What is TOEFL?
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a language proficiency test used to test students’ levels of English. The test can be used for immigration purposes, job entrance, and university entrance. It is most commonly used in countries where English is not a first language or for students/applicants arriving from those countries.
TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based Test)
This test is taken over the internet in a testing center. The iBT contains 4 sections: reading, writing, speaking, and listening and will take around 4.5 hours to finish.
Section | Time Limit | Questions | Tasks |
---|---|---|---|
Reading | 60–80 minutes | 36–56 questions | Read 3 or 4 passages from academic texts and answer questions. |
Listening | 60–90 minutes | 34–51 questions | Listen to lectures, classroom discussions and conversations, then answer questions. |
Break | 10 minutes | — | — |
Speaking | 20 minutes | 6 tasks | Express an opinion on a familiar topic; speak based on reading and listening tasks. |
Writing | 50 minutes | 2 tasks | Write essay responses based on reading and listening tasks; support an opinion in writing. |

TOEFL ITP
The ITP is a paper-based test and does not measure speaking ability. The test only takes around 2 hours to complete.
Section | Number of Questions | Admin. Time | Score Scale |
---|---|---|---|
Listening Comprehension | 50 | 35 minutes | 31–68 |
Structure and Written Expression | 40 | 25 minutes | 31–68 |
Reading Comprehension | 50 | 55 minutes | 31–67 |
TOTAL | 140 | 115 minutes | 310–677 |
More Information
– TOEFL scores are valid for two years.
– The tests happen multiple times a year.
– Tests can be taken as many times as you want, with a 12 day gap between tests.
– Official scores can be sent to up to 4 universities.