International students who are from countries that are not considered English-speaking countries and intend to study in countries that are regarded as English-speaking must write a test to prove their English language proficiency.
One of such tests is TOEFL. The Test of English as a Foreign Language(TOEFL) is one of the most popular and widely recognized English language proficiency tests.
This article lists the countries and universities where the TOEFL test is accepted and answers any additional questions you might have.
What is TOEFL?
Test of English as a Foreign Language, popularly called TOEFL, is a standardized test to assess the English language ability of non-native speakers that want to gain admission into English-speaking universities. It is a consolidated test established and conducted by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The test combines four different communication skills in testing students’ English language proficiency.
The test assesses a candidate’s ability to speak and understand English by analyzing their English mastery in reading, speaking, listening, and writing. These are all skills that candidates need to carry out their academic studies. Universities use the test to ensure students can proceed with and succeed in their chosen course in a country where the learning curriculum is English.
TOEFL is accepted by more than 11,000 universities and other institutions in over 150 countries.
Why Should You Take the TOEFL Test?
The wide acceptance of the TOEFL test scores is one of the reasons many international students choose this English test, among others.
In addition to that, TOEFL is a high-quality and high-standardized test for English language proficiency. Thus, passing the TOEFL test ensures your English language proficiency scores will be widely recognized.
More than 11,000 universities and institutions accept TOEFL test scores in over 150 countries worldwide, including those in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and top universities across Europe and Asia. For international students who want to apply to several universities in different countries, taking the TOEFL test is a great way to apply to these universities without writing various language proficiency tests for each university.
Candidates can take TOEFL in designated test centers worldwide and at home with their TOEFL Home Edition.
In addition, most universities and colleges prefer TOEFL over other English proficiency tests. It is preferred by 9 of 10 universities in the United States. The test is accepted by all universities in New Zealand and Australia. In the UK, TOEFL has a 100% acceptance rate among universities, including those that belong to the prestigious Russell Group.
Additionally, the TOEFL test is preferred over other tests if English proficiency because of the following reasons:
The ETS schedules about sixty test dates a year at test centers across the world, and it also conducts the tests up to six days a week. Thus, candidates can be flexible about scheduling and taking tests.
Also, the ETS offers test-takers a free online practice course before they are due to take the test. Because TOEFL is so popular, several books and online materials ensure ample preparation for test-takers.
Lastly, test takers prefer to take the TOEFL test because of its affordability compared to other popular English language proficiency tests.
IELTS vs. TOEFL: Which English Exam Should you take?
For international students who need to take an English language proficiency test to enter universities abroad, the two most popular options are the TOEFL and the IELTS exams.
While the two exams appear similar, they have their distinctions.
While TOEFL assesses your ability to communicate in English in academic, classroom-based settings, the IELTS has an academic version of the test for academic purposes and a general version for those taking the test for migration.
The TOEFL is an American-standardized test. Thus, students seeking admission to schools in the United States tend to take it. The test uses American spellings and vocabulary; however, test takers are not penalized for sounding British in the speaking sections or using British spellings in the writing section. Conversely, the IELTS is based on British-style English, although test-takers can use either British or American spellings in their answers.
Additionally, these two exams are structured differently.
While TOEFL test questions are primarily multiple-choice, the IELTS exam requires test-takers to answer a range of various question types such as short answers, fill in the gap, and short essay tasks. Also, the duration of the IELTS test is significantly shorter than the TOEFL.
In the writing sections, the TOEFL test answers for this section are typed instead of that of the IELTS test, which requires written answers.
- For a thorough comparison between the two tests, check out our detailed comparison guide: IELTS vs TOEFL: English Test Differences.
Which Countries Accept TOEFL Scores?
Almost all English-speaking countries and even some that don’t have English as their first language accept TOEFL scores. However, the major countries that take the test include the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and France.
- The United States of America: 9 out of 10 universities accept TOEFL in the United States. The test is also preferred for immigrants who seek to obtain a work visa.
- Canada: TOEFL is the most widely accepted English language proficiency test for international admission into Canadian universities. More than 80% of graduate programs in Canada also accept the TOEFL test over other English-language tests. All Canadian universities and various colleges accept the test.
- Australia: TOEFL is widely accepted by universities in Australia. It is also one of the English proficiency tests for people who wish to immigrate or become citizens in English-speaking countries.
- New Zealand: International students can use their TOEFL scores to prove English proficiency for University admission in New Zealand. The test scores are also accepted for permanent skilled migration visas.
- The United Kingdom: all universities in the UK accept TOEFL, although IELTS is more popular. The test is also accepted as an English language requirement for student route visas.
- Europe: TOEFL is widely accepted in several European countries and is most commonly accepted in France and Germany.
Which Top U.S Universities Accept TOEFL?
| University / Educational Institution Name | Minimum TOEFL Score Requirement |
|---|---|
| Massachusets Institute of Technology | 100 |
| Havard university | 100 |
| Stanford University | 90 |
| University of Chicago | 104 |
| Princeton University | 100 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 100 |
| Cornell University | 100 |
| Yale University | 100 |
| Columbia University | 100 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 100 |
| Johns Hopkins University | 100 |
| Northwestern University | 104 |
| University of California Berkeley | 90 |
| New York University | 100 |
| University of California, Los Angeles | 88 |
Which Top Canadian universities Accept TOEFL?
| University / Educational Institution Name | Minimum TOEFL Score Requirement |
|---|---|
| University of Toronto | 100 |
| McGill University | 79 to 100 |
| University of British Columbia | 90 |
| University of Alberta | 90 |
| McMaster University | 86 |
| University of Waterloo | 90 |
| Western University | 83 |
| University of Ottawa | 86 |
| University of Calgary | 86 |
| Queens University at Kingston | 88 |
| Dalhousie University | 90 |
| Simon Fraser University | 88 |
| University of Victoria | 90 |
| University of Saskatchewan | 86 |
| York University | 83 |
- Check out this detailed guide about studying in Canada and TOEFL Score Requirements for Top Universities in Canada.
