TOEFL vs IELTS: Which English Test Should You Actually Take?

What TOEFL and IELTS Actually Test

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and IELTS (International English Language Testing System) are the two dominant standardized English proficiency tests used by universities, employers, and immigration authorities worldwide. Both tests measure listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills in academic and general contexts. TOEFL is owned by Educational Testing Service (ETS), the same organization that administers the SAT and GRE. IELTS is owned jointly by the British Council, IDP Education, and Cambridge Assessment English. The competing ownership has shaped how each test evolved and how they are accepted across different countries and institutions.

Roughly 1.7 million people take TOEFL globally each year, while IELTS administers around 3.5 million tests annually. The geographic distribution differs. TOEFL tends to be more popular with test takers targeting North American universities, while IELTS dominates with candidates targeting U.K., Australian, Canadian, and Commonwealth-affiliated institutions. Most universities now accept both tests interchangeably, but specific score thresholds and acceptance policies vary by institution and program. Always check the specific test acceptance and required scores at your target schools before deciding which test to take. Our TOEFL practice test covers TOEFL content.

The Duolingo English Test has emerged as a third option for some university admissions, particularly during the COVID era when many test centers closed temporarily. Duolingo is far cheaper at around 65 dollars per attempt and runs entirely online with adaptive testing. Acceptance has grown but remains less universal than TOEFL or IELTS. Top-tier universities sometimes still require TOEFL or IELTS for graduate program admissions even when accepting Duolingo for undergraduate applicants. The test landscape continues evolving and candidates should research current acceptance policies at each target institution carefully.

Test Format Differences

TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based Test) runs roughly 2 hours total testing time across listening, reading, speaking, and writing sections. The exam is taken entirely on a computer at an authorized testing center or at home through the TOEFL iBT Home Edition with online proctoring. All speaking responses are recorded through a microphone and evaluated by both AI scoring systems and human raters. The writing portion is typed directly into the test interface. The all-digital format suits candidates comfortable with computer-based testing and provides consistent test conditions across all administrations worldwide.

IELTS offers two test types: Academic IELTS for university admissions and General Training IELTS for immigration and employment purposes. The Academic and General versions share the listening and speaking sections but differ in reading and writing content. IELTS speaking is a face-to-face conversation with a human examiner that lasts 11 to 14 minutes.

The personal interaction makes IELTS speaking feel more like a real conversation than the recorded responses TOEFL uses. The trade-off is that IELTS examiner variability sometimes affects scoring, though IELTS uses multiple safeguards including audio recording and second-rater review for borderline cases. Our TOEFL practice test PDF covers exam preparation in detail.

Computer delivered IELTS has grown rapidly since launching in 2017. The computer version offers the same content as paper-based IELTS but with several practical advantages including faster score delivery (3 to 5 days versus 13 days for paper), more frequent test dates, and shorter overall sessions because of more efficient logistics at testing centers. The computer-based version uses headphones for listening rather than communal speakers, which reduces audio distraction from other candidates and noise from the testing room environment.

Scoring Systems Compared

TOEFL iBT scoring runs 0 to 30 for each of the four sections (listening, reading, speaking, writing), with a total score range of 0 to 120 across the full test. Universities typically require total scores of 80 to 100 plus for undergraduate admission and 100 to 110 plus for competitive graduate programs. Some sections have specific minimum requirements separate from the total score. Many U.S. universities require a minimum 22 in the speaking section regardless of overall total because conversational English matters for classroom participation across academic programs.

IELTS uses a band scale from 0 to 9 for each section and an overall band score that averages the four sections. Universities typically require band scores of 6.0 to 6.5 for undergraduate admission and 6.5 to 7.5 for graduate programs at competitive institutions. Some programs require minimum bands in specific sections separate from the overall average.

Medical, dental, and pharmacy programs often require 7.0 or higher in all four sections because of patient safety considerations during clinical training. The band scale has its own peculiarities including the use of half-bands (6.5 versus 7.0) that produce more granular differentiation than the TOEFL 30-point section scale at the margins.

