What is the TOEFL Online Exam?
TOEFL iBT is a globally accepted English proficiency test to evaluate basic English skills and is organised and administered by the Educational Testing Service worldwide. Presently, TOEFL iBT is a preferred English language test widely accepted in more than 13,000 institutions in over 160 countries including top study abroad destinations such as Canada, UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and all across Europe and Asia.
Notably, TOEFL iBT is accepted by 100% of UK universities, including the prestigious Russell Group universities. The UK is a country of tremendous academic history with the presence of three out of the world’s top ten universities. It is also worldwide popular for its cutting-edge and world’s leading research, allowing students to work under the guidance of highly experienced researchers and subject-matter experts. Therefore, if you are aspiring to study in a dynamic learning environment like the UK, TOEFL iBT can help you achieve your passion.
Register now for the TOEFL Online Test at the ETS website and start your hassle-free TOEFL preparation. TOEFL iBT is conducted online at test centres with worldwide availability or at the ease of home, unlike the traditional paper-based version with limited availability. The previous version also does not include the speaking section and has only one essay writing task, whereas the newer internet-based test includes a speaking section that allows test-takers to respond to prompts and record their answers along with a more comprehensive and integrated writing task. These additions in the exam pattern are carefully tailored to offer a more interactive and modern text experience with multimedia elements. The scoring system has also been developed with a compact design, with total scores ranging from 0-120 instead of 310-677, offering detailed feedback on each section. Overall, the TOEFL iBT provides a more comprehensive and flexible testing experience, making it the preferred choice for most test-takers today.
Why Take the TOEFL Online Exam in 2025?
- Global Recognition: TOEFL iBT is highly acceptable in almost all UK universities as well as other institutions worldwide. It is widely accepted in more than 13,000 institutions in over 160 countries, making it a globally recognised and premier English proficiency test in the world.
- Convenience: The new update in the TOEFL test allows candidates the flexibility and convenience to either choose a test centre near them or from the privacy and comfort of home. Decide now and get your TOEFL exam done effortlessly.
- Updated Format: Unlike the TOEFL paper-based test, the new internet-based version is carefully tailored to offer a user-friendly interface for its online platform to provide a streamlined testing experience. Also, the exam pattern is now upgraded to offer a more interactive and modern test experience with multimedia elements to provide a real-world classroom scenario.
- Preparation Resources: As per the updated TOEFL iBT 2025 pattern, there are abundant study resources available both online and offline to help you prepare for the exam. You can either refer to the official resources mentioned on the ETS website or look for other trusted online courses offered by Magoosh, edx, Coursera or Khan Academy, which will help you get the best scores.
Registration Process for TOEFL Online Exam
1. Step-by-Step Guide to Register
Follow these below-mentioned instructions for a step-by-step guide to register for your TOEFL iBT 2025.
- You can register for the TOEFL iBT by creating an ETS account at www.ets.org/toefl. Make sure to fill in the exact name printed on your identification documents to avoid any discrepancies on the test day.
- After successfully login, choose the testing option between the test centre or home edition as per your preference and convenience.
- Afterwards, select the test time, location and date as per your availability. First, select the date, check for available locations and fill in the convenient time.
- Make the payment through your credit/debit cards or other mentioned modes of payment.
- Lastly, complete the registration process by filling in the remaining details and end by choosing your score recipient.
2. Fee Structure and Payment Methods
Check for a detailed breakdown of the registration fee for UK aspirants and other additional charges.
| Item | Test Fee (USD) |
|---|---|
| 1. Registration fee for UK aspirants | US$205 |
| 2. Express Registration within 7 days of the test date | US$40 on top of the standard registration fee of US$205 |
| 3. Rescheduling test | US$60 |
| 4. Reinstatement of cancelled scores | US$20 |
| 5. Additional score reports (per institution or agency) | US$25 each |
| 6. Speaking or Writing Section score review | US$80 |
| 7. Returned payment | US$30 |
All the payments can be made either through your credit/debit card or by other means of payment mentioned on the ETS portal. Choose the one that suits you the best.
3. Confirmation and Next Steps
TOEFL Online Exam Format & Sections Explained
Since ETS has introduced significant changes in the TOEFL online exam format, it becomes imperative to understand the exam pattern to strategically plan the exam preparation, so let us discuss in detail what each section consists of and what can be done to secure desired scores.
Reading Section
Reading plays an integral part in understanding written materials in an academic environment, therefore TOEFL iBT makes sure to assess your reading abilities in order to prepare for a dynamic learning environment. The TOEFL iBT Reading Section consists of two reading passages, approximately 700 words long with 10 questions per passage.
