What is TOEFL?
The full form of ‘TOEFL’ is – ‘The Test of English as a Foreign Language’, and it is a test conducted by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). That’s right, the same people who conduct the GRE every year.
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The TOEFL exam is conducted in two versions: Internet-based test (iBT) and Paper-based test (PBT). The TOEFL iBT was introduced in 2005 and is considered an upgraded version of TOEFL CBT (computer-based Test). Even though scoring on each section for both versions (iBT and PBT) is distinct, both versions have the same exam pattern. Of the two, 97% of students prefer to take the TOEFL iBT. Given the pandemic, most students have deemed it safer to take the TOEFL online in the interest of their safety.
We know that a lot of universities ask for the TOEFL Score as a part of their admissions process, but where else are these scores used? Here’s a look:
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Students planning to pursue an academic course in an English-speaking country
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Working professionals applying for a visa to move abroad
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Students applying for scholarships and other certifications
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Those learning the English language can also take the TOEFL Exam to measure their progress
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Certain jobs ask for a TOEFL Score when screening candidate
There are universities and businesses in other English-speaking countries, like the UK or Australia, France, Germany, and so on who do accept a TOEFL score for various other purpose.
TOEFL Eligibility & Registraion
From the passages above, it is clear now that the TOEFL exam is taken by those who want to study abroad or work abroad. With regards to ‘TOEFL eligibility’, the good news is there is no eligibility criteria so to speak. Anybody could technically write the TOEFL exam.
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Interestingly enough, there is no age limit to taking the TOEFL test! But in order to attempt the exam, you need to carry a valid passport as proof of identity at the time of the exam.
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Even though there is no limitation to taking the TOEFL exam, if you plan to pursue your higher education at any university/college abroad, you do need to check the eligibility criteria set by the university.
Eligibility
Registration
You can register for the TOEFL exam at any time of the day and on any day of the week. You need to pay close attention while you are entering your details. ETS specifically mentions that the name with which you register for the TOEFL exam should be an exact match with the identification that you bring to the exam center.
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TOEFL registration closes 7 days before the test date but you can still register for the exam with a late fee of $40 up until 4 days before the exam.
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The first step to registering for the TOEFL exam is creating an account by visiting the “TOEFL login” page.
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Enter your personal information, address, and other important information regarding your country, language, and Background (like your field of interest, current education, and countries you wish to study, work or settle)
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Log in with the username and password you created and click on “Register/Find TOEFL Test Centers, Dates”.
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Enter your location and select the 2-month period in which you’d like to take the exam. You can also search through a restricted reservation code provided by the institution if applicable.
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Once you select the date you’ll be provided with the address of the test centers using which you can register immediately by providing proof of ID (Passport) and making the payment.
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You can also select four universities to which you want to send your TOEFL scores. You do have the option to add more universities with an additional payment of $20 USD for each university.
Who accepts TOEFL scores?
There are 10,000+ colleges, agencies, and other institutions, and over 150 countries that accept TOEFL scores as of today and every year, over 50 computer-based tests are being administered via the Internet all over the globe.
Apart from universities, other organizations accept the TOEFL Score for different purposes.
As per ETS
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Immigration departments use them to issue residential and work visas.
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Medical and licensing agencies use them for professional certification purposes.
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Individuals use them to measure their progress in learning English.
Even though the TOEFL Exam score is used for many purposes, it is mainly used by universities in English-speaking countries as a part of their admission process.
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So, let’s see where these TOEFL Scores are accepted across the world.
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United States of America – Approximately 9 out of every 10 universities in the USA accept TOEFL scores and it is the most widely taken English-language test in the country.
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Canada – Over 75% of Canadian Universities accept the TOEFL Scores
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United Kingdom – More than 95% of Universities in the United Kingdom accept these scores
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Germany – The TOEFL Exam is preferred over any other English-language test
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New Zealand and Australia – All universities in Australia and New Zealand consider a TOEFL Exam score a reliable metric in their admission process
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