Information about the TOEFL Test

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a widely accepted means of proving English-language competence for undergraduate or graduate study at universities in the English-speaking world. First offered in 1964, the TOEFL is now accepted by over 9,000 universities in more than 130 countries. The TOEFL is administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS), whose mission is to "advance quality and equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments, research, and related services." Established in 1947, ETS has been described as "the world's largest private nonprofit educational testing and assessment organization." For an introduction to and overview of the TOEFL, please have a look at the following topics: 

• TOEFL Basics
  See this page for basic information about the TOEFL. Topics include an overview of the TOEFL as an assessment and its purpose; a summary of the structure, scoring, and timing of the TOEFL; a discussion of TOEFL validity studies; and an illustrative example of TOEFL scores and university admissions.
• TOEFL Format
  This page includes an important summary of the TOEFL's format. Test-takers will find descriptions of each TOEFL section, the types of exercises included, and the English-language skills assessed.
• TOEFL iBT
  Read this page for essential information on the TOEFL iBT. Learn about the core skills evaluated by the exam, sectional and total scoring classifications, test development, and test availability in North America and around the world.
• TOEFL Paper-Based Test
  Students taking the paper-based TOEFL (PBT) should consult this page for information about policies, structure, and scoring as well as details on each PBT section. Residents of most countries will take the internet-based TOEFL (iBT) rather than the PBT.
• Internet-Based TOEFL versus Paper-Based TOEFL
  The TOEFL internet-based test (iBT) is different from the paper-based test (PBT) in a number of ways. See this page for a comparison of the iBT and PBT in terms of content, scoring, availability, and use in college admissions.
• Recent Changes to the TOEFL
  Find out how the TOEFL has changed and evolved in recent years by reading this page. Students can also review scoring data for the first decade of the TOEFL iBT, from its introduction in late 2005 through 2015.
• TOEFL Administration
  View this page for important information on the administration and acceptance of the TOEFL. Learn about ETS policies with respect to acceptable identification, taking the test, academic honesty, and accommodations for disabled students.
• TOEFL Registration
  For the latest on TOEFL registration, read this page. Topics covered include procedures for iBT registration online, by phone, or by mail as well as registration policies for disabled students and those taking the TOEFL paper-based test (PBT).
• TOEFL Test-Taking Strategies
  TOEFL students can find useful strategies for preparation and taking the test on this page. This strategic overview includes general tips and approaches for the content of each TOEFL iBT section.
• TOEFL Scores
  Learn all about TOEFL iBT total scores, sectional scores, conversion of raw scores to scaled scores, scoring classifications, PBT scores, and score policies at universities by reading this page.
• TOEFL History
  The history of the TOEFL is covered on this page. Students can learn all about the exam's origins, earlier versions of the test, the development of the TOEFL into its current form, and the advantages of the modern test.
• TOEFL versus IELTS
  Find out how the TOEFL compares to the IELTS by reading this page. Compare TOEFL and IELTS availability, acceptance, assessments of each language skill, test timing, and sectional and total scores.