TOEFL iBT
Academic English proficiency test accepted by over 12,000 universities in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia and Europe for undergraduate and postgraduate admission.
Eligibility
Open to all; ETS sets no educational or age criteria, and universities set their own score requirements. Indian candidates need a valid passport. There is no cap on the number of attempts.
Age limit: No age limit
Exam pattern
Redesigned from 21 January 2026: about 1.5-2 hours long, with adaptive Reading and Listening sections. It has four sections, usually in the order Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking, with shorter, real-life tasks such as 'Complete the Words', 'Choose a Response', 'Build a Sentence', 'Write an Email', 'Listen and Repeat' and 'Take an Interview'. Scores are reported on a 1-6 band scale in 0.5 steps aligned to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), with a comparable 0-120 score also shown during the 2026-2028 transition. Speaking and Writing are scored by AI plus human raters, and results arrive within about 72 hours.
Syllabus at a glance
Tests academic and everyday English across reading (academic passages and daily-life texts), listening (lectures, conversations and announcements), writing (sentence building, emails and academic discussion posts) and speaking (repeating sentences and a simulated interview). Vocabulary, grammar accuracy and integrated comprehension are central.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Test slots (centre and Home Edition) | Year-round, multiple days a week through Nov 2026 to 2027 | confirmed |
| Registration deadline | Up to 2 days before chosen date (late fee applies in last 7 days) | confirmed |
| Scores released | Within about 72 hours of the test | confirmed |
| End of dual reporting (0-120 alongside 1-6 band) | 2028 | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Official Guide to the TOEFL iBT Test (latest edition for the 2026 format) – ETS
- Official TOEFL iBT Tests Volume 1 and 2 – ETS
- Barron's TOEFL iBT – Pamela Sharpe
- Kaplan TOEFL iBT Prep Plus – Kaplan Test Prep
- Cambridge English Vocabulary in Use (Upper-Intermediate) – Michael McCarthy & Felicity O'Dell
How toppers play it
- Prepare only with materials updated for the January 2026 format; pre-2026 books cover retired tasks such as long integrated essays.
- Reading and Listening are now adaptive, so accuracy on the first module decides whether you reach the harder, higher-scoring second module.
- For 'Write an Email', follow a fixed structure (greeting, purpose, each requested point, polite close) and use the exact register asked for.
- In 'Listen and Repeat', reproduce the full sentence with natural stress and intonation; skipped words and long hesitations cost marks.
- Before booking, check that each target university accepts the new 1-6 band scores; a few institutions changed their acceptance policies after the redesign.