TOEFL
Education & Academia abbreviation · Standardized Test
| Stands for | Test of English as a Foreign Language |
|---|---|
| Categories | Education & Academia |
TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language, a standardized test abbreviation.
English proficiency test from ETS accepted by more than 12,000 universities and agencies worldwide, most often taken as the TOEFL iBT. It measures reading, listening, speaking and writing, and since January 21, 2026 scores have been reported on a 1 to 6 scale aligned with the CEFR, alongside the traditional 0 to 120 scale through January 2028.
Example: The graduate school requires a TOEFL iBT score of at least 100 or an IELTS band of 7.0.
Usage notes
First given in 1964, the test was cut to about two hours in July 2023, and the 2026 update introduced new task types and adaptive sections. Many universities still publish minimums on the 0 to 120 scale, so applicants should check which scale each school uses. TOEFL is pronounced "TOE-full".
Related abbreviations
More standardized test abbreviations
- SSC – Secondary School Certificate
- STAAR – State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness
- TASC – Test Assessing Secondary Completion
- TEAS – Test of Essential Academic Skills
- TExES – Texas Examinations of Educator Standards
- TIMSS – Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study
- TOEIC – Test of English for International Communication
- TOPIK – Test of Proficiency in Korean
- TSI – Texas Success Initiative
- UCAT – University Clinical Aptitude Test
- USMLE – United States Medical Licensing Examination
- WASSCE – West African Senior School Certificate Examination