TOEFL Exam Cut Off 2025: Minimum Score for Top Universities & Courses

TOEFL Scores: There are no good or bad scores when appearing for the TOEFL test. Candidates would be required to meet the TOEFL score decided by the universities. anything above would increase their chances of getting admission into the university and any score below the range could serve as a roadblock in the admission process. 

However, to make your test experience more personal and for you to understand your score better ETS has provided 4 to 5 proficiency levels for each skill. So where your score falls within that range tells you your proficiency for that skill. This will give you a fair idea about your performance, your strengths, sections that need improvement, and so on. Test takers can look at the table below to understand their TOEFL iBT Scores better. 

Candidates should note that scoring in the TOEFL exam will entirely depend upon your preparation for the exam. Candidates who do not use any shortcuts and study with a plan in mind are sure to score above candidates who rely on last-minute preparations. And for serious candidates, there is no limit on their score. Hence, whether getting a 100 in your next TOEFL is easy or not would entirely depend on how you have prepared for it.

The TOEFL minimum score cut-off will vary from university to university and country to country. On average, the minimum TOEFL score for most of the universities is 90-110.

The ETS TOEFL exam is divided into four sections, Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. These sections are individually scored on 30 points, bringing the maximum TOEFL score of 120. Hence scoring 120 in the TOEFL section is the maximum a candidate appearing for the TOEFL exam can get.

There is no 'Pass' or 'Fail' score in TOEFL. The performance of the candidates is measured on candidates score out of 120.

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is a standardized test that measures English language proficiency across four key areas: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. Understanding the score pattern for the TOEFL is essential for test-takers aiming to achieve their desired results. The total TOEFL score ranges from 0 to 120. This total is derived from the combined scores of the four sections, each contributing a maximum of 30 points.

If you're an Indian student aiming to pursue higher education at an English-speaking university abroad, demonstrating your English proficiency through the TOEFL becomes crucial. Many institutions require or strongly recommend specific TOEFL score ranges for admission. Obtaining a strong score showcases your ability to comprehend academic lectures, actively participate in discussions, and effectively communicate your ideas in writing – all essential aspects of success in an English-medium academic environment.

The TOEFL exam pattern comprises four sections, Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing - along with the total score. Candidates can check the article above to understand the latest TOEFL exam pattern.

TOEFL scores are accepted by 13,000+ universities and institutions across 160+ countries. This includes top universities in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Ireland, and many countries in Europe. 

Candidates should note that there is no such thing as a cut-off for TOEFL exams; any score that can get you admission to your preferred college/university can be considered a good score.

Minimum requirements for TOEFL scores can vary from institution to institution, so it is always recommended to check the minimum requirements for the programme you are applying to.

There is no such thing as a passing TOEFL score. Every university would have its TOEFL Score cut-off and students are required to achieve scores equal or higher than the set grade. Candidates should note that higher TOEFL scores would automatically increase their chances of securing a seat in the university and also make them a front runner for any scholarships being offered by the university.

The TOEFL minimum score cut-off will vary from university to university and country to country. On average, the minimum TOEFL score for most of the universities is 90-110.

No, TOEFL score requirements are different country-wise. Each university or college also have their own score rules. Some countries need minimum score for student visa, others just follow university rules.

Each section in TOEFL has this score range:

• Reading – 0 to 30
• Listening – 0 to 30
• Speaking – 0 to 30
• Writing – 0 to 30

Then all 4 scores are added to make your total score out of 120.

In TOEFL Reading section, your score level can be:

• Advanced – 24 to 30
• High-Intermediate – 18 to 23
• Low-Intermediate – 4 to 17
• Below Basic – 0 to 3

In TOEFL Writing section, you write 2 tasks and your score level is:

• Advanced – 24 to 30
• High-Intermediate – 17 to 23
• Low-Intermediate – 13 to 16
• Basic – 7 to 12
• Below Basic – 0 to 6

Most top universities in USA ask for TOEFL score between 90 to 110. Some programs want more, like 100+, especially for master's and PhD.

Yes, TOEFL is widely accepted in the USA. 100% of universities in the United States accept TOEFL scores, and it is more commonly used for academic admissions compared to other English language tests. 

Yes, Ivy League schools like Harvard, Yale, Columbia usually ask for TOEFL 100 or above. Some programs also want high scores in each section.

The eight different Ivy League universities are most likely going to have different TOEFL eligibility criteria for their courses. Candidates can check out the TOEFL requirements of Ivy League universities, here.

