Since 1963, the TOEFL has been used by scholarship selection committees of governments, universities, and agencies such as Fulbright, the Agency for International Development, AMIDEAST, Latin American Scholarship Programs, and others as a standard measure of the English proficiency of their candidates. Some professional licensing and certification agencies also use TOEFL scores to evaluate English proficiency.
The admissions committees of more than 4,400 colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, and many other countries worldwide require foreign applicants to submit TOEFL scores along with transcripts and recommendations in order to be considered for admission. Many universities use TOEFL scores to fulfill the foreign language requirement for doctoral candidates whose first language is not English.
Which TOEFL testing programs are available now?
The official TOEFL examination is currently administered at test sites around the world in three different formats: the Paper-Based TOEFL (PBT), the Computer-Based TOEFL (CBT), and the Next Generation TOEFL. The language proficiency skills are tested on every format, but they are tested in different ways.
In addition to the official TOEFL administrations, some schools and agencies administer the institutional TOEFL for their students and employees. The institutional TOEFL is usually the Paper-Based format.
What is the Computer-Based TOEFL program?
The CBT is a computer-adaptive test that is offered as an official standard for language proficiency worldwide. The CBT is also called the Official TOEFL.
The Computer-Based TOEFL has four sections: Listening, Structure, Writing, and Reading. The Writing is equivalent to the Test of Written English (TWE) on the Paper-Based TOEFL. The CBT is an adaptive test, which means that everyone who takes the TOEFL during the same administration may not see and answer the same questions. The computer selects questions for you at your level of proficiency. There are three subscores-Listening, StructureNVriting, and Reading. The total score is based on a scale of 0-300.
What is the Paper-Based TOEFL?
The PBT is a pencil and paper test that is offered for two purposes. One purpose of the PBT is for placement and progress evaluations. Colleges or other institutions use the PBT to test their students. The scores are not valid outside the place where they are administered, but the college or institution accepts the PBT that they administer as an official score. This PBT is also called an Institutional TOEFL.
The other purpose of the PBT is to supplement the official Computer-Based TOEFL in areas where computer-based testing is not possible. The scores are usually valid outside the place where they are administered. This PBT is also called a Supplemental TOEFL.
The Paper-Based TOEFL has three sections: Listening Comprehension, Structure and Written Expression, and Reading. In addition, the TWE is a required essay that provides a writing score. The PBT is a linear test, which means that everyone who takes the TOEFL during the same administration will see and answer the same questions. The total score is based on a scale of 310-677.
What is the Next Generation TOEFL?
The Next Generation TOEFL is a computer-assisted test that will be introduced in September 2005 worldwide. The Next Generation TOEFL has four sections: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.
The Speaking Section was already introduced in 2003 as the TOEFL Academic Speaking Test (TAST)
and can be taken and scored without the other sections. On the four-part Next Generation TOEFL, most
of the questions are independent, but some of the questions are integrated. For example, you may be
asked to listen to a lecture or read a text and then speak about it or write a response. The total score will
probably be based on a scale of 0-100.
What is the lnstitutional TOEFL program?
More than 1,200 schools, colleges, universities, and private agencies administer the lnstitutional TOEFL. The lnstitutional TOEFL is the same length, format, and difficulty as the official Paper-Based TOEFL, but the dates and the purposes of the lnstitutional TOEFL are different from those of the official TOEFL.
The dates for the lnstitutional TOEFL usually correspond to the beginning of an academic session
on a college or university calendar. The lnstitutional TOEFL is used for admission, placement, eligibility,
or employment only at the school or agency that offers the test. If you plan to use your scores for a different
college, university, or agency, you should take one of the official TOEFL tests. For more information
about the lnstitutional TOEFL Program, contact the school or agency that administers the test.
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