TOEFL iBT
An ETS test that measures the English used in academic and everyday situations. Since January 21, 2026, it has had a new format, with shorter tasks and a 1 to 6 scale.
What the TOEFL iBT measures
The TOEFL iBT assesses whether you can read, listen, write and speak in English in academic and everyday situations. The 2026 format replaced the long tasks with several short ones.
You take the test on a computer, at an authorized test center or at home, with a live proctor watching. Reading and Listening adapt to your answers, so the number of items in those two sections can change from one sitting to the next.
Where it is used
- UniversitiesAdmission to undergraduate and graduate programs. According to ETS, the test is accepted by more than 13,000 institutions in more than 160 countries.
- New formatTests taken from January 2026 onward use the 1 to 6 scale, with a comparable 0 to 120 score for two years.
- Who decidesEach institution sets the minimum overall score and, sometimes, the score required in each section.
The test clock
All four sections are taken in a single session, on a computer. The times are the baseline published by ETS, not counting instructions. Reading and Listening can run slightly shorter or longer because they adapt to your answers. Writing and Speaking have fixed timing.
Total: about 2 h with instructions, in a single session
| Section | Base time | Base items | Task types |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | about 30 min | about 50 | Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, Read an Academic Passage |
| Listening | about 29 min | about 47 | Listen and Choose a Response, Listen to a Conversation, Listen to an Announcement, Listen to an Academic Talk |
| Writing | about 23 min | about 12 | Build a Sentence, Write an Email, Write for an Academic Discussion |
| Speaking | about 8 min | about 11 | Listen and Repeat, Take an Interview |