SAT vs TOEFL Tests: What Are The Differences?

If you plan to study abroad, especially in those English-speaking countries, you should take a language proficiency exam to prove your proficiency level. It is also required for those non-native English speakers who wish to enroll in these institutions. 

Aside from that, you also need to take a college admission exam, and the widely used test for this purpose is the SAT. It is also recommended for native and non-native English speakers. 

Many universities and colleges in America and other English-speaking countries highly prefer and require their applicants’ SAT and TOEFL test results. To learn more about the SAT and TOEFL exam, we will tackle them in this article. 

We will provide a comprehensive comparison between the SAT and TOEFL exam. It will help you prepare, get in-depth knowledge, and be ready to take these two exams. 

What is SAT?

The SAT or Scholastic Aptitude  Test is a well-known and widely recognized standardized admission test for upcoming college students. The acronym was dropped years after the test was introduced in the market, and it is now considered the SAT.

It is a paper-based test and uses multiple-choice questions in its exam structure.

Moreover, the goal of this exam is to know and evaluate the readiness of high school students to advance to the college level. 

It also provides a standardized assessment and help college admission officers to know the applicant’s capabilities alongside their GPA results.

And also, the SAT contains the following test sections: math, evidence-based reading, and writing which are the three core areas of students. 

The College Board administers this exam, and most test-takers of the SAT are students already in the 11th and 12th grades in high school. 

What is TOEFL? 

One of the top academic-based language proficiency exams is the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). It evaluates the English language skills of both native and non-native English language users in different countries. 

The TOEFL is acknowledged and trusted by most universities, colleges, and other organizations worldwide. It provides a quality and standardized assessment of an individual’s reading, listening, speaking, and writing abilities. 

Over 11,000 academic institutions also prefer this language proficiency exam because it contains a high level of English terms and formal contexts in its test questions. And also, it has challenging and complex passages. 

And also, the TOEFL test result is one of the requirements for visa applications, student exchange programs, migrations, and work requirements for those who want to apply to international companies.

Consequently, the TOEFL is conducted by the ETS (Educational Testing Service) and is very accessible to its test-takers providing more than 4,500 testing centers worldwide. It also has a 100% acceptance rate in all academic institutions in the United Kingdom. 

Exam Fees: SAT vs. TOEFL 

The SAT and TOEFL are among the commonly used exams by educational institutions. And both of these exams significantly differ in terms of their fees. 

In relation, the SAT standard examination fee is USD 55, and for the SAT with Essay, it costs USD 64.50, while the TOEFL costs approximately USD 180 to USD 185.

However, the SAT also charges a regional fee on top of its standard rate for those international test-takers. 

Both the SAT and TOEFL accept and process exam fees of their applicants.

Note that the SAT and TOEFL have different refund policies for you to avail of the said service. 

It is also clear that the TOEFL exam is much more expensive compared to the SAT, which only costs around USD 55.

Also, both the exam fees for the SAT and TOEFL differ in different countries worldwide. 

They also have additional fees for other services that an applicant wants to avail of. You can check the table below to compare the SAT and TOEFL exam fees. 

Exam Frequency: SAT vs. TOEFL

The SAT and TOEFL significantly differ with regard to their exam frequency. Many test-takers prefer tests that are accessible and offer flexible testing schedules. So in this section, we will compare the two exams.

Consequently, the SAT has only seven prescheduled tests annually compared to the TOEFL, which has 60 prescheduled test dates in a year.

There are also around 190 countries internationally that acknowledge and accept the TOEFL exam. 

However, let’s compare these two exams regarding the availability of testing centers worldwide.

The TOEFL has an advantage over the SAT since more than four thousand testing centers are available in different countries. 

Exam Structure: SAT vs. TOEFL

The SAT is known to be a paper-based test. However, it will soon be an exclusive computerized test beginning in 2023 and 2024. And the exam length will also be shortened to two hours instead of three hours. 

In comparison, applicants have various options to take the TOEFL exam. You can take it using a computer available at their testing centers or home, or you can also take it in its paper-based format. 

And also, the language proficiency exam is accessible using the internet. The SAT and TOEFL significantly differ in the skills they assess.

For example, the regular SAT has only three test sections, including evidence-based reading, writing, and math. 

However, if you prefer to take the SAT with Essay, you will answer the three test sections plus an essay part, and it takes about four hours and a five-minute break. 

While the TOEFL exam evaluates the four primary English skills in reading, listening, speaking, and writing, it does not assess the individual’s math skills compared to the SAT, which is included in its test structure. 

Scoring Difference: SAT vs. TOEFL

The SAT overall score between 1600 to 400 points equals the sum of scores for the three reading, writing, and math test sections.

And each test section’s score points range from 800 to 200 points.

While for those who have chosen or taken the SAT with essays, the additional section is scored separately, it has an overall scoring scale of 8 to 2 points. 

The TOEFL exam uses an overall scoring scale of 120 to 0 points. And the SAT results have a validity of five years which is relatively longer than the TOEFL, which is only valid for two years. 

Test Requirements: SAT vs. TOEFL

The SAT and TOEFL test requirements are pretty similar in terms of documents and accepted identification cards.

And both of these exams do not have any age limit for those who wish to take them. 

However, the SAT is intended and usually taken by high school students. In contrast, any age group can take the TOEFL exam provided that they present a parent consent letter for applicants below the recommended age. 

And in terms of the registration process, the SAT and TOEFL exam accepts walk-in registration at their official testing centers.

Also, you can register online for these exams by visiting and creating an account on their official websites. 

Practice Tests Offers: SAT vs. TOEFL

The SAT and TOEFL exams offer their applicants many free practice test materials. It helps the test-takers prepare and familiarizes themselves with the exam structure and the different types of questions used in each test section.

And these SAT and TOEFL practice tests are accessible and downloadable on their official website.

In addition, some practice test materials are sold separately, but you can choose either to purchase them or not. 

Which Is Easier: SAT or TOEFL?

The SAT and TOEFL are highly accepted and required by many educational institutions as part of their admission process.

These two exams assess the different sets of skills of an individual. 

And also, the SAT is suitable for those applicants who wish to enroll in universities and colleges.

In comparison, the TOEFL is a standardized language proficiency exam that evaluates the various language abilities, especially for those non-native English speakers. 

The SAT does not focus on non-native speakers’ language skills.

However, it mainly focuses on thinking and math skills. It determines the readiness of the applicant to pursue any college undergraduate programs and courses. 

Since the SAT and TOEFL exams have different purposes, these exams are both required by educational institutions for their admission process.

Given the differences between these exams, we cannot entirely compare their difficulty because they evaluate different skills. 

Test Recognition: SAT vs. TOEFL? 

The SAT is widely used and accepted by many universities and colleges located in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, and Singapore.

In addition, there are over 800 educational institutions worldwide that recognize this standardized admission test. 

The TOEFL is also highly accepted and trusted by educational institutions, government agencies, migration offices, and other multinational companies located in various countries worldwide. 

In addition, the TOEFL is also considered one of the top language proficiency exams that are preferred by universities, colleges, and other prominent universities here and abroad. It is also known to provide excellent and accurate language proficiency assessments. 

Comparison Table Summary: SAT vs. TOEFL

The SAT and TOEFL are two different sets of exams highly accepted and acknowledged by various educational institutions.

These two exams are among the top requirements for most universities and colleges. 

And the SAT and TOEFL significantly differ in terms of the skills it evaluates, their exam structure, length, test requirements, and many more.

You can check the comprehensive table below showing the differences between each test. 

Additional FAQs – TOEFL vs. SAT