TOEFL Scores Overview

For applicants who are required to demonstrate English proficiency, meeting a university’s TOEFL iBT requirement can be an important part of the admissions process. The TOEFL iBT assesses four English skills: Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking.

For tests taken on or after January 21, 2026, ETS reports each section and the overall result on a 1–6 scale in half-point increments. The overall score is calculated by averaging the four section scores and rounding the result to the nearest half band. For example, an average of 5.125 produces an overall score of 5, while an average of 5.25 produces an overall score of 5.5.

Through January 2028, official score reports also display a comparable overall score on the previous 0–120 scale. This helps applicants apply to universities that have not yet updated their published TOEFL requirements. But what exactly is a good TOEFL score? First, let’s examine how the current test is scored.

How Is the TOEFL iBT Scored?

Reading and Listening Scoring

The Reading and Listening sections use a two-stage, multistage adaptive design. Every test taker begins with a first-stage module containing questions of moderate difficulty. The difficulty of the second module—lower or upper—is then determined by the test taker’s performance in the first module.

Each scored Reading or Listening question is marked correct or incorrect, with one raw-score point awarded for each correct answer. ETS then converts the raw score into a reported section score through a statistical process called equating.

Equating accounts for the difficulty of the adaptive path taken by the applicant as well as minor differences among test forms. Consequently, a reported Reading or Listening score is not simply the number or percentage of questions answered correctly. Two applicants may receive different sets of questions, but the scoring process is designed to make their reported scores comparable.

Writing and Speaking Scoring

The current Writing section contains three task types: Build a Sentence, Write an Email, and Write for an Academic Discussion. Build a Sentence questions are marked correct or incorrect, while the two extended writing responses are evaluated on a raw-score scale from 0 to 5 using task-specific scoring rubrics.

The current Speaking section consists of Listen and Repeat and Take an Interview tasks. Speaking responses are also assigned raw scores from 0 to 5 according to the criteria established for each task.

Responses to the two extended Writing tasks and all Speaking tasks are evaluated using ETS’s proprietary automated scoring systems with human-scoring oversight. Human raters provide scores when the automated system lacks confidence or encounters difficulty, and certified raters regularly review samples for quality assurance.

Writing evaluation considers factors such as whether the response completes the assigned task, develops ideas clearly, follows an appropriate organization, uses suitable vocabulary and sentence structures, and demonstrates accurate grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.

Speaking evaluation varies by task but may consider repetition accuracy, fluency, intelligibility, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, development, and organization. More information is available in the official TOEFL iBT Technical Manual.

What Is a Good TOEFL Score?

A good TOEFL score is one that meets the English-language requirements of every university and academic program to which you plan to apply. ETS does not establish a universal passing or failing score because each institution determines its own requirements.

During the current scoring transition, universities may publish their requirements on the new 1–6 scale, the previous 0–120 scale, or both. For tests taken on or after January 21, 2026, your official score report includes your 1–6 section and overall scores, a corresponding CEFR proficiency level, and a comparable overall score on the 0–120 scale.

You therefore do not normally need to calculate a score conversion yourself. When a university still lists a requirement on the previous scale, compare it with the comparable 0–120 overall score displayed on your official report.

Universities and individual departments may establish an overall minimum, minimum scores for individual sections, or both. Meeting the published TOEFL minimum generally means that you have satisfied that particular English-language requirement. It does not guarantee admission, since the institution will also evaluate the other parts of your application.

Common TOEFL Requirements on the 1–6 Scale

ETS recommends the following updates for several common institutional requirements on the previous TOEFL scale:

These figures are recommendations for universities setting admissions requirements. They should not be treated as exact, one-to-one conversions for every individual applicant.

The comparable 0–120 score displayed on an individual score report works differently. It represents the estimated midpoint of the previous-scale range associated with the applicant’s score band. For example, an overall score of 4.5 is accompanied by a comparable overall score of 90.

Does a Higher TOEFL Score Help With Admission?

Scoring above a university’s general minimum may still be beneficial in certain situations. An individual academic program may have a higher requirement than the university-wide minimum, require particular section scores, or impose separate English-language conditions for teaching, funding, placement, professional certification, or employment.

However, applicants should not assume that every additional half band will automatically improve their admission chances. Whether a retake is worthwhile depends on the policies of the institution and program, the competitiveness of the course, and the strength of the rest of the application.

For example, the University of Arizona Graduate College requires a minimum overall TOEFL score of 4 for applicable graduate applicants taking the test on or after January 21, 2026.

International Graduate Assistant or Associate Teachers from non-English-dominant countries must also demonstrate spoken-English proficiency separately. A TOEFL Speaking score of 5 is one accepted way to satisfy that additional requirement.

Before deciding whether to retake the TOEFL, check the university-wide requirements as well as any departmental, section-level, assistantship, scholarship, placement, licensing, and employment conditions that may apply to you.

TOEFL iBT Scores and CEFR Levels

Current TOEFL iBT score reports show section and overall results on the 1–6 scale and identify the corresponding Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, or CEFR, proficiency level. ETS maps the score bands to CEFR levels as follows:

These CEFR levels describe an applicant’s general English proficiency, but they do not replace the admissions requirements established by a university or academic program. A score associated with a particular CEFR level may be sufficient for one program but too low for another.

You can learn more from the official ETS TOEFL iBT score guidance.

What About TOEFL Scores From Before January 21, 2026?

For tests taken before January 21, 2026, ETS reported four section scores ranging from 0 to 30 and a total score ranging from 0 to 120. Those scores remain valid for two years from the test date. Applicants and admissions offices may therefore continue to encounter valid scores on the previous scale through early 2028.

How Long Are TOEFL iBT Scores Valid?

TOEFL iBT scores remain valid for two years from the test date. After the two-year validity period has ended, ETS will no longer report or send those scores to institutions.

Plan your test date around both your application deadlines and your intended enrollment date. Universities may apply their own policies when determining whether a score is sufficiently recent.

Always check whether your chosen institution requires the score to remain valid when you submit your application, when the admission decision is made, or when your academic program begins.

Frequently Asked Questions About Good TOEFL Scores

Is a TOEFL Score of 4 Good?

A TOEFL score of 4 corresponds to CEFR Level B2. ETS recommends 4 as the new requirement for institutions that previously required an overall score of 80. It may be sufficient for many programs, but you must check the exact overall and section requirements of each university.

Is a TOEFL Score of 4.5 Good?

A TOEFL score of 4.5 also corresponds to CEFR Level B2. ETS recommends 4.5 for institutions that previously used an overall requirement of 90. It is a relatively strong result, although some competitive programs may require 5 or impose higher minimums for particular sections.

Is a TOEFL Score of 5 Good?

A TOEFL score of 5 corresponds to CEFR Level C1. ETS recommends 5 for universities that previously required an overall TOEFL score of 100. Whether it is sufficient still depends on the university, department, and any separate section-score requirements.

Do I Need to Convert My New TOEFL Score to the 0–120 Scale?

No. Through January 2028, official reports for tests taken under the new format include a comparable overall score on the previous 0–120 scale. You can use that figure when a university has not yet updated its admissions page to the 1–6 scale.

Now that you understand how the current TOEFL iBT is scored and how to identify the score you need, review the requirements of your target programs, choose an appropriate test date, and use preparation materials designed for the test format introduced in January 2026.

We hope that this article on TOEFL scores was helpful. You can also visit our Scholarship Search Page and explore our available courses for international students.