TOEFL iBT vs. TOEFL ITP: What Is The Difference?

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is a highly regarded and trusted standardized language proficiency exam. It is preferred and accepted by many academic institutions worldwide as part of their admission requirements and is also widely used for migration purposes, student visas, and others.

This language exam is also accepted in the following countries: the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Asian English- speaking countries, and other parts of the world wherein the English language is spoken by most people. 

Since the TOEFL exam is an in-demand language test, they have provided various exam formats to cater to its test-takers different needs, to provide them with convenience and choices. They have the TOEFL iBT, TOEFL ITP, TOEFL Home Edition, TOEFL Essentials and more. 

Given the numerous types of TOEFL exams you can choose from, we will focus on this article, the TOEFL iBT and TOEFL ITP.

These two language exams assess your English language skills and measure your abilities in using a higher level of formal English in communication. 

We will compare the TOEFL iBT and the TOEFL ITP and find out their differences. Many test-takers have second thoughts about whether the TOEFL ITP is valid and accepted by universities and colleges. 

• Is the TOEFL ITP and TOEFL iBT have the same exam structures?
• Which one is easier or more challenging?
• Do the TOEFL ITP and TOEFL iBT in exam form and contents?
• Or is the TOEFL iBT more reliable than the TOEFL ITP?
• Are they administered in the same manner or not?

To learn more about these two TOEFL exams, we will compare their test sections, structure, pricing, exam length, and other key features. 

What is TOEFL iBT?

The TOEFL iBT is an internet-based language proficiency exam offered in any designated TOEFL testing center available in your location. It contains four test sections that evaluate the different English language skills such as reading, listening, speaking, and writing. 

Moreover, the TOEFL iBT is considered one of the sought-after language proficiency exams available.

The TOEFL iBT covers a high level of formal English terms and contexts in its test sections which are perfect for those students who want to enroll in universities and colleges and those who wish to obtain their language proficiency certification.

It is also globally recognized and trusted by thousands of universities and colleges worldwide to provide a reliable and accurate language proficiency certification for their applicants.

The TOEFL iBT is also known to assess the test taker’s English integrated English skills at an advanced level. 

Aside from being used in academic institutions, many multinational organizations and companies also accept the TOEFL iBT test results, usually used for recruitment and application. 

Since then, many test-takers have preferred and considered the TOEFL iBT to provide a valid and 100% accurate language proficiency assessment. 

What is TOEFL ITP?

The TOEFL ITP, also known as TOEFL® Institutional Testing Program (ITP) Assessment Series, is another language proficiency exam under the TOEFL.

In addition, this exam is a language assessment series that is made for educational institutions such as universities and colleges, organizations and centers that offer English language programs, and more. 

It provides a fast, valid, affordable, and convenient assessment of English language abilities and students’ performance in using the language in an academic setting.

And also, there are two TOEFL ITP formats that the institution can use, including the digital and paper-based formats. 

The TOEFL ITP is also conducted over 70,000 times per year in different universities, colleges, and language centers worldwide. 

There are over 2,500 educational institutions that use the TOEFL ITP to check their students’ English language development. And also, there are over 50 countries worldwide that administer this language exam. 

Moreover, the TOEFL ITP has two levels (Level 1 and Level 2) and speaking tests that are offered to its test-takers.

These different exam levels are used for placement, monitoring of language development, evaluation, exit testing, and other scenarios where the test is needed or required. 

For example, the TOEFL ITP can be used to assess the improvement of an individual, especially those who are taking English language courses, admission requirements for short-term courses, non-degree programs, and more. 

The TOEFL ITP also assesses the primary English language skills, including speaking, listening comprehension, reading comprehension, structure, and written expression.

Any educational institution can conduct it on-site and all year round, depending on the situation or when needed.

Exam Fees: TOEFL iBT vs. TOEFL ITP

The TOEFL exam is known to deliver quality language assessments at an affordable rate.

For example, the TOEFL iBT standard price is around USD 185 to USD 195. But these standard fees may change depending on your location or country of origin where you will take the exam.

On the other hand, the TOEFL ITP is also affordable.

For example, those universities and colleges that want to purchase the tests are given special pricing depending on the number of tests they need. 

And just like any other TOEFL exam, the TOEFL ITP fee also differs in pricing per exam language center and country.

Note that the TOEFL ITP is administered by academic institutions, language centers, and other organizations, and this is where you can take the exam.

It is best to contact your university, college, or institution for the TOEFL ITP fee.

Exam Structure: TOEFL iBT vs. TOEFL ITP

The TOEFL iBT exam that uses formal and university-level English terms. This English language proficiency exam is widely accepted and recognized by various institutions. Thus, making the exam more challenging for most of its test-takers. 

