TOEFL

TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language. It is a standardized assessment used to measure the English language proficiency of non-native speakers who intend to study at colleges or universities where English is the language of instruction. The test is administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS) and is widely used by higher education institutions worldwide.

The most common version is the TOEFL iBT (Internet-based Test), which tests four skills: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. The Speaking and Writing tasks are designed to evaluate the ability to communicate in academic settings. The exam lasts about three hours, with Reading 60-80 minutes, Listening 60-90 minutes, Speaking about 20 minutes, and Writing about 50 minutes. iBT scores range from 0 to 120, with each section scored 0-30; speaking and writing are scored by trained raters and cross-checked for consistency. An institutional version known as TOEFL ITP is used mainly for placement and internal benchmarking and is not typically accepted for degree admissions.

Scores are valid for two years. TOEFL results are accepted by many universities, scholarship programs, and some government agencies as evidence of English proficiency. Applicants often send score reports to multiple institutions. Preparation materials and official practice tests are provided by ETS.