TOEFL Exam 2023: TOEFL Full Form, Registration & Information Guide

If you wish to study overseas in an English-speaking country, such as the U.S., UK, Canada and Australia, you will need to pass an English language proficiency test to apply for admission as well as a visa.

Several English language proficiency test scores are accepted by academic institutions and immigration departments worldwide. Read on to learn all the details about the TOEFL exam, its patterns, and how to apply for 2023.TOEFL is conducted every year by Educational Testing Services (ETS), which also conducts the GRE and other tests. The TOEFL score is essential to every international student’s college or university application. It is a standardised test which measures one’s understanding of the academic English language as it is read, written, spoken and heard worldwide. TOEFL iBT (internet-based test) is the most popular choice among international students due to its ease of use. ETS has also launched a TOEFL At Home Testing that allows students to appear for the exam from the comfort and safety of their homes. ETS has also launched the shorter and more convenient TOEFL Essentials Test. The TOEFL exam fee in India is $190. TOEFL scores are valid for two years.

Importance of the TOEFL Exam

The TOEFL exam is usually undertaken by students who wish to pursue higher education abroad. Appearing for the TOEFL test also allows students to be eligible for several scholarships and helps students looking for employment abroad with their visa application process. The TOEFL exam is accepted by more than 11,500 universities and institutions in over 160 countries. TOEFL is also among the most preferred English-language tests for students willing to pursue their higher education abroad. As per surveys, more TOEFL scores are sent to universities in the U.S. and Canada than all other English-language proficiency tests combined.

TOEFL Key Highlights

TOEFL full form	Test of English as a Foreign Language
Official website	www.ets.org/toefl
Level of exam	International
Conducting body	Educational Testing Service (ETS)
Exam Pattern	iBT, iBT At Home Testing, Essentials Test
Duration	iBT & iBT At Home Testing: 3-3.5 hours TOEFL Essentials Test: 1.5 hours
TOEFL iBT fee	$190

TOEFL Exam Pattern

As the TOEFL exam is a language proficiency test, the majority of the test is based on measuring the language skills of the candidates. This is executed through four sections listed below:

TOEFL Reading

In the TOEFL Reading section, candidates will be asked to read 3 to 4 passages of 700 words and answer ten questions per passage. The TOEFL reading section evaluates the candidate’s reading and understanding abilities. The reading passages in the TOEFL exam cover several subjects of various types. Candidates are allotted 54 to 72 minutes to answer the TOEFL reading passages. The TOEFL reading section is scored on a range of 0-30.

TOEFL Writing

The TOEFL Writing section is made up of two tasks, namely, TOEFL integrated and TOEFL independent tasks. The time allotted for this section is 50 minutes, and the candidates need to write 500 to 600 words compositely in the two writing tasks. The TOEFL writing is the final section of the TOEFL exam and is the hardest one because the candidates are simultaneously tested on their listening, speaking, and reading skills. The score range of TOEFL writing is 0-5, which is later on converted to a scale of 0-30.

TOEFL Listening

In the TOEFL Listening section, there are generally two parts – lectures and conversations. After every conversation or lecture, the candidates are asked a set of questions about the presented information. Candidates are allotted 20 minutes to answer each set of questions. This section includes 4 to 6 academic lecture excerpts that are 3-5 minutes in length each and 2 to 3 conversations on various general topics relevant to university life.  

TOEFL Speaking

In the TOEFL Speaking section, there is one independent task and three integrated speaking tasks. The TOEFL Speaking section is allotted 17 minutes. TOEFL speaking is scored on a range of 0-30.

TOEFL Preparation Tips

TOEFL exam preparation must be done with focus, and candidates must spend as much time as possible to find their strengths and weaknesses. ETS uploads sample papers online for practice. To fetch a higher score in the TOEFL exam, you can consider the following tips: 

• Use vocabulary flashcards to improve your vocabulary
• Do as many practice tests as you can
• Make your own customised TOEFL study plan and follow it sincerely
• Learn vocabulary from different academic backgrounds and topics
• Always go through the questions carefully before attempting the answer
• Practice skimming and scanning techniques for passages
• English news and movies can help you understand the native accent.
• Read journals, novels, and other English literature to enhance your vocabulary
• The best way to improve your reading ability is by reading complex texts
• Pace yourself while reading the contexts
• Practice taking down notes of the main ideas
• Try not to leave many questions unanswered
• Take timed practice tests to understand how well you can manage your time.

TOEFL Eligibility Criteria

There are no specific eligibility criteria to appear for TOEFL. However, the candidates must go through the guidelines mentioned on the official website before registering. Additionally, ETS does not mention any age limit for the candidates. According to educational eligibility, candidates must pass out a higher school (10+2) degree from any recognised Indian board or university to be eligible. If the candidate is age 15 or younger when taking the test, ETS suggests that s/he be accompanied by a parent or other authorised adult age 18 or older. In India, along with the passport, ETS is temporarily accepting the Aadhaar Card as a primary ID for test takers. The Aadhaar Card must be an original document. Photocopied, printed documents are not acceptable.

TOEFL Registration 2023

When selecting your TOEFL test date, it is recommended to consider your application deadlines. Choose a test date at least two to three months before your earliest admissions deadline to ensure that your scores get reported in time. TOEFL score reports are sent to your designated recipients 8–16 days after your test date. To take the TOEFL iBT Home Edition, the test taker needs to meet the equipment and environment requirements for at-home testing. At-home testing is available 24 hours a day, 4 days a week.

TOEFL Online Application

Candidates must log in to the TOEFL official website and create a profile to register for TOEFL. You can use your passport as a reference when filling out your registration form. Follow these steps to register for TOEFL:

• Fill out all the required information during the registration
• Check the information and make sure it is correct
• Pay the TOEFL application fee to complete the registration process
• Upon successful registration, a confirmation mail will be sent to you by ETS

TOEFL Scores

Each TOEFL section has a score range of 0–30 and these are added together for a total score of 0–120. Each of the four skills, reading, writing, speaking and listening, has four or five proficiency levels, so your score range tells you your proficiency for that particular skill.

Skill	Level
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)

Frequently Asked Questions