The minimum TOEFL score required to study in MIT or Stanford are: 

• MIT TOEFL cut-off: usually 100 or more
• Stanford TOEFL cut-off: also 100, and sometimes want at least 22 in each section

Yes, TOEFL is accepted in Canada for university admissions. Almost all Canadian universities accept TOEFL as valid proof of English language proficiency. In the case of Tier 1 universities in Canada, students can expect a score range of 90 to 110. In the case of Tier 2 universities, students can expect a score range of 80 to 100. In addition, the TOEFL score requirement for admissions in Canada also depends on the course. For certain courses such as the language courses, MBA, MIM, etc. the requirement will be higher. However, for immigration purposes, IELTS has more acceptance.

According to the QS World University Rankings 2026, these are the best universities in Canada:

1. McGill University
2. University of Toronto
3. University of British Columbia
4. University of Alberta
5. University of Waterloo
6. Western University
7. University of Montreal
8. McMaster University
9. Queen's University
10. University of Calgary

Apart from these universities, there are some other popular educational institutes in Canada which offer quality education. You can explore them.

As per the official ETS website, TOEFL iBT Test is accepted by 100% of Canadian universities. Some of the top universities in Canada that accept TOEFL scores include the University of Toronto, the University of Alberta, McGill University, York University, the University of British Columbia, McMaster University, the University of Waterloo, etc. Typically, universities require a score between 79 and 100 (some might require a high score depending on the course requirements). However, students must check the English language requirements for their course on the official webpage for exact details.

Depending on the university and the topic of study, different TOEFL scores are needed for admission to universities in Canada. In general, Canadian colleges require a minimum TOEFL score of 80 for undergraduate admission and a score of 90 for graduate entrance. However, the score requirement might vary on the basis of academic level, course, and university. Most of the top universities in Canada will require a TOEFL score of more than 90. In the case of language courses, the requirement might be even higher.

If your TOEFL score is below 90, then top universities are tough. But some colleges and smaller universities accept lower scores or give conditional offer.

In the UK, TOEFL is accepted in many universities. Common score is around 88 to 100. But for UK visa, the TOEFL score must also match UKVI (UK Visa) rules. 

Most top universities in UK ask for a TOEFL iBT score between 88 to 110, depending on the course and university.

Yes, famous schools like Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, and LSE usually need TOEFL 100 or more, sometimes with high scores in each section.

If your TOEFL score is below 88, it is hard to get admission in top UK universities. But some colleges or foundation courses may accept lower scores or give conditional admission.

Yes, TOEFL iBT score is accepted in 100% UK universities. Candidates have to check the minimum TOEFL score requirements for the university they are applying for. 

Most top universities in Australia need a TOEFL iBT score between 79 to 100. Some tough courses like medicine, law or master's may want more.

For Australia, universities usually want TOEFL score of 79–100. For student visa, Australian government may accept score like 60, but it also depends on sub-scores (reading, writing etc.).

Australia has several excellent universities, but among the best are the University National University, the University2 of Melbourne, the University of Sydney, the University6 of Queensland, and Monash University. These schools are well known for their academic offerings, research output, and general campus atmosphere. It is important to note that exact institution rankings can fluctuate between sources, so do your own research and select a university that suits your own needs and ambitions.

Yes, almost all Australian universities accept TOEFL, for bachelor's, master's, and PhD. Just check each school's official website to be sure.

Both test TOEFL and IELTS are okay, but IELTS is more common in Australia. Still, TOEFL iBT is accepted by most universities and also works for visa.

Most top German universities ask for a TOEFL iBT score between 80 to 100. Some programs may accept lower, and some may want higher, depends on the course.

The QS World Rankings 2025 for top ranking universities in Germany are given as follows:

Not all universities in Germany mandate the TOEFL requirements. Some schools accept other tests like IELTS or even English-medium education proof. But many German public universities and top programs still ask for TOEFL iBT.

Some programs may ask for minimum scores in each TOEFL section, like 20 or more in Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing, but not always. Check with the programme page.

Yes, for most English-taught degrees, you need to show English language proof, and TOEFL iBT is commonly accepted. Score needed depends on the university and program.

Yes, TOEFL iBT is accepted worldwide for bachelor's, master's, MBA, and PhD programs. Just make sure the test is taken at an approved center.

For most bachelor's (undergraduate) programs, universities ask for TOEFL iBT score between 70 to 90. Top universities may want 90 or above, and some may ask for minimum section scores too.