Moreover, this internet-based format of the TOEFL exam consists of four test sections specifically designed for assessing the English primary language skills, including writing, listening, speaking, and reading. 

You can check Table 1 below, which presents the different test sections, the number of test questions in each, and the duration of the TOEFL iBT, which will last three to four hours.

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And as for the TOEFL ITP exam structure is different from the TOEFL iBT. It consists of two levels that measure the academic and social language abilities of an individual. 

These two levels are composed of three test sections: listening comprehension, reading comprehension, and structure and written expression.

And as for the duration,  TOEFL ITP Level 1 lasts for approximately 2 hours, while TOEFL ITP Level 2 testing time is around one hour and 10 minutes. 

In addition, the TOEFL ITP also has a separate speaking test which consists of four tasks: 1 read aloud task, two independent speaking tasks, and one integrated speaking task.

However, the speaking test section is only available with the digital version of the TOEFL ITP. 

You can check Tables 2 and 3 for the different test sections, the number of test questions you need to answer, and the duration for each. 

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In comparison, the TOEFL iBT, and TOEFL ITP both differ in their exam structure and duration. The TOEFL iBT has four test sections: Writing, Reading, Listening, and a Speaking test section.

While the TOEFL ITP has three distinct test sections, including listening comprehension, structure and written expression, and reading comprehension. 

But for the TOEFL ITP, you can take a speaking test section with the digital or the internet-based format of the TOEFL ITP either in Level 1 or Level 2.

Moreover, both of these TOEFL exams have different numbers of test questions and the given timeframe for each. 

You can check Table 4 for a complete comparison of the TOEFL iBT and TOEFL ITP in terms of their exam structures. 

Table 4. TOEFL iBT Test Sections vs. TOEFL ITP Test Sections

Exam Test Sections	TOEFL iBT Duration and Number of Test Questions	TOEFL ITP Level 1 and 2 Duration and Number of Test Questions
Reading (Comprehension) Test Section	54 to 72 minutes 30 to 40 test questions	TOEFL ITP Level 1: 55 minutes 50 test questions TOEFL ITP Level 2: 31 minutes 40  test questions
Listening (Comprehension) Test Section	41 to 57 minutes 28 to 39 test questions	TOEFL ITP Level 1: 35 minutes 50 test questions TOEFL ITP Level 2: 22 minutes 30 test questions
Speaking Test Section	17 minutes Four Speaking Tasks	Available in the digital TOEFL ITP Format: 15 minutes Four Speaking Tasks
Writing Test Section	50 minutes Two Writing Tasks	None(utilizes another test section)
Structure and Written Expression	None	TOEFL ITP Level 1: 25 minutes 40 test questions TOEFL ITP Level 2: 25 test questions 17 minutes

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In the table below, we have provided a general comparison of the different exam structures for the TOEFL iBT and TOEFL ITP. 

Note that these two language exams’ test score validity is good for two years.

Check Table 5  for a more comprehensive detail of the comparison between the TOEFL iBT and TOEFL ITP. 

Table 5. General Exam Structure Comparison: TOEFL iBT Exam vs. TOEFL ITP 

Exam Structure	TOEFL iBT	TOEFL ITP
Test Duration	Lasts 3 to 4 hours with an additional  30-minute check-in time	TOEFL ITP Level 1: Approximately two hours TOEFL ITP Level 2: Approximately 1 Hour and 12 minutes
Test Version	None	None
Test Delivery Mode	Internet-based Test	Digital/Internet-based Test Format Paper-based Test Format
Test Content	Utilizes  Highly Academic-Based Exam Contexts	Utilizes both academic-based and social-based exam contexts
English Skills that are assessed / Test Structure	Four Test Sections/Structure:  Reading Writing Listening  Speaking	Three Test Sections/Structure:  Reading Listening  Structure and Written Expression Accessible only in the digital TOEFL ITP format (either Level 1 or Level 2): Speaking Test Section
Test Scores Availability	Available ten days after the test date	Available six to ten days after the test date
Test Scores Validity	Two years	Two years

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Exam Frequency: TOEFL iBT vs. TOEFL ITP

The TOEFL iBT have over 60 test schedules offered per year across the different testing centers worldwide.

And as for the TOEFL ITP, it can be offered any time or scheduled randomly depending on the need or situation. 

In addition, universities, colleges, and other institutions will administer the TOEFL ITP without following a specific or prescheduled test date compared to the TOEFL iBT that already have fixed test dates for their exam. 

Note that these educational institutions may differ in their exam schedules for the TOEFL ITP.

Check the table below for a comprehensive detail regarding the comparison of the TOEFL iBT vs. TOEFL ITP exam frequencies. 

