The TOEFL iBT is a widely accepted English proficiency test for students aiming to study in English-speaking countries. It assesses your skills in reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Each section is scored out of 30, leading to a total score ranging from 0 to 120. A lot of times candidates are confused between English language proficiency tests and wonder whether they should be opting for the TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo English Test.
Understanding your TOEFL scores is crucial, especially when comparing them to other tests like IELTS or PTE. While admission requirements rely on the eligibility criteria of the university application process and the visa guidelines of the country. In this article, we are going to be focusing on the TOEFL score table and how it fares when you compare it with other exams.
- TOEFL Score Chart
- TOEFL - IELTS Score Comparison Chart
- TOEFL Score Comparison Tool
- Comparing TOEFL iBT Score to CEFR
TOEFL Score Chart
The total TOEFL score is based on a 0 to 120 points scale. The TOEFL exam is made up of four sections, Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing each based on a scale of 0 to 30 points. The total of the TOEFL section scores would give you your total TOEFL score of 120. In this section, we are going to be talking about the overall TOEFL score table and then break it down into the TOEFL score table – by sections.
TOEFL Band Score Chart (section-wise)
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 TOEFL 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 by section.
TOEFL iBT Score Table
| TOEFL Sections |
Proficiency Levels |
|---|---|
| Score Range 0–30 |
Advanced (24–30) |
| Score Range 0–30 |
Advanced (22–30) |
| Score Range 0–30 |
Advanced (25–30) |
| Score Range 0–30 |
Advanced (24–30) |
| TOEFL Total Score |
0 - 120 |
When we talk about your TOEFL total score, your individual performances in the above sections would be added to get your total TOEFL score for the test. This would be on a scale of o to 120.
TOEFL - IELTS Score Comparison Chart
In this section, we are going to be talking about the TOEFL IELTS score comparison.
TOEFL - IELTS Score Comparison – by section
| TOEFL – IELTS Score Comparison of Reading Section |
TOEFL – IELTS Score Comparison of Listening Section |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| TOEFL Reading Score Chart |
IELTS Reading |
TOEFL Listening Score Table |
IELTS Listening |
| 0-2 |
0-4 |
0-2 |
0-4 |
| 3 |
4.5 |
3 |
4.5 |
| 4-7 |
5 |
4-6 |
5 |
| 8-12 |
5.5 |
7-11 |
5.5 |
| 13-18 |
6 |
12-19 |
6 |
| 19-23 |
6.5 |
20-23 |
6.5 |
| 24-26 |
7 |
24-26 |
7 |
| 27-28 |
7.5 |
27 |
7.5 |
| 29 |
8 |
28 |
8 |
| 29 |
8.5 |
29 |
8.5 |
| 30 |
9 |
30 |
9 |
| TOEFL – IELTS Score Comparison of Speaking Section |
TOEFL – IELTS Score Comparison of Writing Section |
||
| TOEFL Speaking |
IELTS Speaking |
TOEFL Writing |
IELTS Writing |
| 0-11 |
0-4 |
0-11 |
0-4 |
| 12-13 |
4.5 |
12-13 |
4.5 |
| 14-15 |
5 |
14-17 |
5 |
| 16-17 |
5.5 |
18-20 |
5.5 |
| 18-19 |
6 |
21-23 |
6 |
| 20-22 |
6.5 |
24-26 |
6.5 |
| 23 |
7 |
27-28 |
7 |
| 24-25 |
7.5 |
29 |
7.5 |
| 26-27 |
8 |
30 |
8 |
| 28-29 |
8.5 |
30 |
8.5 |
| 30 |
9 |
30 |
9 |
TOEFL Score Comparison Tool
In this section, we are going to be looking at the TOEFL, IELTS & PTE score comparison table:
| TOEFL Score Chart |
IELTS Band Score |
PTE Scores |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – 31 (Extremely limited User) |
0-4 |
0-30 |
| 32 – 34 (Limited User) |
4.5 |
30-34 |
| 35 – 45 (Modest User) |
5 |
35-41 |
| 46 – 59 (Modest User) |
5.5 |
42-49 |
| 60 – 78 (Competent User) |
6 |
50-57 |
| 79 – 93 (Competent User) |
6.5 |
58-63 |
| 94 – 101 (Good User) |
7 |
64-72 |
| 102 – 109 (Good User) |
7.5 |
73-77 |
| 110 – 114 (Very Good User) |
8 |
78-82 |
| 115 – 117 (Very Good User) |
8.5 |
83-85 |
| 118 – 120 (Expert User) |
9 |
89-90 |
Comparing TOEFL iBT Score to CEFR
The CEFR is widely used as a yardstick in Europe and Canada. In this section, we are going to be talking about the TOEFL iBT Scores and how they would compare against CEFR levels
| CEFR Level |
TOEFL Reading (0-30) |
TOEFL Listening (0-30) |
TOEFL Speaking (0-30) |
TOEFL Writing (0-30) |
Total (0-120) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C2 |
29 |
28 |
28 |
29 |
114 |
| C1 |
24 |
22 |
25 |
24 |
95 |
| B2 |
18 |
17 |
20 |
17 |
72 |
| B1 |
4 |
9 |
16 |
13 |
42 |
| A2 |
n/a |
n/a |
10 |
7 |
n/a |
When will TOEFL Official Score Reports be available?
