Understanding TOEFL iBT Score Displays in 2026

This January, the TOEFL iBT team introduced a suite of updates to the exam, including faster score turnarounds, modernized topics and tasks, and a new score scale from 1 to 6, in increments of 0.5, for the four test sections and the total score.

We believe this better positions TOEFL iBT to offer a consistent, globally relevant, and fairly interpretable score scale for our core stakeholders – institutions seeking to admit students and professionals who speak English as a second language.

But we also know that any update requires consistent communication to ensure test takers and institutions are well informed.  Listed below are answers to some frequently asked questions we’ve heard from global test takers.

Through January 2028, every test taker will receive the updated 1-6 score format (total and section scores) and a comparable estimate of an overall score on the 0-120 scale on their official TOEFL iBT score report.

Universities are updating their websites, admissions pages, and internal materials at different speeds during this two-year transition window. That means one university may display an older 0-120 requirement, another may display a 1-6 requirement, and another may display both. This is expected during the transition period.

Over the next few months, we anticipate an acceleration in universities’ posting of updated 1- 6 scores. As always, to gain certainty, we recommend checking each individual school’s current TOEFL iBT score guidance.

No. The TOEFL iBT test continues to be accepted by 13,000+ institutions worldwide. If a university website only shows a 0-120 requirement, that does not mean TOEFL iBT acceptance has changed. It usually means the university is undergoing the process of updating their internal systems and public guidance.

No. TOEFL provides both formats automatically. Students should continue submitting their official TOEFL iBT scores as normal and follow the admissions guidance provided by each institution. To view comparison tables for section scores, see the TOEFL website.

Today, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), which offers a transparent, comprehensive language framework with six main proficiency levels from A1 to C2, has become the global standard for English teaching and assessment. 

In response, ETS researchers ensured that CEFR score mapping was directly integrated into the development of the 1 – 6 score scale, as opposed to treating it as a subsequent step, to better support interpretation of TOEFL scores in relation to the CEFR levels.

This direct integration has allowed us to draw a more intuitive alignment between TOEFL iBT scores and global norms, while also offering a clearer connection to students’ prior learning and assessment journeys, which are often guided by CEFR. 

As a result, students, teachers, and institutions can draw clearer parallels between prior English training and TOEFL iBT results, allowing our exam to mesh naturally with how English is taught and assessed in most global settings.

The score display evolved. Your opportunities didn’t. Whether a university shows 0-120, 1-6, or both, 13,000+ global institutions still accept the TOEFL iBT test. We recommend checking each institution’s public guidance for up-to-date score requirements.