TOEFL Exam 2025: All You Need to Know
TOEFL is the Test of English as a Foreign Language. It examines the English skills of a non-native speaker, usually in the context of advanced studies. ETS, or Educational Testing Service, issues the test, and many colleges and universities in the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia accept it.
For students to be successful in English-speaking countries, they need to excel academically and possess the requisite challenging skills of reading, listening, speaking, and writing for comprehension.
Key Details About TOEFL
- TOEFL is authorized by ETS (Educational Testing Service)
- TOEFL is recognized by over 12,500 institutions worldwide, including top-ranking universities.
- ETS offers the TOEFL test in two formats: the Internet-based TOEFL iBT and the limited-availability TOEFL iBT Paper Edition.
- Tests are conducted mainly on computers.
- India’s test fee is 16,900 Rupees.
- The score is represented in a scaled score from 0-120.
- TOEFL tests are valid for 2 years.
- More Info: Official portal: ets.org/toefl
Eligibility for TOEFL 2025
Minimum Age
No minimum or maximum age specified
Academic Qualifications
No mandatory qualifications, but high school-level English is recommended
Nationality
Open to all nationalities
Other Notes
Generally taken by students applying to English-speaking universities
TOEFL Exam Syllabus
The TOEFL syllabus is designed to assess your ability to use and understand English at the university level across four sections:
The TOEFL Listening section includes lectures and conversations, with questions following the order of information presented. Each recording is played once and features a range of native English accents, including North American, British, Australian, and others.
- Format: 3 lectures + 2 conversations.
- Skills: Understanding tone, purpose, ideas, and details.
- Timing: Approx. 36 minutes.
The TOEFL Speaking section is conducted online and includes four tasks that assess your ability to express ideas clearly and speak effectively in academic settings.
- Format : 4 tasks (1 independent + 3 integrated).
- Skills : Clarity, fluency, grammar, and coherence in responses
- Timing : Approx. 16 minutes
The TOEFL Reading section is the same for all test takers and includes academic passages followed by multiple-choice and other question types that test comprehension, inference, and vocabulary skills.
- Format : 2 passages with 10 questions each.
- Skills : Main ideas, inferences, vocabulary, sentence insertion.
- Timing :35 minutes.
The TOEFL Writing section includes two tasks—one integrated and one independent—assessing academic writing skills.
- Format : 2 tasks (1 integrated, 1 Writing for an Academic Discussion)
- Skills : Structure, argument development, grammar, and vocabulary
- Timing : 29 minutes
Listening
The TOEFL Listening section includes lectures and conversations, with questions following the order of information presented. Each recording is played once and features a range of native English accents, including North American, British, Australian, and others.
- Format: 3 lectures + 2 conversations.
- Skills: Understanding tone, purpose, ideas, and details.
- Timing: Approx. 36 minutes.
Speaking
The TOEFL Speaking section is conducted online and includes four tasks that assess your ability to express ideas clearly and speak effectively in academic settings.
- Format : 4 tasks (1 independent + 3 integrated).
- Skills : Clarity, fluency, grammar, and coherence in responses
- Timing : Approx. 16 minutes
Reading
The TOEFL Reading section is the same for all test takers and includes academic passages followed by multiple-choice and other question types that test comprehension, inference, and vocabulary skills.
- Format : 2 passages with 10 questions each.
- Skills : Main ideas, inferences, vocabulary, sentence insertion.
- Timing :35 minutes.
Writing
The TOEFL Writing section includes two tasks—one integrated and one independent—assessing academic writing skills.
- Format : 2 tasks (1 integrated, 1 Writing for an Academic Discussion)
- Skills : Structure, argument development, grammar, and vocabulary
- Timing : 29 minutes
TOEFL Test Pattern
| Section | Tasks | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 2 Academic Passages | 20 Questions | 35 Minutes |
| Listening | Lectures & Conversations | 28 Questions | 36 Minutes |
| Speaking | 1 Independent, 3 Integrated | 4 Tasks | 16 Minutes |
| Writing | 1 Integrated, 1 Writing Academic Discussion | 2 Tasks | 29 Minutes |
Exam Fees For TOEFL 2025
The TOEFL exam fee can vary depending on the type of test you are taking. Below are the TOEFL fees for Indian students in 2025:
TOEFL iBT
₹16,900
Rescheduling
₹5,900
Score Report Dispatch
₹1,950 per report
TOEFL Registration Process
- Visit ets.org/toefl and create an ETS account
- Select your test date and location.
- Provide personal information.
- Choose your test type and format.
- Pay the registration fee.
- Download and print your confirmation
TOEFL Test Results
| Test Type | Result Timeline |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | 4–8 Days |
| TOEFL Paper | May vary |
How to Check Your Scores :
- Go to the official TOEFL website
- Log into your ETS account.
- Navigate to “View Scores”
- Your result will be available for download”
Please note: Universities require the official score report, not just the online preview.