TOEFL Score Calculator: Check Rules, Expiring Reasons & Retake

TOEFL Score Calculator: TOEFL scores remain valid for two years from the date of the exam. For instance, if you take the test on January 24th, 2024, your score will be valid until January 24th, 2026. During this two-year validity period, you have the option to download a PDF copy of your score report or send additional score reports to institutions.

You will receive an email notification once your scores are available, and you can access them through the official ETS website or by logging into your account. In this article, we will discuss the TOEFL Score Validity in detail.

TOEFL Score Validity

Table of Content

  • TOEFL Score Validity
  • How Long is TOEFL Score Valid?
  • Retaking TOEFL Exam and Validity
  • What Happens Once TOEFL Score Validity is Expired?
  • TOEFL Score Validity Rules
  • Why Does TOEFL Score Validity Expire?
  • TOEFL Validity Period
  • TOEFL Eligibility Score for Top Universities in 2024
  • TOEFL Score Guide
  • Final Thoughts

TOEFL Score Validity

TOEFL scores can be accessed and downloaded from the ETS official website, and you can also verify the validity of your TOEFL results by logging into your account. It’s important to note that TOEFL scores have a two-year validity period. During this time, candidates are encouraged to send additional score reports to universities or institutions. There are three methods to receive your results and confirm the validity of your TOEFL score.

Typically, it takes 11-15 business days to receive the score report by mail and 2-5 days for express shipping. Ensuring your TOEFL score’s validity and sending additional score reports can also be done by logging into your ETS account.

How Long is TOEFL Score Valid?

TOEFL Score Valid is valid for two years only. If you take the examination on 10th May 2024; your score will be valid till 9th May 2026 till 11:59 PM IST. ETS releases the TOEFL iBT score within 6 to 7 business days after your examination date and you will get the PDF version of the score within 8 days of your examination. As a candidate, you need to remember that there is no other process to extend the validity of the examination as you have to retake the TOEFL exam after two years. This same thing is also applicable to the TOEFL validity period. 

During the time of the COVID pandemic, ETS has launched the TOEFL Special Home Edition. The scorecard validity of the TOEFL Special Home Edition is also the same i.e. two years only. You can download your TOEFL scorecard in any location of the world except Mainland China. You need to request ETS to send your TOEFL paper scorecard to your address and it takes 11 days.  

Retaking TOEFL Exam and Validity

ETS generally conducts the TOEFL exam around 50 times a year. As a candidate, you can retake the examination as per your requirement if do not meet the minimum TOEFL cut-off marks. TOEFL cut-off marks are specific for different institutions. If you are unable to get that you need to retake the examination for sure. You can sit for the examination again you have to wait for three days for the retake. Previously, before the changes in rules and regulations, you had to wait for twelve days to retake the examination. But you need to remember that the validity of the retake is also the same i.e. two years but the charges will be different. Candidates will not be able to retake a specific section of the TOEFL, which means in retake you have to sit for the all sections as well.

What Happens Once TOEFL Score Validity is Expired?

After two years of the validity period, your TOEFL result will not be considered an official document. It will become a trash. ETS will take down your account and official data related to your results will be removed. As a candidate, you will not be able to apply to any university or organization with that TOEFL score card anymore. If you do that your application will be rejected. 

Please Note:

In case, you have applied for any university before the three-month expiry date of your TOEFL score card, in most cases they accept it as an official document. But some universities accept 1-year-old scorecards also. The same rule is applicable for the visa applications also. If they think that it is not ok and does not align with the requirements, they will send you an official mail regarding that. For your safety with the university application and the visa process, you should submit a TOEFL score card which has a long validity period i.e. 2 years to 12 months. 

TOEFL Score Validity Rules

There are some certain rules to plan your application procedure with your TOEFL scorecard. The validity of the TOEFL score is two years and you have a long time to plan your application roster and set the dates when you will submit the scores. Here are some tips related to the TOEFL Score Validity Rules as mentioned below. 

  • Before your university application, you need to check their predefined rules regarding the TOEFL score validity as it varies from university to university. 
  • Make a time frame when you want to take your TOEFL. 
  • If you take the TOEFL examination early, you need to remember that you can not send the score card the the universities if it crosses its two years of validity.
  • You can take TOEFL multiple times. But it is recommended to make it happen in one try which will save a lot of money.  

Why Does TOEFL Score Validity Expire?

Universities need clarity about your knowledge of the English language. The old TOEFL score may portray that candidate’s knowledge became old and he/she mostly forgot all of the things learned. Logically, a person who cracked TOEFL in 2015 will not be efficient in 2020. The two-year validity ensures that the candidate has not forgotten the commands over the English language and has good vocabulary and grammatical knowledge. Here are the possible ways how candidates can do the process as mentioned below. 