Score conversion tables between TOEFL and IELTS exist but should be treated as approximate. A TOEFL 100 is commonly cited as roughly equivalent to IELTS 7.0, but the actual conversion varies by university and section. Universities publish their own equivalence tables that sometimes differ from publicly available conversion charts. The conversions tend to be more reliable at certain score ranges than others. The 100 to 7.0 equivalence at the competitive graduate level is reasonably stable across most institutions. Conversions at extreme ranges (very high or very low scores) tend to be less consistent across schools.

Which Universities Accept Each Test

The good news is that most universities now accept both TOEFL and IELTS interchangeably, with specific equivalent score thresholds published in their admissions materials. U.S. universities historically preferred TOEFL because of the ETS American-English connection but now widely accept IELTS at equivalent score levels. U.K. universities historically preferred IELTS but now widely accept TOEFL. The historical preferences have largely faded across most institutions, though certain specific programs may still prefer one test over the other based on faculty preferences or accreditation requirements specific to that program type.

The remaining differences in acceptance show up at the edges. Some smaller U.S. universities still only accept TOEFL despite the broader trend toward dual acceptance. Some specialized U.K. programs prefer IELTS at specific minimum band requirements that TOEFL conversions cannot satisfy precisely. Some Canadian institutions prefer IELTS because of the IELTS connection to Canadian Language Benchmark categories used in immigration.

Australian universities almost uniformly accept both tests now. Always verify with each specific target school before deciding which test to take, especially for borderline acceptance scenarios where small score differences could affect admission decisions. Our TOEFL exam cost guide covers fees in detail.

European universities accept both tests widely, with specific score thresholds varying by country and language of instruction. Universities in Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia teaching in English typically accept both tests at standard score thresholds. Some Italian and Spanish universities prefer IELTS because of European testing tradition alignment. Asian universities teaching in English typically accept both tests. Always check specific country and university policies because acceptance can shift over time as institutions update their policies based on test format changes and accreditation requirements.

Immigration Uses of TOEFL and IELTS

Immigration acceptance is where the two tests diverge significantly. IELTS is far more widely accepted by immigration authorities. The UK Home Office, Canadian IRCC, Australian Department of Home Affairs, and New Zealand Immigration all accept IELTS for visa applications. Canadian Express Entry maps IELTS scores directly to Canadian Language Benchmark levels that determine point eligibility. Australian skilled migration uses specific IELTS bands to qualify applicants for specific visa categories. UK visa categories have specific minimum IELTS scores depending on visa type.

TOEFL acceptance for immigration is much narrower. Some Canadian visa categories accept TOEFL through specific conversion tables, but the acceptance is less universal. UK Home Office historically did not accept TOEFL for visa purposes, though policy has shifted over time. Australian immigration generally does not accept TOEFL. The practical implication is that candidates targeting both university admission and eventual immigration to the same country often prefer IELTS because it covers both needs from a single test administration. Taking TOEFL plus IELTS separately is possible but doubles the testing cost and time commitment for the candidate.

Some immigration categories accept additional tests beyond TOEFL and IELTS. Canadian Express Entry accepts CELPIP for English and TEF for French. UK visas accept some specific approved tests beyond IELTS for certain visa categories. Australian immigration accepts PTE Academic alongside IELTS. Researching the full list of accepted tests for your specific visa category sometimes reveals options that fit your strengths better than the dominant TOEFL or IELTS choice. The wider set of options expands strategy possibilities for candidates seeking both educational and immigration goals.

Cost and Logistics

TOEFL iBT costs between 185 and 235 dollars depending on the test location. The exam can be taken at authorized test centers or through TOEFL iBT Home Edition with online proctoring at no additional cost. Score reports are sent to four universities free as part of the registration. Additional score reports cost about 25 dollars each. The total cost including additional score sends for typical candidates targeting 5 to 6 universities runs roughly 215 to 285 dollars total. ETS offers fee waivers for eligible candidates from low-income backgrounds based on documented financial need.

