- Calculate the overall score from the section scores
- Relate a band score to CEFR levels and to the old 0–120 scale
- Know the rules for registration, retakes and sending scores
- Build your own 8-week study plan
Murad wants to apply to a university in Canada. Its website says: TOEFL iBT: overall 4.5, no section below 4. What does that mean, how much does he need in each section, and how should he plan his preparation? In this lesson you will learn the score system, the registration rules and a realistic study plan.
The 1–6 band scale
Since 21 January 2026 each section (Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking) is scored from 1 to 6 in half-band steps. The overall score is the average of the four section scores, rounded to the nearest half band. ETS's own examples: an average of 5.25 becomes an overall 5.5, and an average of 5.125 becomes 5.
- RReading score (1–6)
- LListening score (1–6)
- WWriting score (1–6)
- SSpeaking score (1–6)
The overall score is an average, not a sum.
| Band | CEFR | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | C2 | Understands virtually everything with ease |
| 5–5.5 | C1 | Understands complex academic texts and expresses ideas fluently and precisely |
| 4–4.5 | B2 | Speaks and writes clearly and in detail on many topics |
| 3–3.5 | B1 | Understands main ideas on familiar topics and produces simple connected text |
| 2–2.5 | A2 | Understands short, simple texts and expressions |
| 1–1.5 | A1 | Recognizes very basic words and phrases |
During a two-year transition period after January 2026, score reports also show a comparable overall score on the old 0–120 scale. For universities that still state their requirements on the old scale, ETS's mapping looks like this:
| Overall band (1–6) | Old total score (0–120), at least |
|---|---|
| 6 | 114+ |
| 5.5 | 107+ |
| 5 | 95+ |
| 4.5 | 86+ |
| 4 | 72+ |
| 3.5 | 58+ |
| 3 | 44+ |
MyBest scores and how long scores last
Scores are valid for 2 years from the test date. Your score report also includes MyBest scores: your highest score in each section from all valid TOEFL iBT results of the last 2 years; the MyBest overall score is the average of those best section scores. On a report for a test taken on the new scale, older 0–120 results are converted to the 1–6 scale in the MyBest part.
Registration: the rules that matter
- 1Create an ETS account
You register with an ETS account at
ets.org/toefl. Enter your name exactly as it appears on the ID you will show on test day. - 2Register in time
Regular online registration closes 7 full days before the test date; after that, express registration with an extra fee is possible until 2 days before. The test fee differs by country — check the official site.
- 3Choose your score recipients
The fee includes up to 4 free score reports. Add or change institutions until 10 p.m. (local test-center time) on the day before the test; after that each report costs extra.
- 4If you need to change the date
To reschedule or cancel, you need at least 4 full days before the test. If you cancel in time, you get 50% of the fee back.
- 5Results and retakes
Scores appear in your ETS account about 3 days after the test. You can retake the test as often as you like, but not more than once in any 3-day period.
An 8-week study plan
| Week | Focus | Every day |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Format and starting level | Do official samples with a timer, start an error log |
| 2–3 | Reading | 3 Complete the Words texts, 2 daily-life texts, 1 academic passage, 15 new words |
| 4–5 | Listening + Speaking | 20 minutes of listening with notes, 10 Listen and Repeat sentences, 2 recorded interview answers |
| 6 | Writing | 10 Build a Sentence items, 1 email (7 min), 1 Academic Discussion (10 min) |
| 7 | Full test simulation | All four sections in order without a break, then error analysis |
| 8 | Review and rest | Error log, flashcards, test-day plan |
Leyla's section scores: Reading 4.5, Listening 4, Writing 4, Speaking 3.5. Her university requires an overall 4.5 and at least 4 in every section.
a) What is Leyla's overall score?
b) What is the smallest change to her scores that meets the requirement?
Show solutionHide solution
b) First, Speaking must reach at least 4. Raising it to 4 gives a sum of 16.5: 16.5 ÷ 4 = 4.125 → still 4. An overall 4.5 needs a sum ≥ 17, so one more half band is needed. There are two ways: raise Speaking to 4.5 (sum 17 → 4.25 → 4.5), or raise Speaking to 4 and any other section by half a band (for example Writing 4.5: sum 17 → 4.5).
Key points
- Each section is 1–6 (in steps of 0.5); the overall score is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half band.
- 6 = C2, 5–5.5 = C1, 4–4.5 = B2, 3–3.5 = B1.
- For a target T, the four section scores must add up to at least 4T − 1 (17 for 4.5).
- Scores are valid for 2 years; MyBest combines your best section scores from the last 2 years.
- Up to 4 free reports; at least 4 full days to reschedule; only one test in any 3-day period.
Check yourself
10 questions. Every correct answer earns XP.