In the continuous effort to improve the TOEFL iBT experience for candidates, the Educational Testing Service (ETS) has announced some key updates including shorter exam time, simplified registration, more payment options and better score transparency. All the latest enhancements of the test came into effect on 26 July 2023. The best of all the revised regulations is that the test will now take only 2 hours (instead of 3) to complete, making it the shortest of the three most popular English proficiency tests.
| TOEFL iBT Test Structure*
(Here’s what to expect for TOEFL iBT tests from now onwards.) |
||
| Section | No. of Questions | Estimated Timing |
| Reading | 20 questions | 35 minutes |
| Listening | 28 questions | 36 minutes |
| Speaking | 4 tasks | 16 minutes |
| Writing | 2 tasks | 29 minutes |
| Total Time | Under 2 hours | |
*Does not apply to the TOEFL iBT Paper Edition test.
The TOEFL iBT test is one of the oldest English language proficiency tests, introduced in 1964. It was introduced to measure the test taker’s ability to combine reading, listening, writing and speaking skills where it matters the most – in the classroom. It gives institutions access to millions of students who have proven their ability to succeed in an English-speaking academic environment.
Speaking on the latest enhancements of the TOEFL iBT test, the CEO of ETS, Mr. Amit Sevak, said, “ETS is driving the future of assessment through product innovations across education and learning, and TOEFL is core to that effort. TOEFL has been an industry standard for nearly six decades, and these enhancements further underscore its position. Most importantly, these enhancements were developed through the lens of our customers and stakeholders — because they are our highest priority to serve.”
Now, as per the revised guidelines, the test takers experience:
- streamlined instructions & navigation
- a shortened Reading section with only two reading passages & 10 questions each
- a more concise and modern Writing task that replaces the current Independent Writing task
- removal of all unscored test questions
Continuing with the announcement made by Mr. Sevak, it was further mentioned that a simplified registration process has been made available to candidates and the test takers can see their official score release date upon completion of their test, in addition to receiving real-time notifications of changes in their score status. A dedicated customer service centre has also been set up exclusively for Indian candidates and is made available 12 hours a day, throughout the week.
Moreover, for the first time ever, the test fees can now be paid in Indian rupees. In addition to the widely used global credit cards, test takers enjoy convenient local payment options such as locally issued credit and debit cards, digital wallets and net banking. For the first time, test prices are presented in the cart in INR.