Scoring Difference: TOEFL iBT vs. TOEFL ITP

Both the TOEFL iBT and TOEFL ITP exams are scored using the latest and innovative AI and centralized scoring system of the TOEFL. 

For example, in the TOEFL ITP exam, the different test sections are scored and converted to scaled scores. 

The TOEFL iBT uses a scoring system of 120 to 0 while the TOEFL ITP scores each test section based on the number of correctly answered questions.

And these will be converted to scoring scale points of 31 up to 68 for the TOEFL ITP Level 1. 

On the other hand, the TOEFL ITP Level 2 scoring scale points are 20 to 50 per test section.

After that, all the scaled scores are added and multiplied by ten, divided by 3. The TOEFL ITP Level 1 overall score ranges from 310 to 677 points, and for the TOEFL ITP Level 2, it ranges from 200 to 500 points. 

In addition, the TOEFL ITP scores are only obtained from the administering university, college, or language centers where you have taken it. 

And if, in some cases, you need an official TOEFL score that will be used for any academic admission, it is suggested to take the TOEFL iBT rather than the TOEFL ITP. 

Test Requirements: TOEFL iBT vs. TOEFL ITP

The ETS highly advised that the TOEFL iBT test-takers must at least be 17 years old or are 11th graders already.

The exam contents in the TOEFL iBT are complicated and suited for the said ages since it contains high-level English language terms and contexts. 

However, parental consent is needed if the test-takers are below the recommended age. And as for the TOEFL ITP, it does not have any minimum age requirement since the test is designed for students. 

In addition, the TOEFL iBT and TOEFL ITP significantly differ in terms of their registration process.

For example, universities and colleges offer the TOEFL ITP, so you must check in with them if they have the said exam. 

And for the TOEFL iBT, you can easily register for it by creating an ETS account on their official website and following the instructions given there. 

You can check the table below for the different test requirements for TOEFL iBT and TOEFL ITP language exams. 

Which Is Easier: TOEFL iBT or TOEFL ITP?

The TOEFL iBT is a language proficiency exam that is highly academic when it comes to its test contents. It uses high-level English language terms in its test questions that is why it is highly regarded as a challenging language exam by its test-takers. 

On the contrary, the TOEFL ITP equally uses academically based contexts and also social-based contexts in its test contents.

Moreover, this language exam is designed to evaluate test-takers, such as students, in terms of their language development and pinpoint which areas need more improvement. 

Ideally, we cannot compare the level of difficulty of these two TOEFL exams since they are different types of language exams and significantly differ in their purpose.

But, based on their exam contents and structure, the TOEFL iBT is much more complex compared to the TOEFL ITP. 

Test Recognition: TOEFL iBT vs. TOEFL ITP

The TOEFL exam is a widely used and highly respected English language proficiency exam globally.

In addition, they are also known to provide quality and reliable language assessment and English language proficiency certification. 

Since both the TOEFL iBT and TOEFL ITP are products of the TOEFL test series, these two language exams are also trusted and recognized by different institutions worldwide.

For example, the TOEFL iBT is entirely accepted in all the universities and colleges in the United Kingdom and other educational institutions in different countries. 

And also, the TOEFL ITP is used by more than 2,500 universities and colleges in various countries around the world to determine their students’ English language abilities and development. 

With these given facts, you can assure that the TOEFL exams, including the TOEFL iBT and TOEFL ITP, are highly acknowledged and world-renowned language proficiency exams. 

Comparison Table Summary: TOEFL iBT vs. TOEFL ITP

The TOEFL iBT and TOEFL ITP significantly differ in their purpose even if they are both TOEFL exams.

For example, the TOEFL ITP is designed to evaluate whether the student’s English language development has improved. It is also used for placement purposes and course advancement.

On the other hand, the TOEFL iBT is a well-known and highly accepted language proficiency exam that assesses the different English language skills, not limited only to student test-takers. 

The TOEFL ITP is only used within academic institutions for tracking their students’ language development. That is why it is not accepted by government agencies such as migration offices. 

It is not recommended for admission requirements, migration purposes, and other intentions, unlike the TOEFL iBT, which is generally used for admission requirements to universities and colleges, visa applications, and more.

Aside from their differences in their exam purpose, the TOEFL iBT and TOEFL ITP also differ in terms of exam structure.

For example, the TOEFL iBT has four test sections intended to measure the four language skills, while the TOEFL ITP has three test sections with separate speaking test sections. 

Moreover, both of these TOEFL exams also have a significant difference in their pricing, mode of delivery, scoring scales, and more.

Generally, the TOEFL iBT and TOEFL ITP are two different language proficiency exams that evaluate an individual’s English language skills. 

Additional FAQs – TOEFL iBT vs TOEFL ITP