TOEFL - FAQs

Review of the various Questions asked frequently by TOEFL aspirants.

What is TOEFL?
Test Of English As Foreign Language is a Standardized test that evaluates the English Proficiency of people whose native language is not English. Nearly 2400 education institutes in the United States and Canada require TOEFL scores from each applicant. The test is also used by institutions in other countries where English is the language of Instruction. The TOEFL tests the ability to understand North American English.

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 makes the TOEFL Test?
The TOEFL Test is created and produced by the Educational Testing Service.

Who Should Take the TOEFL Test?
Non-native 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.

How many kinds of TOEFL Tests are there?
There are currently 3 kinds of TOEFL tests being used around the world:
The IBT: the Internet Based TOEFL Test (IBT) is currently being used in the U.S., France, Italy, Germany, and Canada…and will soon appear in many other countries. Selected cities in North Africa, the Middle East, Eurasia, Europe and the Americas will offer the IBT for the first time on March 25, 2006. Check: ets.org/toefl for details. In May, 2006, selected test centers in Japan and Korea will begin to offer the IBT. In August, 2006, the IBT will be given in China.

The CBT: the Computer-Based TOEFL (CBT) is still being used in some countries such as Japan and Korea–and will still be used even after the IBT is administered in selected cities. However, this test will be completely phased out by the end of 2006 according to ETS.

The PBT: the Paper and Pencil TOEFL, also called the Institutional TOEFL. This test is still being used by English language institutions around the world. However, universities and colleges normally do not accept this test for admission unless it is used in a local context (in other words, if the English language institution is located in close proximity to a university or college, then the university or college might accept it for admission). There are no plans to phase out this test.

Which kind of TOEFL Test do I need to take?
The student must ask the educational institution which type of TOEFL Test it accepts. Different universities accept different TOEFL tests.

Which TOEFL Test is the easier: the IBT, the CBT, or the PBT?
ETS has tried very hard to make the tests equally difficult. Some students feel that the IBT is more difficult because it contains more difficult reading and listening tasks–and it contains a Speaking Section. Some students feel that the PBT is easier because it does not always contain a writing section–and it contains a grammar section. Different students will have different reactions to the different tests.

What are the Topics covered under TOEFL?
Grammar, Reading, Vocabulary, Listening comp, Writing and targeted TOEFL test taking skills and strategies.

- English Language training through American films.
- University Admission Guidance, Exercises and information.
- Review of idiomatic expressions and responses that they are likely to encounter in American campuses and in professional settings.
- From the start, students focus on all the important components of the TOEFL test: Grammar, Reading, Vocab, Listening comp, Writing an essay and targeted. TOEFL test skills and strategies.
- Practice test sessions are given monthly under “real test” conditions (Virtual Reality)
Individualized profile for learning style.
- Developing a personalized structured self-study plan.

Who administers the TOEFL test?
The TOEFL test is developed and administered by the US-based “Educational Testing Service” (ETS). This implies that ETS sets the questions, conducts the test, and sends each examinee the score report. For the conduct of the test, ETS has appointed Testing Agencies in various countries, which act as franchisee for ETS. In India, this agency is the “Prometric Testing Services Pvt. Ltd” which administers the test at 9 centers in the country: Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Trivandrum.

How to Apply?
Obtain the “TOEFL Information Bulletin” available free with Prometric Testing Services and USEFI. The Test Scheduling Form comes with the bulletin. There are three ways to register:
Registering by Phone: You may call up Prometric office until 12:00 noon to register. Make sure to call at least THREE BUSINESS DAYS before the test date.
Registering by Fax: If registering by fax, you must send your fax at lest SEVEN DAYS prior to your first choice of a test day.
Registering by Mail/Courier: Fill in the form, get the draft made (if you are not paying by credit card), and submit these to the Prometric Centre either by hand or by registered post/courier. You must send the documents at least THREE WEEKS before your choice of a test day.

Where Can People Take the Test?
The TOEFL test is offered in 180 countries around the world at institutional locations, such as colleges and universities testing centers operated by Prometric, a division of Thomson Learning. In areas where access to computer-based testing or Internet-based testing is limited, a paper-based version of the test is administered on specific dates. The paper-based TOEFL test is generally offered at institutional locations such as colleges and universities.