Tips To Manage Time Effectively
A student is provided 35 minutes to complete this section, therefore, it becomes necessary to effectively manage time and respond to as many questions as possible. While exam preparation, try to practice reading long passages instead of short ones to develop a reading habit. Also, try to have a quick glance at the questions before reading the passage and look for keywords to be searched meanwhile reading. Following this trick will save you a couple of minutes which you can wisely use for your purpose.
Listening Section
A good listener can memorise conservations for a long duration, therefore, having good listening skills can help you understand lectures in a better way. The TOEFL iBT Listening Section is designed to evaluate a candidate’s basic comprehension skills, degree of certainty and ability to connect information. This section includes three lectures of 3-5 minutes long, each followed by 6 questions and two conversations of 3 minutes each with 5 questions per conversation. The total time that should be taken to complete this section is 36 minutes.
Techniques To Improve Comprehension
To get the most out of listening sections, try to engage in active listening by connecting ideas in your mind. Also, try to note down key ideas without distracting from the audio, which will later help you understand the key idea and formulate answers. Write small sentences and keywords to save time, look for transition words in the audio and try to understand the new idea that’s being introduced. By following these suggestions, you will be able to frame your answers well without missing any important information.
Speaking Section
The TOEFL iBT Speaking Section consists of 4 questions/tasks that resonate with real-world situations both in and out of the classroom and measure your ability to speak fluent English. The first question is an Independent Speaking Task, which requires you to speak your ideas, opinions and experiences. The other three questions are Integrated Speaking Tasks that combine your English language skills including speaking, listening or reading, as you would use in a classroom setting or outside of it.
In order to formulate your thoughts, you will be given 15-30 seconds before each response and your response should be 45-60 seconds long. Ideally, this section should take 16 minutes to complete the entire section.
Best Practices for Delivering Coherent Responses
Coherency, fluency and confidence are three qualities that can make you a good speaker. Keep these three things in mind while framing your arguments and try to deliver concise, clear and crisp answers rather than juggling between your thoughts since there is a limited time for each response. To reach this level, try first framing your answers without any time limit and when you get comfortable, you can practice answering within the time limit. You can also record your answers to analyse your vocabulary, grammar and fluency and focus on areas that need more attention.
Writing Section
Writing is a best practice to integrate your thoughts in an organised and well-structured way. The TOEFL iBT Writing Section includes one Integrated Writing Task; a 20-minute-long task wherein you need to read a short passage and listen to a short lecture to write a response based on that. The second one includes a writing task for an academic discussion; a 10-minute-long task to state and support an opinion in an online classroom discussion. You have to type your responses through your computer keyboard and the entire task should take 29 minutes of your time.
Strategies for Organizing Thoughts
Before writing your responses, take a minute to gather your thoughts, think of a structure, create a blueprint of the content outline in your mind with key headings and then form your arguments. This way, you will be able to deliver a coherent argument in an organised and well-structured manner.
TOEFL Online Exam Preparation Tips
Understanding the Syllabus
TOEFL iBT is accepted by almost all the universities in the UK, including the renowned Russell Group universities. All these universities have a different set of TOEFL requirements that too vary as per the course requirements. However, a student must secure a minimum of 90-100 overall TOEFL score with equal weightage on each sub-section. Candidates should pay equal attention and understand the requirements of each section, analyse the changes in the TOEFL iBT exam and plan their learning journey accordingly.
Notably, time plays a major role in this exam and all the sections should be completed within a time span of approximately 2 hours. Therefore, candidates should work on their time management skills to complete the exam on time.
Study Materials
Mentioned below is a list of the best resources for your reference. Choose wisely and study smartly to crack the exam in the first go.
Official Resources:
- ETS Official Guide to the TOEFL Test: This guide is published by the creators of the TOEFL test and includes practice tests, sample questions and detailed explanations.
- TOEFL Practice Online (TPO): These are official practice tests that simulate the actual test environment and provide scores and feedback.
Online Courses and Platforms:
- Magoosh: It offers comprehensive TOEFL preparation courses with video lessons, practice questions and study schedules.
- edX and Coursera: These platforms offer TOEFL preparation courses from top universities and institutions.
- Khan Academy: This academy provides free resources and practice exercises for various sections of the TOEFL exam.
Practice Tests and Sample Questions:
- ETS TOEFL Practice Tests: Available on the official ETS website, these tests help you get familiar with the test format and question types.
- Test-Guide.com: Offers free practice tests and study guides for the TOEFL exam.