IELTS costs vary more by region but typically run 200 to 300 dollars. The exam is taken at IELTS test centers (no widely available home version exists for academic IELTS). Most centers offer paper-based and computer-based testing options at the same fee. Score reports are sent to five recipients free, with additional reports available at modest cost.

The IELTS for UKVI version specifically for UK visas costs slightly more than standard IELTS due to additional security requirements. Both tests offer fee assistance programs for candidates with demonstrated financial need, though the specific eligibility criteria and application processes differ between the two testing organizations and their regional partners.

Hidden costs beyond the basic exam fee can add up. Some test takers pay for prep materials and courses costing 100 to 800 dollars on top of the exam fee. Travel costs to reach approved test centers in major metropolitan areas can be significant for candidates in rural areas without nearby centers. Retake fees if you do not achieve target scores on the first attempt add another 185 to 300 dollars per attempt. Plan a total budget for English testing that includes the exam plus retake possibility plus prep materials rather than just the headline test fee alone.

Preparing for Either Test

Preparation strategies differ slightly between TOEFL and IELTS because of format differences. TOEFL preparation focuses heavily on academic English vocabulary, integrated speaking and writing tasks that combine listening with response composition, and adapting to the all-digital test interface. Strong preparation includes 60 to 100 hours of focused study across 6 to 12 weeks for candidates targeting competitive university scores. ETS publishes official practice tests that mirror the actual exam format closely. Third-party preparation programs from Magoosh, Kaplan, and Princeton Review supplement official materials with additional question banks and structured curriculum.

IELTS preparation includes practice with the face-to-face speaking interview format, which TOEFL preparation does not require. Many candidates benefit from practice interviews with native English speakers who can simulate the IELTS examiner role. The British Council and IDP Education publish official IELTS practice materials.

Numerous third-party preparation programs from Magoosh, ELT, and Cambridge English supplement official materials. Both tests reward consistent practice across all four skill areas rather than concentrated focus on a single section. Listening and reading often respond more quickly to focused prep than speaking and writing, which require longer time to develop. Our TOEFL practice test PDF covers prep strategies.

Self-discipline matters enormously in test preparation. Both tests reward consistent daily practice across all four skill areas across the prep period. Cramming concentrated study into the final weeks before testing produces worse results than steady daily practice over 6 to 12 weeks. Many candidates benefit from setting specific daily targets like 30 minutes of listening practice, 30 minutes of reading practice, 20 minutes of writing practice, and 20 minutes of speaking practice. The breakdown ensures balanced preparation rather than overemphasis on stronger areas at the expense of weaker ones.

Common Mistakes When Choosing Between Tests

The most common mistake is choosing based on which test is easier rather than which test fits your goals best. Neither test is inherently easier than the other for all candidates. Personal preferences about test format, speaking interview style, and English variety (American versus British) influence which test feels easier for specific individuals. The right test is the one that gives you the best chance to reach your target schools and immigration goals rather than the one that feels easier in initial practice tests. Take a full practice test for both before deciding to assess natural fit objectively.

Another common mistake is taking the wrong version of IELTS for your goals. IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training have different reading and writing sections. Most university applications require Academic IELTS. Most immigration applications require General Training IELTS (or sometimes Academic, depending on the specific visa category). Taking the wrong version can mean retaking the test entirely, which costs another 200 to 300 dollars and 6 to 8 weeks of additional testing time. Verify which IELTS version your specific application requires before scheduling the test rather than assuming Academic is appropriate for all situations.

Underestimating the importance of speaking and writing sections is another common mistake. Many candidates focus heavily on listening and reading because those sections feel more measurable through practice tests with right or wrong answers. Speaking and writing have more subjective scoring and feel less easily improved. But these sections typically determine whether candidates hit competitive university thresholds. Investing equal or greater time in speaking and writing preparation produces better overall outcomes than concentrating prep on listening and reading at the expense of the more difficult productive language skills.