What changed in the TOEFL iBT in 2026?
From 21 January 2026 ETS replaced the long passages, lectures and integrated tasks with twelve shorter task types across the same four sections, made the test adaptive and about two hours long, and moved scoring to a 1–6 scale in half bands aligned to the CEFR. Score reports also show a comparable 0–120 total until January 2028 so that institutions still quoting the old scale can read them. Write for an Academic Discussion is the one task carried over.
What is the TOEFL iBT exam pattern now?
Reading, about 50 items in 30 minutes — Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, Read an Academic Passage; Listening, about 47 in 29 — Listen and Choose a Response, Listen to a Conversation, Listen to an Announcement, Listen to an Academic Talk; Writing, about 12 in 23 — Build a Sentence, Write an Email, Write for an Academic Discussion; Speaking, about 11 in 8 — Listen and Repeat, Take an Interview. The test adapts, so counts and times vary slightly, and it can be taken at a centre or at home.
How does the new TOEFL 1–6 score compare with the old 0–120?
ETS publishes the correspondence: an overall 6 corresponds to 114 and above, 5.5 to 107 and above, 5 to 95 and above, 4.5 to 86 and above, 4 to 72 and above and 3.5 to 58 and above. Section scores map similarly — a reading 5 is 24–26 on the old 0–30 scale, a speaking 5 is 25–26. The report shows both until January 2028.
What does the TOEFL cost in India and how soon are scores released?
US$173 excluding taxes, with express registration $49, rescheduling $69 and additional score reports $29 each. Scores appear in the ETS account three days after the test, with the exact date shown at the end of the test, and the PDF report follows within 24 to 48 hours. Scores are valid for two years.
Can the TOEFL be taken at home?
Yes, as the TOEFL iBT Home Edition on your own computer with a live human proctor — the same test, timing and scoring as the centre version. Universities accept it; some visa authorities do not, and Australia requires the “Taking TOEFL for Australia” selection at registration for a test to count for a visa.
TOEFL or IELTS — which should I take?
Both are accepted almost everywhere for admission. TOEFL is now about two hours, adaptive, recorded rather than interviewed, and scored on 1–6 with results in three days; IELTS is 2 hours 45 minutes with a face-to-face speaking test, band scores 0–9, and results in one to two days on computer. Visa acceptance differs — IELTS is accepted by all four immigration authorities that require an English test — so check the visa rule before the admission rule.
Is my TOEFL coaching out of date?
If it teaches integrated speaking and writing tasks, lecture note-taking, three or four long reading passages or a 0–120 target without the 1–6 scale, yes. ETS replaced the test on 21 January 2026 with twelve new task types in an adaptive two-hour sitting scored 1–6. Only Write for an Academic Discussion survived. Ask any provider to name the current task types before paying.
What should online TOEFL coaching cover in 2026?
The twelve task types and their timing; speed and accuracy on the short reading and writing items; the email and the academic discussion post with marked feedback; recorded speaking — Listen and Repeat and Take an Interview — reviewed by a trainer; and ETS practice tests scored on the 1–6 scale, read against the band and the 0–120 equivalent your university quotes.
How do I register for the TOEFL in India?
Create an ETS account with your name exactly as in your passport, choose a test centre or the Home Edition and a date at least seven days ahead — express registration is open until two days before for $49 more — name up to four free score recipients, and pay US$173. Rescheduling costs $69 and cancellation refunds half the fee, both with at least four days’ notice.
What happens on TOEFL test day?
At a centre: ID check with the passport, photograph, security screening, then about two hours through reading, listening, writing and speaking with a headset. For the Home Edition the live proctor checks ID, the room and the computer first. At the end you see unofficial reading and listening scores and choose whether to report or cancel; official scores appear in three days.
How often can I retake the TOEFL?
As often as you like, but not more than once in any three-day period, and you cannot hold two appointments within three days of each other. Scores are valid for two years and MyBest superscores combine the best section scores from tests in that period.
Does the TOEFL work for a UK or Australian visa?
For the UK it is not a Secure English Language Test, so a Student visa applicant who needs a SELT must take IELTS for UKVI, PTE Academic UKVI or another listed test unless the university assesses English itself. For Australia the Department of Home Affairs accepts the TOEFL iBT taken at a centre with “Taking TOEFL for Australia” selected at registration, at the minimum on its table; the Home Edition is not accepted.