What are the materials Required on the Test Day?
You are required to bring your valid passport on the day of your exam. This is mandatory. Some signature bearing identification, i.e., Driving License, Notarized identification. Confirmation letter or Number

Who Accepts TOEFL Scores?
More than 6,000 colleges, universities, and licensing agencies in 110 countries accept TOEFL scores.

How can I get a copy of the TOEFL Bulletin?
Check the Bulletin section of our website or you can download it or order it from the Official TOEFL Web Site: You can download a free copy of the information bulletin at the official TOEFL web site.

For how long is my TOEFL score valid?
Your TOEFL score is valid for only two years. In other words, two years after you take your TOEFL, your score will be deleted from the official TOEFL database, and TOEFL will not send you another report of your score. If you still have a copy of your original score, you can ask the university whether they will accept it, but most universities will not accept a copy from you; they require a score sent directly from TOEFL.

What is a good score on the TOEFL?
The highest score on the paper TOEFL is 677. The highest score on the computer TOEFL is 300. Most people now still use the paper TOEFL scores, even though most students take the computer TOEFL. The score that you need depends on the university that you want to go to; you will need to contact the university to find out. In general, however, the score requirements range from 133 to 250 (CBT scoring) or 450 to 600 (PBT scoring). Some universities will tell you that they don’t have a minimum requirement; usually these universities are the best ones, such as Stanford or Harvard. However, even though they don’t have a “requirement,” most of the people who go to these universities have TOEFL scores from 267 to 300.

What score do I need on the TOEFL?
The highest TOEFL score that you will need is probably about 630. The lowest TOEFL score that you will need is probably about 450. In general, better universities require higher TOEFL scores and worse schools require lower TOEFL scores. Some schools require no TOEFL score, but, be careful! These schools are usually not good schools!

How can I raise my score on the TOEFL?
Some people can raise their scores by speaking and watching television and American movies, other people can raise their scores by studying the TOEFL. The answer really depends on the student.

What is the best way to raise my TOEFL score quickly?
In general, grammar scores go up faster than the scores on any other section.

Do I have to take the computer TOEFL or the paper TOEFL?
In every country except China, you will probably have to take the computer test. However, TOEFL has closed many CBT test centers in the last few years and is giving the paper-based TOEFL instead. Again, check the Official TOEFL web site to be sure.

What’s the difference between the computer TOEFL and the paper TOEFL?
There are many differences between the CBT TOEFL and the paper TOEFL. The biggest difference between the CBT TOEFL and the paper TOEFL is that the CBT TOEFL requires an essay. Also, the CBT TOEFL has some new question types that we have not seen before on the paper TOEFL.

Which TOEFL is easier? The computer TOEFL or the paper TOEFL?
Most people agree: the paper TOEFL is much easier than the CBT TOEFL. For example, the listening on the CBT TOEFL is much harder than the listening on the paper TOEFL and the CBT TOEFL has an essay that you have to write. However, everybody is different, and you may find the CBT TOEFL easier.

What’s the difference between the Institutional TOEFL and the International TOEFL?
Some people have heard about the “institutional TOEFL.” The Institutional TOEFL is the TOEFL that is given by an “institution” (such as a company or a language school) so that they can measure the English level of the people who take the test. The score you receive from this test is NOT accepted by every university in the world. However, many colleges will accept a TOEFL score from the Institutional TOEFL. If you want your TOEFL score to be accepted at every university in the world, then you need to take the International TOEFL.

Can I still take the paper TOEFL instead of the computer TOEFL?
For most schools, the answer is “NO.” However, some schools think that the price of the nternational TOEFL is too high (about US $130) and will still accept scores from the Institutional TOEFL, which is given on paper. You will have to ask the school that you want to attend to find out whether they will accept the institutional TOEFL or not. If schools accept the institutional TOEFL, you will have to find a place to take it. However, remember, these scores are NOT accepted by most schools and are not considered official scores.

Should I type or handwrite the essay for the computer TOEFL?
The easy answer is this: you should type your TOEFL essay if you can! However, if you cannot type very fast, you should handwrite your TOEFL essay. If you type your TOEFL essay, you should receive your TOEFL score within two weeks. If you handwrite your TOEFL essay, it might take up to five weeks to receive your TOEFL score.

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