What is TOEFL iBT^R ?

A Standardized Test, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT^R) assesses the English Proficiency of people, whose native language does not happen to be English. It tests the ability to understand North American English. Most Educational Institutes in the US and Canada (approximately 2400) ask applicants for their TOEFL iBT^R Scores. Institutes in other countries, where the mode and language of instruction is English, also use TOEFL iBT^R. Since October 2000, the TOEFL iBT^R has been a Computer-based Test in India.

Computer Based TOEFL iBT^R

The Computer Based TOEFL iBT^R is disparate from most other customary examinations. The Examination is entirely a Computer-based Test, and no two students get an identical set of questions. Also, students cannot skip-over questions. The test is scored on a maximum of 300. The TOEFL iBT^R only assesses a candidate's proficiency in the English language, a high score on it alone cannot guarantee admission into a School - the test is only one of the major factors taken into consideration in the long process of an applicant getting admitted into a school he/she desires. However it is mandatory, and we cannot underrate its importance.

Who Administers the TOEFL iBT^R?

The US-based "Educational Testing Service"(ETS), develops and administers the TOEFL iBT^R. ETS is responsible for setting questions, conducting the test and sending score reports to each examinee. The Indian Agency - "Sylvan Testing Services Pvt Ltd," is appointed by ETS to administer the TOEFL iBT^R at the 9 centers named below -
Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Trivandrum.

Frequency of the TOEFL iBT^R

The Computer Based TOEFL iBT^R is held all year round. Applicants can choose their preferred date to appear for the TOEFL iBT^R, in any of the above-mentioned nine Centers on any weekday (Monday to Friday). Tests are administered twice a day. The peak time being September through December, applicants have to take heed to registering early, in order to get a choice date. The Test is of roughly four hours. Registering three days in advance is mandatory, unless the time is peak-time(September - December), when candidates have to ensure that they register 90 days in advance, in order to get a choice date.

Eligibility and Fees

Anybody can appear for the TOEFL iBT^R, as there are no restrictions on applicant age or qualifications. The validity period of TOEFL Scores is two years.

Test Fees for TOEFL iBT^R in India is US $ 140 , payable at the time of registration. The fees are to be paid through a US Dollar denominated draft, favoring "ETS - GRE" payable in the US. Such drafts are freely available with the Main Branches of most Banks (that have a foreign exchange counter) - the Banks charge a nominal charge of Rs 200. The payment can also be made through a globally accepted credit card, which may not even belong to the applicant.

It is of prime importance that the name on the registration form should be exactly similar to the name mentioned on the candidate's passport, or he/she may not be permitted to take the test. Candidates are advised to attach a photocopy of their Passport along with their form in order to avoid any faulty registration.



There are some questions in the TOEFL iBT^R that have special directions that appear in a box under the question. For instance, there are some questions that have two answers and candidates are required to make more than two selections.

Content and Format of the TOEFL iBT^R

The test has four sections: Listening, Structure, Reading and Writing.

The number of questions and the time allocated to each question may vary. Therefore, one student may get 35 questions in Listening section while another may get 45. But, the additional questions are for research purposes only and the scores of all test takers are based on the same number of questions.

The following table gives out the format of the TOEFL iBT^R :

	Questions	Timing
Computer Tutorial	NA	NA
Listening Section	30 - 50 questions	40 - 60 min.
Structure Section	20 - 25 questions	15 - 20 min.
Reading Section	44 - 60 questions	70 - 90 min.
Writing Section	1 Essay	30 min.
Total	94 - 135 question + 1 Essay	4 hrs. (approx.)

The tutorial is meant to make the candidate feel comfortable with the infrastructure and the environment and does not have a prescribed time limit. The candidate is expected to be through with it in 40 minutes or so: it makes sense for the candidate to acclimatize himself fully with the setting even after he thinks he has understood how the system works.

Reporting the Score

ETS reports candidates' TOEFL iBT^R scores to a maximum of four Universities of their choice, the cot of which is built into the TOEFL iBT^R fee. The candidate has to ensure that he selects these four universities that will receive copies of his score report BEFORE he begins to take the Test. Reporting to each additional University costs the candidate an additional charge of $ 13, payable by an international Credit Card or a Dollar Denominated Draft.

The Scoring Pattern in TOEFL iBT^R

There are four Scores that constitute the TOEFL iBT^R results:
A total score (0 - 300)
A Separate Score for the Listening Section (0 - 30)
A Separate Score for the Reading Section (0- 30)
The total Score is reported on a scale from 0 - 300

The Essay Score is individually rated (0 - 6) - However it is incorporated into the Structure/Writing Scaled Score with the rating of essay comprising one half of the Structure/Writing Scaled score. A candidate immediately comes to know his Listening and Reading Section Scores right after taking his exam. A candidate's Structure/Writing Scores are also shown as Score Ranges, since his essay would not have yet been read and appraised. A candidate's final score will be within the range shown on the screen after he completes his Test. The appraisal of essays takes between 2 - 4 weeks - thus a candidate's Official TOEFL iBT^R Score Reports, including the Writing Scores, are mailed approximately two to four weeks after he takes the test, and it takes around ten days more to reach the candidate's specified address.