Which Top UK Universities Accept TOEFL?
| University / Educational Institution Name | Minimum TOEFL Score Requirement |
|---|---|
| Name of University | Required TOEFL Score |
| University of Cambridge | 100 |
| University of Oxford | 100 |
| University College London | 92 |
| University of Manchester | 90 |
| Kings College London | 72 |
| Imperial College London | 82 |
| University of Leeds | 87 |
| University of Edinburgh | 100 |
| Durham University | 92 |
| Warwick University | 92 |
| London School of Economics | 107 |
| University of Birmingham | 80 |
| Lancaster University | 87 |
| University of Glasgow | 100 |
| Newcastle University | 100 |
- Check out this detailed guide about studying in Canada and TOEFL Score Requirements for Top Universities in the UK.
Which Top Australian Universities Accept TOEFL?
| University / Educational Institution Name | Minimum TOEFL Score Requirement |
|---|---|
| The Australian National University | 80 |
| The University of Melbourne | 79 |
| The University of Sydney | 96 |
| The University of New South Wales | 72 |
| The University of Queensland | 87 |
| Monash University | 79 |
| The University of Western Australia | 82 |
| The University of Adelaide | 79 |
| University of Technology Sydney | 79-93 |
| University of Wollongong | 86 |
| Curtin University | 79 |
| The University of Newcastle, Australia | 64-78 |
| Macquarie University | 66 |
| Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology | 60 |
| Queensland University of Technology | 87 |
What TOEFL Scholarships are Available for Students?
TOEFL Scholarships are awarded to candidates in the form of 14 grants and awards every year. The ETS and TOEFL Board Sponsors give TOEFL scholarships to foreign or Second-Language research, teaching or assessment, and international higher education.
Universities usually offer these scholarships, educational institutions, and private funding bodies to help recipients accomplish their objectives and contribute to broader knowledge in the education community.
A minimum TOEFL score of 84 is considered an excellent score to be eligible for these scholarships. The higher the score, the better the chances for the candidate to obtain the TOEFL scholarships.
There are different TOEFL scholarship categories. The categories offered by the ETS include:
1. TOEFL Research Grants
- The ETS gives several research grants to students pursuing doctorate degrees and educators who work in the English language testing discipline.
- Ten grants of about $2,000 are awarded each year to promising doctoral students researching foreign language assessment, such as the TOEFL.
- The English-language Researcher/Practitioner Grant Program offers $5,000 to $10,000 to help English language teachers interact directly with English learners in classrooms with opportunities to conduct and collaborate in TOEFL research.
- The TOEFL TOEFL Committee of Examiners Research Program gives an award sometimes up to $100,000 to support educators conducting research related to the TOEFL iBT and TOEFL ITP assessment series.
2. TOEFL Young Students Services (YSS) Research Grants
- The TOEFL YSS offers research grants of up to $50,000 to education experts venturing into research in English language learning, mainly the TOEFL Primary and TOEFL Junior assessment tests.
- The YSS also offers smaller research grants of about $5,000 to graduate students researching the same discipline.
3. TOEFL Awards (Application)
- Students pursuing doctoral degrees can apply for an award of $2,500 from the Jacqueline Ross TOEFL Dissertation fund.
- The award appreciates research that contributes to knowledge on foreign language testing, such as the TOEFL.
- The successful candidate gets an all-expense-paid trip to attend the award ceremony.
4. TOEFL Awards (Nomination)
- The Samuel J. Messick Memorial Lecture Award is strictly by nomination.
- A committee selects the recipient for their substantial assistance in developing foreign language testing practices and is invited to present at the annual meeting of the International Language Testing Association (ILTA) and the Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC).
- The award also has a cash value of $1,000.
5. TESOL Award
- Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) is a global education body offering grants to its members every year.
- TESOL presently has 17 programs giving over 60 scholarships for students and professionals in the English as a Foreign Language field.
Additional FAQs
Do All Universities Accept TOEFL?
Over 11,000 universities around the world widely accept TOEFL. Even with this, TOEFL is not accepted by all universities.
Some universities in the US, Europe, and countries that do not have the English language as their medium of learning do not accept TOEFL scores as they have no use for it.
It is best to visit the official TOEFL search destination website to check if the university you intend to apply to accepts TOEFL.
Do Universities Accept TOEFL MyBest Scores?
Yes, but it depends on each university. We recommend that you contact each university to find out if they accept the TOEFL MyBest scores.
MyBest scores refer to the highest scores on each of the four sections, i.e., Listening, Speaking, Writing, and Reading.
Recently, universities have been more open to accepting MyBest scores. A list of these universities can be found on the official TOEFL website.
In Which Countries Is TOEFL Accepted?
TOEFL is widely accepted in over 150 countries, including all English-speaking countries and even some non-English-speaking ones.
Some of these countries accept TOEFL for educational and immigration purposes, while some accept it for strictly educational purposes.
Some countries where TOEFL is popularly accepted include the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.
Is TOEFL Accepted In Universities In The US?
Various universities across the US accept TOEFL scores.
Having a TOEFL test score is a major eligibility requirement to get into universities in the US for international students. This requirement applies to candidates who intend to further their studies in the US at both undergraduate and graduate degree levels.
Additional Reading — TOEFL Scores
