Standardized tests for college
Taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
The TOEFL is designed for nonnative speakers of English who plan to study in undergraduate or graduate programs at colleges or universities in the United States.
Required TOEFL scores vary by school. Check with the schools you are considering for details.
TOEFL Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT) tests the four language skills that are important for effective communication: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. It takes four hours to complete. The TOEFL is written and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS).
Registering for the exam
Please read the identification requirements for the TOEFL. Without proper ID, you will not be admitted to the test and your test fee will be forfeited.
Register online
The deadline to register online for a test is seven days before the test date.
Register by phone
To register by phone, call at least seven days before the test date. A valid credit card is required. Review the TOEFL iBT Registration Form (PDF, 76KB) for additional information.
| U.S., Canada, or U.S. Territories (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) |
1-800-GO-TOEFL
(468-6335) |
| Outside the United States, Canada, or U.S. Territories* |
Call your Regional Registration Center |
| If you live outside the U.S. and want to test in the U.S. |
1-443-751-4862 |
| Text phone (must have access to a teletypewriter [TTY]) |
1-800-529-3590 |
Register by mail
Registration forms must be received by ETS at least four weeks before your first-choice test date.
Preparing for exam
Take a practice test at TOEFL Practice Online.
Test structure
| Reading |
36–70 multiple-choice questions |
60–100 minutes |
| Listening |
34–51 multiple-choice questions |
60–100 minutes |
| Break |
10 minutes |
| Speaking |
Six tasks |
20 minutes |
| Writing |
Six tasks |
50 minutes |
Reviewing test scores
Fifteen days after you take the test, ETS will send the following:
- One printed examinee's score record to you.
- Up to four official score reports to the institutions you designated when registering for the test.
The printed score report will contain the final section scores as well as total score.
*TOEFL is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board, which was not involved in the production of and does not endorse this site.