What is the TOEFL?

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) measures the ability of nonnative speakers of English to use and understand English as it is spoken, written, and heard in college and university settings.
TOEFL scores are accepted by more than 6,000 colleges, universities, and licensing agencies in 110 countries. Every test center is open to everyone who is properly registered, regardless of race, color, creed, or national origin (subject to U.S. sanctions programs and embargoes).
TOEFL Web site at www.ets.org/toefl

Educational Testing Service (ETS) administers the tests under the general direction of a board that was established by, and is affiliated with, the College Board and the Graduate Record Examinations Board.

Test Content

After September 30, 2006, TOEFL CBT will no longer be offered. The TOEFL program is the Internet-based version of the TOEFL test - TOEFL iBT. In areas where TOEFL iBT is not yet available, the paper-based version of the TOEFL test will be offered to continue to provide access for TOEFL test takers in these areas.

Internet-based Test

The TOEFL® Internet-based test emphasizes integrated skills and measures all four language skills, including speaking. The content on the test is authentic, and the language is consistent with that used in everyday, real academic settings.

The test has four sections

1. Reading measures the ability to understand academic reading matter.
2. Listening measures the ability to understand English as it is used in colleges and universities.
3. Speaking measures the ability to speak English.
4. Writing measures the ability to write in a way that is appropriate for college and university course work.

Test content is based on a “corpus,” or database, of spoken and written language that currently contains more than 2.7 million words, collected from educational institutions throughout the United States. The spoken language in the database was collected from

• Lectures and Interactive Classes
• Labs
• Office Hours
• Study Groups
• Everyday Service Interactions (for example, at the bookstore or registrar's office)

The written language was collected from sources, such as textbooks and course materials. Listening and reading texts in the test conform to the characteristics of the language in the database.

Paper-based Test

The paper-based TOEFL test has three sections plus a 30-minute writing test (the Test of Written English) that is required of everyone who takes the paper-based test.

• Listening Comprehension measures the ability to understand English as it is spoken in North America.
• Structure and Language measures the ability to recognize language that is appropriate for standard written English.
• Reading Comprehension measures the ability to understand non-technical reading matter

There is no scheduled break during the paper-based test.

Test Centers

The TOEFL test is offered in different formats depending on your location.
Paper Based TOEFL: Banglore, Hyderabad, Trivendrum
Internet Based: Ahmedabad; Allahabad; Bangalore; Calcutta; Chennai; Cochin; Coimbatore; Dehradun; Greater Noida; Gurgaon; Hyderabad; Indore; Jaipur; Kurukeshetra; Mumbai; Nagpur; New Delhi; Panji; Pune; Ranchi; Secunderabad; Surat; Trivandrum; Vadodara; Visakhapatnam.

Eligibility

Anybody can appear for the TOEFL, as there are no restrictions on applicant age or qualifications. The validity period of TOEFL Scores is two years.

How to Apply

Internet-Based Testing (iBT) -The TOEFL test is offered in Internet-Based Testing (iBT) format at an authorized ETS test center in your chosen location. The TOEFL iBT test fee is US$150. S

You must bring the proper identification (ID) documents with you on test day. Without the required documents, you may not be admitted to the test, and your test fee will be forfeited.

Paper-Based Testing (PBT)

The TOEFL test is offered in Paper-Based Testing (PBT) format at an authorized ETS test center in your chosen location. The TOEFL PBT test fee is US$140.

HOW LONG ARE SCORES VALID ?

• TOEFL scores are valid for two years. Because language proficiency can change considerably in a relatively short period of time, scores more than two years old cannot be reported or verified.
• If you took the TOEFL test more than two years ago and need to submit scores to an agency or institution, you must take the test again to have your scores reported.