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TOEFL Results And Scores

Written by  Rachit Agrawal

Reviewed by  Priyanka Bhargava

Published: Mon, September 30, 2019 9:30 AM IST  Updated: Mon, September 30, 2019 9:30 AM IST  9 mins read

TOEFL Results And Scores

Written by  Rachit Agrawal

Reviewed by  Priyanka Bhargava

Published: Mon, Sep 30, 2019 9:30 AM IST  Updated: Mon, Sep 30, 2019 9:30 AM IST  9 mins read

TOEFL SCORES

The TOEFL scores range from 0 to 120 for the entire test and from 0 to 30 for each section. On the iBT, the lowest TOEFL score possible is 0 and  the highest  possible TOEFL score is 120. A high TOEFL score boosts your chances of being accepted into international institutions and universities. The total score is calculated by adding the TOEFL scaled scores together. The score range of 100 - 110 is considered a respectable TOEFL score result.

The following is the table related to TOEFL Scores according to the sections:

TOEFL exam sections 

SCORES related to every section

Reading

  Overall score range is -  0-30

   Advanced score range is  - 24-30

  Hgh intermediate score range is  - 18-23

  Low intermediate score range is  -  4-17

  Below intermediate or least scores range is  -  0-3

Listening

    Overall score range is  - 0-30

   Advanced score range is  - 22-30

   High intermediate score range is   - 17-21

   Low intermediate score range is    - 9-16

   Below intermediate or least score range is   - 0-8

Speaking

  Overall score range is -  0-30

   Advanced score range is  - 25-30

   Hgh intermediate score range is  - 20-24

   Low intermediate score range is  -  16-19

  Basic level score range is  -  10-15

  Below basic level or least scores range is  -  0-9

Writing

    Overall score range is -  0-30

    Advanced score range is  - 24-30

    Hgh intermediate score range is  - 17-23

   Low intermediate score range is  -  13-16

    Basic level score range is   -  7-12

   Below basic level or least scores range is  -  0-6

WHAT TOEFL SCORE IS GOOD?

What TOEFL score is considered good?  This can be a matter of great concern and anxiety. However, there is no hard and fast rule of considering a particular score good or bad. As stated earlier, you can’t just pass or fail this test. While some universities require a minimum of 70, others go up to 110. A good TOEFL score is more of a subjective term which depends on your reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills and how well you in all these sections. However, any score above 90 is considered a good score since it can land you in most of the popular universities. 

VALIDITY OF TOEFL SCORE

TOEFL scores are deemed expired after two years. Keep in mind that your TOEFL score will be accessible in 6 to 7 business days. After 6 days after taking the exam, you will receive your TOEFL score, and within 8 days, you will receive a PDF version of your result to download.

The validity of the TOEFL exam begins on the day the exam is taken, not on the day the results are published. To be more exact, the TOEFL has a validity period of two years beginning on the day of the exam. Moving on to the TOEFL validity time, it is not feasible to prolong the validity term of the TOEFL test. It is true that the TOEFL validity years cannot be extended.

TOEFL SCORE TOTAL

Once you successfully take the test, you are provided with a scorecard with your total score mentioned in it. But what exactly is the total score gained in the TOEFL test? The TOEFL score total is the combined score gained by a student in all the 4 sections of the exam i,e Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. According to the range, the total TOEFL score can go as high as 120. Always keep in mind that attaining a perfect total score is very rare.

TOEFL SCORE RANGE

The next thing that usually pops in all those young and curious minds is the range of the score. What is the range of the score attained in the TOEFL exam? The total TOEFL score ranges between 0-120. While some universities set a minimum score for the eligibility criteria for the admission procedures, others might set a particular score range for the same. In the latter case, a student is required to attain any score between the set range to be eligible for applying for that particular university.

TOEFL SCORE MAXIMUM

Every passionate and determined student has a dream of scoring marks as high as the sky. Naturally, they would be interested in knowing about the maximum attainable score in this test. According to the range specified above, he/she can attain a total of as high as 120.  Although obtaining a perfect score like 120 is rare, any score between the range of 100-120 is considered excellent and can help you to land in various top tier universities.

TOEFL SCORE AVERAGE

Some students could have this query going rounds in their minds. What is the average TOEFL score? For most of the students who have already taken the test and as per the reports, the score range of 90-100 is considered to be average. Hence for the students aiming for top tier universities, it is always better to aim for a score above 100. 

