TOEFL Internet-based Testing
The Test of English as a Foreign Language? (TOEFL?) measures the ability of nonnative speakers of English to use and understand English as it is spoken, written, and heard in college and university settings.The TOEFL test is offered in different formats depending on a test taker's locatio
The Internet-based TOEFL Test
The TOEFL Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT) tests all four language skills that are important for effective communication: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The test helps students demonstrate that they have the English skills needed for success.
Why Take the TOEFL Test?
Most people take the TOEFL test as a prerequisite for admission into colleges and universities where English is used or required. In addition, many government, licensing, and certification agencies and exchange and scholarship programs use TOEFL scores to evaluate the English proficiency of people for whom English is not their native language.
Who Should Take the TOEFL Test?
Nonnative English speakers at the 11th-grade level or above should take the TOEFL test to provide evidence of their English proficiency before beginning academic work. The test content is considered too difficult for students below 11th grade.
Many institutions report that they frequently do not require TOEFL test scores of certain kinds of international applicants. These include
- nonnative speakers who hold degrees or diplomas from postsecondary institutions in English-speaking countries (e.g., the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand)
- nonnative speakers who have successfully completed at least a two-year course of study in which English was the language of instruction
- transfer students from institutions in the United States or Canada whose academic course work was favorably evaluated in relation to its demands and duration.
- nonnative speakers who have taken the TOEFL test within the past two years
- nonnative speakers who have successfully pursued academic work at schools where English was the language of instruction in an English-speaking country for a specified period, generally two years.
Students should contact their prospective institutions directly concerning their specific admission requirements.