Need to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for university admissions or student visa applications? Find out what to expect and how to prepare for this English language test, with our quick guide.
What is the TOEFL?
Short for Test of English as a Foreign Language, the TOEFL is an English language test administered via the internet. It tests the English language proficiency of non-native English speakers who wish to study at universities in English-speaking countries. As such, it assesses your ability to use and understand English at university level, evaluating how well you combine listening, reading, speaking and writing skills to perform academic tasks.
Since 1964, more than 30 million people from all over the world have taken the TOEFL to demonstrate their English-language proficiency.
How does it differ from other English language tests?
Though not taken by as many candidates each year as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the TOEFL is accepted by more universities than either the IELTS or the PTE Academic. It also has many more test centers. Part of the reason for this is that the TOEFL is primarily academic in focus, whereas the IELTS is often taken for non-academic purposes such as emigration.
With the TOEFL, you will also receive a more detailed breakdown of your results than you will from IELTS, with scores out of 30 and ratings (‘low’, ‘intermediate’ or ‘high’) for individual sections as well as an overall score. On the other hand, there’s a slightly longer wait for results – 15 days to get TOEFL results, compared to just five working days for the PTE.
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