TOEFL SCORE RANGE PERCENTILES

If you're unsure what your results indicate, it's a good idea to think of them in percentile rank terms. Percentile rankings reveal how well you did on the TOEFL in comparison to other people who took the test.

The percentile ranks of the iBT, both for the scaled scores of each iBT segment and for overall iBT TOEFL scores, are shown in the graph below :

Percentile Rank Listening Score Writing Score Reading Score Speaking Score Total Score
10th 11 14 11 15 52
25th 16 18 17 18 68
50th 21 22 22 21 84
75th 26 25 26 24 97
90th 29 27 29 27 106

WHEN DO TOEFL SCORES COME OUT?

If a candidate requested a hard copy of their score report before taking the exam, it will be mailed to them within 11 days after the exam date. Local postal agencies will determine delivery timeframes. Your TOEFL results are good for two years. Candidates may always access their ETS account to obtain and print a PDF copy of their score. Within 8 days of taking the exam, PDF score results are available for download.

How to Check Your TOEFL Scores:

Visit the TOEFL website for more information.
Log in as a member
Fill up your TOEFL account information.
Examine your TOEFL Scores

TOEFL RESULTS

Waiting for results can be even more frustrating than preparing for the exam. Students often deal with a great amount of tension and nervousness during this period. Hence it is always better to have all the information available regarding the declaration of the result to lessen the stress. In the below sections, we have jotted down the complete information related to the TOEFL results.

TOEFL SCORE REPORT

TOEFL score report is the scorecard of the candidates showing the scores they have attained. A student can access his/her report on his ETS account online. In this report, the student will receive his/her personal information, including the registration and security numbers, TOEFL test date, and the scores. The scores are available as a total as well as section-wise. 

TOEFL RESULT DATE

Applicants who took the English language exam can get their TOEFL 2021 scores or results on their ETS accounts roughly 6 days following the test date. The candidate will be notified via registered email accounts when TOEFL 2021 scores are available. Candidates should get PDF score reports of their TOEFL 2021 results once they are available. From the date of the exam, TOEFL results are valid for 2 years.TOEFL score reports in the form of printed copies can also be mailed, but candidates must request this prior to taking the exam.

FAQs

✅ How can I send my TOEFL score to university?

Ans : You can send your score to universities through ETS account. All you have to do is to follow some simple steps like Logging into the account. choosing order score reports, selecting the test date etc. Once you have completed the above steps, you will have to select the schools to which you want to send your score. Consequently, few additional prompts like payment have to be completed. Once done, your score will be sent to the selected schools.

✅ How long will it take for the schools to receive my score once mailed?

Ans : Schools take their time in receiving the mailed scores. A report or score of TOEFL can only be sent via mail. Once they are mailed, it will take approximately 7-10 days for schools located in the United States to receive them. For the schools located outside the US, it can take 4-6 weeks. Then the schools will analyze your score and will take action accordingly.  

✅ What is the fee structure of the TOEFL test?

Ans : There is a proper fee structure applicable for taking the TOEFL test. There are 2 modes of the test- Internet-based and paper-based. The fee applicable to both varies from place to place. It may cost somewhere between US$180 – 300. The total fee covers the registration fees, report fee, and score reports sent to schools.

✅ What is considered a good score in the reading section?

Ans: Reading is one of the 4 sections of the TOEFL test. It has a score range of 0-30. Further, it has some sub-ranges pertaining to certain levels. The scoring range of 22-30 in reading is considered High-level proficiency. Scoring between 15-21 and 0-14 is considered intermediate and low proficiency level respectively.

✅ Is 95 a good score?

Ans : Ant score belonging to the range of 90-100 is considered decent. A number of universities accept students having a 90+ score. You can easily select your preferred university from the available universities. There are some programs that require a score of 100+. However, some courses are available for the score range of 90-100. 

About the Author & Expert

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Rachit Agrawal

author • MBA • 2 years

Rachit believes in the power of education and has studied from the top institutes of IIIT Allahabad, IIM Calcutta, and Francois Rabelias in France. He has worked as Software Developer with Microsoft and Adobe. Post his MBA, he worked with the world's # 1 consulting firm, The Boston Consulting Group across multiple geographies US, South-East Asia and Europe.