TOEFL Guide 2026: Test Types, Format and Speaking Prep

Independent guide, not affiliated with ETS, IELTS or Cambridge.

TOEFL is a family of tests from ETS (Educational Testing Service). There is no pass or fail: each university, program or scholarship sets its own required score. So before you pay, check which TOEFL your destination accepts and what score it asks for. If you don't know your level yet, start with a level check and exam practice in Vozi Exam.

This guide collects what ETS publishes as of September 2026. If you are choosing between two tests, read our IELTS vs TOEFL comparison, and if your school uses a placement test, see how adaptive placement tests work.

What types of TOEFL are there?

ETS offers several TOEFL-branded tests. The best known is the TOEFL iBT, used for university and graduate admissions worldwide. The TOEFL ITP is given by institutions to their own students (placement, exit or scholarships). The TOEFL Junior (ages 11+) and TOEFL Primary (ages 8+) are for schools.

Sources: official ETS pages for TOEFL iBT, TOEFL ITP, TOEFL Junior and TOEFL Primary; fees from TOEFL iBT Test Fees.

ETS also keeps a page for the TOEFL Essentials test, about 90 minutes long, with four sections and an unscored video statement. We left it out of the table because we couldn't confirm in an official source where it is currently offered or what it costs.

Which TOEFL do I need?

• You're applying to a university or scholarship abroad: most ask for the TOEFL iBT. Check the exact requirement on the program's page.
• Your university asks you to certify a level to graduate: many accept a TOEFL ITP they administer themselves. Ask your language center which test and score count.
• You're a school student: your school may use TOEFL Junior or Primary to track progress. You can't book them on your own.

ETS states that the ITP is not a replacement for the iBT: it's meant for placement, progress monitoring, exiting programs and some institution-specific admissions or scholarships.

What does the TOEFL iBT look like in 2026?

The current TOEFL iBT has four sections: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking. ETS estimates about 2 hours in total. Reading and Listening are two-stage adaptive: the second part gets easier or harder depending on how you did in the first. Writing and Speaking are the same for everyone taking the same test form.

Source: ETS, TOEFL iBT Test Content. Times exclude directions and may vary because the test adapts.

According to the ETS test specifications, Reading mixes everyday texts (a sign, a menu, an email, a social media post) with academic passages; Writing includes putting words in order to build sentences and writing an email; and Speaking is based on repeating sentences and answering an interview.

The 1–6 score scale and CEFR levels

Since January 21, 2026, the TOEFL iBT scores each section and the total from 1 to 6 in half-point steps. The total is the average of the four sections, rounded to the nearest half band. ETS aligns the scale with the CEFR: 1–1.5 is A1, 2–2.5 is A2, 3–3.5 is B1, 4–4.5 is B2, 5–5.5 is C1 and 6 is C2.

Source: ETS, TOEFL Score Scale Update and Understanding TOEFL Scores. For other exams, see our CEFR levels guide and equivalence table.

For two years, score reports also show a comparable total on the old 0–120 scale. If a university still lists "80" or "100", ETS recommends these equivalents: 100 → 5, 90 → 4.5, 80 → 4 and 70 → 3.5. Still, confirm the accepted score with the institution. Scores are available in your ETS account about 3 days after the test and are valid for 2 years.

What level of English do you need for the TOEFL?

There is no minimum level to take the TOEFL iBT: it measures from A1 to C2 and there's no pass mark. What matters is the score your destination asks for. According to ETS, the most common requirements on the old scale were 70, 80, 90 and 100, which equal 3.5, 4, 4.5 and 5 on the new one (B1 to C1). Since every attempt costs a full fee, it makes sense to book the test once your level is close to that target.

What about TOEFL ITP scores like 450 or 550?

Scores in the hundreds, like 450 or 550, belong to the TOEFL ITP, whose Level 1 total scores range from 310 to 677. ETS publishes these minimum total scores by CEFR level: A2 343, B1 433, B2 543 and C1 620. So 450 is B1 and 550 is B2. ETS notes that these cut scores are guidelines, not rigid limits.

Source: ETS, Mapping the TOEFL ITP Tests onto the CEFR (2023); score range from the TOEFL ITP Test and Score Data Summary 2025.

How much does the TOEFL iBT cost?

The TOEFL iBT registration fee depends on where you take the test. On September 29, 2026, ETS listed, for example, USD 270 in the United States, USD 249 in Canada, USD 255 in Mexico, USD 230 in Ecuador and USD 215 in Colombia. Prices exclude VAT and other taxes, except in EU countries.

Source: ETS, TOEFL iBT Test Fees, accessed Sep 29, 2026. Select your country there for the current fee.

Optional services cost extra: late registration within 7 days of the test (USD 49), rescheduling (USD 69), each additional score report (USD 29 on the fees page; the scores page says USD 25), a Speaking or Writing score review (USD 80, or USD 160 for both) and Express Scoring (USD 129). The fee includes up to four free score reports if you choose the institutions by 10 p.m. on test day.

How to prepare for TOEFL Speaking

TOEFL iBT Speaking takes about 8 minutes and has two tasks: Listen and Repeat (7 sentences you hear and repeat) and Take an Interview (4 interview questions you answer on the spot). Each response is worth up to 5 points and is scored by an AI system that looks at features such as fluency, coherence and grammar.

According to the ETS specifications, the sentences to repeat get longer and more complex, and the interview moves from simple facts to opinions, explanations, predictions and narratives. So train two things: accuracy when repeating and well-organized spontaneous answers.

A 4-week TOEFL speaking practice plan (HelloVozi suggestion)

A HelloVozi routine based on the official task types; not an ETS program.

TOEFL speaking practice questions

These questions are ours, written in the style of the Take an Interview task. Answer each in 45 seconds, record yourself and check that you gave a reason and an example:

1. What do you usually do to relax after a long day of classes or work?
2. Some people prefer to study alone, and others prefer study groups. Which do you prefer, and why?
3. Describe a skill you learned recently. How did you learn it?
4. How do you think online classes will change in the next ten years?
5. Tell me about a time you had to solve a problem quickly.

For rhythm, the shadowing technique is a good complement. If you understand English but freeze when you speak, read why understanding English isn't enough to speak it.

Official prep resources

• TOEFL iBT Sample Test: a free, self-paced sample of about 40 minutes with questions from all four sections.
• TOEFL Practice Online: USD 49 for one full test with scoring (3- and 6-test packs are available).
• Official Guide to the TOEFL iBT Test (digital pocket edition): USD 29.
• Official TOEFL iBT Prep Course: a self-paced online course, USD 149.

Prices from the official ETS store at Prepare for the TOEFL iBT Test, accessed Sep 29, 2026.

Taking the TOEFL in Ecuador

In Ecuador the TOEFL iBT costs USD 230 (ETS, before taxes). You book it in your ETS account, where you'll see the available centers and dates, or you can choose the Home Edition. COPEI states that it administers the TOEFL iBT in person at its COPEI Centro and ESPOL sites in Guayaquil, with registration and payment on the ETS website. For the ITP, Junior and Primary, the official ETS Preferred Network directory lists English House (Tumbaco, Quito) and Sistemas Educativos de Enseñanza (Quito). ETS's 2025 ITP data summary reports an average of 523 points for test takers whose native country is Ecuador, which falls in the B1 range.