  • You need to check the deadline of the different universities where you want to apply. 
  • Set the time frame and prepare the process accordingly. 
  • Find the suitable dates and the nearest TOEFL exam center from the official site of the ETS. 
  • You can have your result after 4 to 8 days of the examination. Consider this date also while you start the admission process. 
  • Register at that time when you are fully prepared with all of the documents. 
  • You need to check about the TOEFL cutoff and the requirements for the different universities as well. 
  • When you want to retake the examination, you need to make sure that the admission deadline is not over. 

TOEFL Validity Period

When you want to apply for a foreign university or wants to apply for a job in a foreign country, it is needed to ensure that your English proficiency scores are up-to-date. It is an important step to check your English proficiency before sending educational or professional applications. Here is the detailed list of the TOEFL score validity as mentioned below. 

Study destination TOEFL validity TOEFL minimum score requirements
The United Kingdom 2 years 72
The United States 2 years 100
New Zealand 2 years 80
Australia 2 years 80
Ireland 2 years 90
Canada 2 years 80

TOEFL Eligibility Score for Top Universities in 2024

Here are the TOEFL eligibility score for the top universities of abroad in 2024 as mentioned below. Hope this details will help you to prepare in a better way to secure the good points for the upcoming intakes.

University Grade Minimum Overall Score Minimum Scores for Subsections
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) A++ 90.0 & Above
Cambridge University A++ n/a
Oxford University A++ 100 Listening: 22, Reading: 24, Speaking: 25, Writing: 24
Harvard University A++ 80.0-103.0
Stanford University A++ 89.0-110.0
Imperial College London A++ Standard: 92 overall (minimum 20 in all elements)
Higher: 100 overall (minimum 22 in all elements)
ETH Zurich A++ 100.0 & Above
National University of Singapore (NUS) A++ 85.0-92.0
University College London (UCL) A++ September Intake: 72 overall (Listening: 17, Reading: 18, Speaking: 20, Writing 17)
January Intake: 80 overall (Listening: 19, Reading: 20, Speaking: 22, Writing 19)
University of California, Berkeley Campus A++ 90.0 & Above

TOEFL Score Guide

The total TOEFL examination points range between 0 to 120 which is divided into four different segments. Each segment score varies between 0 to 30. To secure admission to a good university, it is needed to secure a B2 level CEFR in your upcoming TOEFL exam. Here is the score breakdown of the examination as mentioned below. 

Section

TOEFL Score Range

Proficiency Level

TOEFL Reading Section

0-30

Poor (0–14)

Average (15–21)

Proficient (22–30)

TOEFL Listening Section

0-30

Poor (0–14)

Average (15–21)

Proficient (22–30)

TOEFL Speaking Section

0-30

Poor(0–9)

Below average (10–17)

Average (18–25)

Proficient (26–30)

TOEFL Writing Section

0-30

Poor – Below average (1–16)

Above average (17–23)

Proficient (24–30)

TOEFL Total Score

120

Final Thoughts

TOEFL Score Valid is valid for two years only. If you take the examination on 10th May 2024; your score will be valid till 9th May 2026 till 11:59 PM IST. During the time of the COVID pandemic, ETS has launched the TOEFL Special Home Edition. The scorecard validity of the TOEFL Special Home Edition is also the same i.e. two years only. There are some certain rules to plan your application procedure with your TOEFL scorecard. The validity of the TOEFL score is two years and you have a long time to plan your application roster and set the dates when you will submit the scores.

TOEFL Score Validity- FAQs

Is 95 a good TOEFL score?

An average TOEFL score is around 90. It may vary from 85 to 95. Anything above 100 is considered a good TOEFL score.

Is 100 a good TOEFL score?

Scoring over 100 on the TOEFL places you well above “good” and slightly above “great” on the skill proficiency level. Not to mention, a good TOEFL score can make a momentous difference in your college or job application.

How long is Toefl iBT score valid for?

Your scores are valid for 2 years, so you may want to download and print a PDF copy of your score report. PDF score reports are ready for download 2 days after you receive your scores electronically through your ETS account.

Is TOEFL harder than IELTS?

IELTS is comparatively shorter. The reading section in IELTS is considered much easier when compared to that of TOEFL’s. The TOEFL essay is longer; 300 words, when compared to the 250 words essay in IELTS. In short, you’ll need to prepare for TOEFL harder, as far as the reading section is considered.

Is TOEFL better than IELTS?

If your level of English is on a par with that of a native English speaker, taking TOEFL will not be sufficient to prove it. In such a scenario, IELTS is the obvious choice. Both TOEFL and IELTS results are valid for two years. Once this period has passed, you will have to sit either of the tests again.

How many attempts for TOEFL?

The aspirants can retake the TOEFL test as many times as they wish, however, one cannot take it more than once in 3 days. If the candidate has already registered for the exam, then he/she cannot register again for the test within 3 days of their existing appointment.

How much does TOEFL cost?

The cost of the test can range from US$150 to US$225 and varies between countries. For information on registration, fees, test dates, and locations and formats, select your test location.