For master's programs, the TOEFL cut-off is usually 80 to 100. Courses like MBA, Computer Science, Law, or Engineering may need 95 to 105+ depending on the university.

Most MBA programs ask for TOEFL iBT 90 to 105. Top B-schools like Harvard, Wharton, INSEAD ask for 100 or higher, often with minimum section scores.

For PhD programs, TOEFL score usually needs to be above 90, and many top universities want 100 or more. Some programs also look at writing and speaking scores carefully.

TOEFL Scores: There are no good or bad scores when appearing for the TOEFL test. Candidates would be required to meet the TOEFL score decided by the universities. anything above would increase their chances of getting admission into the university and any score below the range could serve as a roadblock in the admission process. 

However, to make your test experience more personal and for you to understand your score better ETS has provided 4 to 5 proficiency levels for each skill. So where your score falls within that range tells you your proficiency for that skill. This will give you a fair idea about your performance, your strengths, sections that need improvement, and so on. Test takers can look at the table below to understand their TOEFL iBT Scores better. 

Yes, the range of 90-100 TOEFL score is generally considered a good score. Most universities accepts 90 TOEFL score for granting admission. 

Candidates should note that scoring in the TOEFL exam will entirely depend upon your preparation for the exam. Candidates who do not use any shortcuts and study with a plan in mind are sure to score above candidates who rely on last-minute preparations. And for serious candidates, there is no limit on their score. Hence, whether getting a 100 in your next TOEFL is easy or not would entirely depend on how you have prepared for it.

The TOEFL score requirement for MS courses in Harvard is 80-103. Candidates looking to take admission into Harvard can check out TOEFL score requirements for Harvard. 

The eight different Ivy League universities are most likely going to have different TOEFL eligibility criteria for their courses. Candidates can check out the TOEFL requirements of Ivy League universities, here.

In order to check theTOEFL score online, one can follow the below mentioned easy steps.

• Visit the official TOEFL website
• Select Member log-in
• Enter your TOEFL account credentials
• View your TOEFL Results

Candidates can now view unofficial scores for the Reading and Listening sections on-screen immediately upon completing the test. These scores can give you an early indication of your performance and help you make a well-informed decision about reporting your scores before leaving the test centre.

For calculating TOEFL scores, both human raters and automated scoring methods are used. This is done to offer a complete and accurate picture of the candidate’s ability. While the automated scoring method has the advantage of being unbiased, it does not measure the effectiveness of the language and content. Human raters are required to attend to a wider variety of features, such as the quality of ideas and content as well as form. Also, you are expected to answer at least one question in all sections. For reading and listening, you should answer at least one question. For writing and speaking, you must attempt one task each. For the online TOEFL iBT test, the result is four-scaled along with a total score.

The overall TOEFL iBT scores are calculated by adding the scores obtained in 4 different sections of the exam namely reading, writing, listening and speaking. Candidates who have appeared for their TOEFL exam will receive four scaled section scores and a total score. Each section has a score range of 0–30. These are added together for a total score of 0–120.

There is no passing or failing marks in TOEFL exam. Each institution sets its own minimum TOEFL score requirements. Generally, a TOEFL score of 90 is considered average, while anything above 100 is regarded as good

The TOEFL score will be available within 4–8 days after your test date in your ETS account . The exact TOEFL result date will be displayed at the end of your TOEFL iBT test.

Each section in TOEFL has this score range:

• Reading – 0 to 30
• Listening – 0 to 30
• Speaking – 0 to 30
• Writing – 0 to 30

Then all 4 scores are added to make your total score out of 120.

In TOEFL Reading section, your score level can be:

• Advanced – 24 to 30
• High-Intermediate – 18 to 23
• Low-Intermediate – 4 to 17
• Below Basic – 0 to 3

In TOEFL Listening section, your score shows your understanding level:

• Advanced – 22 to 30
• High-Intermediate – 17 to 21
• Low-Intermediate – 9 to 16
• Below Basic – 0 to 8

In TOEFL Speaking section, you speak into a mic, and score is:

• Advanced – 25 to 30
• High-Intermediate – 20 to 24
• Low-Intermediate – 16 to 19
• Basic – 10 to 15
• Below Basic – 0 to 9

In TOEFL Writing section, you write 2 tasks and your score level is:

• Advanced – 24 to 30
• High-Intermediate – 17 to 23
• Low-Intermediate – 13 to 16
• Basic – 7 to 12
• Below Basic – 0 to 6