL result upon payment of requisite fees during the 2-year validity period of your score.

Both the tests have respective difficulty levels based on the individual sections.

Speaking Test:

In TOEFL, you have to speak into a mic, and your answers get recorded. In IELTS, you have a direct conversation with a real person, which some students find easy, less tiring and less time-consuming.

Contrary to this, if interacting with a stranger intimidates you, then you will find the IELTS speaking test difficult.

Writing Test:

In IELTS, you will have to analyse a graph or a chart in one of the writing tasks to come up with your answer. The second task involves writing about 250 words expressing your opinion about a topic.

TOEFL, on the other hand, poses a difficult first task, wherein you have to listen to an audio, read an excerpt and integrate your understanding from both to write the response. In the second task, you have to write an essay in the context of an online classroom discussion. 

Listening Test:

The time difference between the two tests in the listening section is 30 minutes.

For non-English speaking students, concentrating on a foreign accent for 60 minutes as required in IELTS is difficult.

Reading test:

The reading context in the TOEFL test is academic, whereas IELTS has separate academic and non-academic tests. Although in TOEFL, the excerpts are in introductory content of academic topics, but the idea of reading and understanding the same may be a cause of alarm for some.

Scaling either of the tests is not tough with diligent preparation. Get in touch with your UniApplica mentor today to know how best to train for your language proficiency test.

Yes. You can order additional score reports through your ETS account once your scores are available online, roughly 6-days after your test date. These reports are mailed 3 to 5 days after your payment is received. The fee is US$20 for each additional report. TOEFL coaching with UniApplica can get your application accepted in as many institutions as you apply to. 

Yes, you can. There is no limit to the number of times you can take the test, but you cannot take it more than once in a 3-day period. If you already have a test appointment, you cannot register for another test date within 3-days of your existing appointment. The registration fee is due each time you register for a test date. However, solid preparation at UniApplica TOEFL Coaching classes ensures you do not have to retake the test.

  • Yes. If you cancel your registration before the 4-day advance deadline, you will receive a refund of half the original test fee you paid. Refunds are in US dollars. Cash refunds are not available.

The TOEFL test pattern is such that your English speaking, writing, listening and reading potential are assessed. These skills help you during your course in reading complex texts, listening to lectures with accurate understanding, writing passages and also for solo speeches in academics. This test also measures your basic answering abilities and trick question analysis. You can develop these skills with a thorough TOEFL preparation.

Beyond Borders, Beyond Limits

Elevate Your Education with Global Opportunities! Unite with
Leading Advisors and an Empowered Study Abroad Community.

Unlock a FREE 30-minute Profile Evaluation with UniApplica Experts.

Take the first step to make your study abroad dream a reality. Get end-to-end assistance with university shortlisting, application, scholarship, visa and finance.