If the candidate has requested a paper copy of their score report before appearing for the test, it would be mailed within 11 days after the test date. Delivery times will be subject to local postal services. Your TOEFL scores will be valid for two years. Candidates can always download and print a PDF copy of their score from their ETS account. PDF score reports are ready for download within eight days after taking the test.
Predict your IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE in just 4 steps!
What is TOEFL score validity?
A lot of times candidates are left wondering about the validity of their TOEFL scores. The TOEFL scores are valid for two years from the date of the TOEFL examination.
When can I appear for the TOEFL test again?
Candidates looking to re-take the TOEFL test can register for the same. However, the window period between two TOEFL tests has been set at three days. Hence, candidates can register for their second TOEFL test after three days of registering for the first TOEFL test.
How are TOEFL Scores calculated?
TOEFL Score Calculator: For calculating TOEFL scores, both human raters and automated scoring methods are used. This is done in order 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 each 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
TOEFL Score Review
Candidates who have appeared for their TOEFL test and are not satisfied with their TOEFL total score can request a TOEFL score review of their Writing and/or Speaking section up to 30 days after having taken the test. The cost of reviewing each section is US $80, a review of both sections would cost US $160. The review process could take up to three weeks from the time of receiving the request and payment.
What are TOEFL MyBest™ scores?
TOEFL MyBest scores also referred to as TOEFL superscores are a way to showcase your best overall performance by combining your highest section scores from all test dates within the last two years. This can help you to achieve your goals sooner since it means you may be able to meet score requirements for your institution with fewer tests.
Cancelling your TOEFL Scores
TOEFL Exam Results: A lot of times candidates are not able to perform well during their test and they have the option of cancelling their TOEFL scores on a particular test by informing ETS. However, if the candidate has a change of mind, he can also request to reinstate cancelled scores. The request for instating cancelled scores of a particular TOEFL test must be received no later than 60 days. The reinstatement would come with a fee of US $20. Candidates can request to instate TOEFL scores through their ETS account. The process of reinstating your TOEFL score would take approximately three weeks from the time of receiving your request and payment.
University of Lancashire accepts country-specific qualifications from overseas applicants. Indian candidates who wish to pursue their higher studies from the university, must meet the University of Lancashire admission requirements for Indian students listed below:
Undergraduate Requirements:
- Higher secondary school certificate
- Overall score of 60% (80% for excellence scholarship)
- 60% - 70% in Standard XII English (IELTS 6.0 equivalent)
Graduate Requirements:
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in relevant field;
- Overall score of 58% in bachelor's degree (80% for excellence scholarship) or 55% in master's degree
- 65% - 75% in Standard XII English (IELTS 6.5 equivalent)
At the University of Lancashire, international students can choose between over 350 undergraduate and around 200 postgraduate programs offered in leading fields of study. According to the historical data of the university's alumni, some of the most popular Lancashire University courses are:
Note: In the above pie chart, Others include Mathematics, Criminal Justice/Safety Studies, American/US Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence, Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, and Organizational Leadership.
Pick your stage and get free guidance from counsellors who've helped thousands get into top universities.
Starting research
Shortlisting colleges
Exam preparation
SOP/LOR writing
Scholarship & finance
Visa application
Statement of Purpose
Letter of Recommendation
Student Visa Application
Admission Essay Writing
Student Curriculum Vitae
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.
Section
Number of Questions / Tasks
Types of Content
Time Limit
Reading
20 questions (based on 2 passages)
Academic reading passages with comprehension questions
35 minutes
Listening
28 questions (3 lectures + 2 conversations)
Academic lectures and campus conversations
36 minutes
Speaking
4 tasks
1 Independent + 3 Integrated (read/listen + speak)
16 minutes
Writing
2 tasks
1 Integrated (read/listen + write) + 1 Independent essay
29 minutes
Total Duration
116 minutes