Study Apps:
- TOEFL Go! Official App: This application provides practice questions as well as tips and score reports to analyse your performance.
- Magoosh TOEFL Prep App: Offers practice questions, video lessons and study schedules.
Books and Study Guides:
- The Complete Guide to the TOEFL Test by Bruce Rogers: A comprehensive guide with practice tests and strategies to support your journey.
- Kaplan’s TOEFL iBT Prep: This includes practice tests, skill-building activities and test-taking strategies.
These resources cover all aspects of the TOEFL exam and are designed to help you achieve your best score.
Mock Tests and Feedback
Top Strategies to Score High in TOEFL Online Exam
1. Time Management Tips
The TOEFL online test takes approximately 2 hours to complete the test, however, it is suggested that you should plan for 2.5 hours, allowing 30 minutes for check-in. Also, allocate your time for each section to be able to complete the test in the stipulated time. Follow the table below to get an estimate time for each section-
| Section | Estimated Timing | Questions/Tasks |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 35 minutes | 20 questions |
| Listening | 36 minutes | 28 questions |
| Speaking | 16 minutes | 4 tasks |
| Writing | 29 minutes | 2 tasks |
2. Effective Note-Taking Techniques
The note-taking technique is an effective way to develop concise and clear notes during the listening, writing and reading sections. It can be an effective tool for writing keywords and main ideas during the listening section but distraction from the audio might lead to losing information. Therefore, a fine balance between the two is needed by writing only the key ideas. While reading, you can make notes of important dates, years, transition words or any other important details, which in most cases are asked in the form of questions. During the writing section, plan the structure of your answer and make a rough outline to deliver coherent and organised thoughts.
3. Practice for Speaking and Writing
Since AI has become the driving force for most industries, it can also be used to benefit candidates as various AI tools help students improve their speaking and writing skills by creating a simulated test environment.
4. Building Vocabulary
Common Challenges in TOEFL Online Exam and How to Overcome Them
1. Technical Issues
The most common challenge that occurs during online exams is connectivity issues. To avoid these, one can be aware of other devices with higher internet bandwidth, which can cause internet issues during the test. Also, close all applications and browsers that are not needed for the test. This way, you will be able to complete your exam without any hindrance.
2. Test Anxiety
3. Time Pressure
TOEFL Online Exam Scoring System
1. Understanding the Scoring Criteria
The TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based Test) scores each of the four sections—Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing—on a scale of 0-30, with a total score range of 0-120. Here’s a breakdown of the scoring criteria for each section:
Reading: Assesses your ability to understand and analyse academic texts.
- Advanced: 24-30
- High-Intermediate: 18-23
- Low-Intermediate: 4-17
- Below Low-Intermediate: 0-3
Listening: Evaluate your ability to understand conversations and lectures in English.
- Advanced: 22-30
- High-Intermediate: 17-21
- Low-Intermediate: 9-16
- Below Low-Intermediate: 0-8
Speaking: Measures your ability to speak English effectively in an academic setting.
- Advanced: 25-30
- High-Intermediate: 20-24
- Low-Intermediate: 16-19
- Basic: 10-15
- Below Basic: 0-9
Writing: Tests your ability to write in English in an academic context.
- Advanced: 24-30
- High-Intermediate: 17-23
- Low-Intermediate: 13-16
- Basic: 7-12
- Below Basic: 0-6.
2. Score Comparison for UK University Requirements
Top UK universities have specific TOEFL score requirements for admission. Here are the minimum scores required by some of the leading institutions:
- University of Oxford: 100 Overall
- University of Cambridge: 100 Overall
- Imperial College London: 100 overall with minimum scores of 22 in all elements
- University College London: 72-110 (varies by program)
- University of Edinburgh: 100 Overall
- University of Manchester: 100 overall with a minimum score of 22 in other elements
- Durham University: 88 overall with a minimum section score of 22.
Apart from these universities, each institution sets its own score requirements which will be available on their official website.
3. Receiving and Sending Scores
The process of sending your TOEFL scores to universities is straightforward:
Before the Test: Your test fee includes up to four free official TOEFL score reports to be sent to institutions you select before taking the test. You can add or delete recipients through your ETS account until 10 p.m. (local test centre time) the day before your test.
After the Test: If you need to send scores to additional institutions after your test date, you can order extra score reports for a fee through your ETS account.
FAQs
1. What does TOEFL iBT mean?
It refers to the Internet-based Test of English Foreign Language, which assesses your English proficiency skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
2. What is the cost of TOEFL iBT in India?
The TOEFL iBT costs INR 16,900 for the exam registration. However, in some special cases, additional charges are added.
