TOEFL Eligibility 2024: Age Limit, Qualification, Docs & More (original) (raw)
Last Updated : 23 Jul, 2025
Planning to take the **TOEFL exam? Understanding the **TOEFL exam eligibility criteria is essential for non-native English speakers aiming to pursue higher studies abroad. Interestingly, the exam conducting authority, ETS (Educational Testing Service), does not specify strict eligibility criteria for the TOEFL examination. Generally, candidates who have completed their 10+2 level of education from an authorized board or institution are considered eligible to sit for the test.
This article delves into the detailed TOEFL exam eligibility criteria, helping you determine if you qualify to take this important exam. Whether you’re planning to apply for undergraduate or postgraduate programs, knowing the eligibility requirements is the first step towards achieving your academic goals. Stay informed and ensure you meet the necessary criteria to take the TOEFL exam and advance your education abroad.
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TOEFL Eligibility Criteria
Table of Content
- TOEFL Eligibility for Indian Students
- TOEFL Exam Eligibility Educational Qualifications
- TOEFL Eligibility Criteria Age Limit
- TOEFL Eligibility Score for Top Universities
- TOEFL Eligibility Score for Top Universities in 2024
- TOEFL Eligibility Documents Requirements
- TOEFL Eligibility for Retakes
- TOEFL Eligibility for Scholarship
- TOEFL IBT Home Edition - Eligibility, System and Environment Requirements
- TOEFL Eligibility Score and Re-attempt
- TOEFL Score & Eligibility Criteria
- Number to Dial for Enquiry About TOEFL Eligibility
**TOEFL Eligibility Criteria
The TOEFL exam is designed to assess the English language proficiency of non-native speakers. Understanding the TOEFL exam eligibility criteria is crucial for prospective test-takers. Here are the general eligibility criteria:
- **Educational Qualification: Candidates should have completed their 10+2 level of education from a recognized board or institution. This is typically the basic educational requirement to be eligible for the TOEFL exam.
- **Age Limit: There is no specific age limit set by ETS for taking the TOEFL exam. However, it is generally taken by students who are at least 16 years old.
- **Nationality: TOEFL is open to candidates of all nationalities. It is primarily taken by non-native English speakers who wish to study, work, or migrate to English-speaking countries.
- **Academic Requirements: There are no specific academic requirements beyond the 10+2 level. However, individual institutions or programs may have their own requirements for TOEFL scores.
**Solve Free TOEFL Practice Papers:
TOEFL Eligibility for Indian Students
**There are no certain eligibility criteria to sit for the TOEFL i.e. Test of English as a Foreign Language. You are eligible to take the examination if you have already passed your 12th board exam or 10+2 or equivalent education from a recognized board or institution.
In India, the TOEFL language test is generally taken by students who want to pursue their higher education from an English-speaking abroad country. The **TOEFL exam is **divided into four; you must pay 190 USD or 16,900 INR during **segments i.e. speaking, writing, listening, and reading. Nowadays, most universities abroad ask for the TOEFL certificate during the application. **For some countries, it is also needed for the student visa applications.
As the TOEFL test on pen and paper has been abolished so there are only two options i.e. TOEFL iBT and TOEFL at home. The format is not an issue; you must pay 190 USD or 16,900 INR during **registration.
TOEFL Exam Eligibility Educational Qualifications
There is no specified age limit to sit for the TOEFL examination. Candidates from any age group can take this examination but **should have the proper educational qualifications. As **English-speaking countries that require TOEFL as part of the application/ admission process, are free for appearing for tests irrespective of mentioned earlier, the **minimum academic qualification needed for the TOEFL exam is 10+2 or the equivalent education from any recognized board institution. **If any test taker's age is below 15, they also can take the test but for them, they **need to get consent from their parents. This written content must be submitted to the official ETS website.
TOEFL Eligibility Criteria Age Limit
TOEFL exam eligibility age limit: ETS- the main conducting body of TOEFL exam has not particularly set any age limit for the candidates who are looking to appear for the exams. The study abroad aspirants, who are willing to study in English-speaking countries that require TOEFL as part of the application/ admission process, are free for appearing for tests irrespective of **queriesage.
TOEFL Eligibility Score for Top Universities
Prospective TOEFL exam takers will find it reassuring that the Educational Testing Service (ETS), responsible for administering the TOEFL test, does not set specific eligibility criteria for the exam in 2024. Given that the TOEFL assesses English language proficiency, candidates should review the language requirements of the particular college or university they're applying to.
Individuals whose first language isn't English are typically required to take the TOEFL exam. Institutions in prominent English-speaking countries such as the USA and Canada stipulate language proficiency for admission. Moreover, professionals may also undertake the TOEFL exam as it's often a prerequisite for obtaining a student visa.
TOEFL Eligibility Score for Top Universities in 2024
| University | Grade | Minimum Overall Score | Minimum Scores for Subsections |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | A++ | 90.0 & Above | - |
| Cambridge University | A++ | n/a | - |
| Oxford University | A++ | 100 | Listening: 22, Reading: 24, Speaking: 25, Writing: 24 |
| Harvard University | A++ | 80.0-103.0 | - |
| Stanford University | A++ | 89.0-110.0 | - |
| Imperial College London | A++ | Standard: 92 overall (minimum 20 in all elements) Higher: 100 overall (minimum 22 in all elements) | - |
| ETH Zurich | A++ | 100.0 & Above | - |
| National University of Singapore (NUS) | A++ | 85.0-92.0 | - |
| University College London (UCL) | A++ | September Intake: 72 overall (Listening: 17, Reading: 18, Speaking: 20, Writing 17) January Intake: 80 overall (Listening: 19, Reading: 20, Speaking: 22, Writing 19) |
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| University of California, Berkeley Campus | A++ | 90.0 & Above | - |
What is TOEFL Eligibility Score?
The best TOEFL result that would enable a candidate to easily apply to his or her preferred university is known as the exam eligibility score. The TOEFL cut-off, which is determined by individual colleges as a component of the admissions process, is more like to TOEFL eligibility. Students should be aware that in order to stand out in their application, applicants are urged to score better on the TOEFL eligibility scale, which is always set on the lower end.
TOEFL 2024 Eligibility - USA
| Top universities in US | TOEFL exam eligibility 2024 scores |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 90+ Minimum TOEFL PBT score: 577+ |
| Stanford University | Mnimum TOEFL iBT score: 100 - 110+ |
| Harvard University | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 104+ Minimum TOEFL PBT score : 613+ |
| California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 100+ |
| University of Chicago | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 90 – 104+ |
| University of Pennsylvania | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 100+ Minimum TOEFL PBT score: 600+ |
| Princeton University | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: no minimum score. |
| Yale University | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 100+ |
| Cornell University | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 100+ |
| Columbia University | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 105+ |
| Johns Hopkins University | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 100+ Minimum TOEFL PBT score: 600+ |
TOEFL 2024 Eligibility - Canada
| Top universities in Canada | TOEFL exam eligibility 2024 scores |
|---|---|
| McGill University | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 86+ |
| University of Toronto | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 100+ |
| University of British Columbia | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 90-100+ |
| University of Alberta | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 100+ |
| McMaster University | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 92+ Minimum TOEFL PBT score: 580+ |
| University of Waterloo | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 90+ |
| Western University | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 86+ |
| University of Ottawa | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 100+ |
| University of Calgary | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 86+ Minimum PBT score: 560+ |
| Queen's University at Kingston | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 88+ Minimum PBT score: 580+ |
TOEFL 2024 Eligibility - UK
| Top Universities in UK | TOEFL exam 2024 eligibility scores |
|---|---|
| University of Cambridge | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 100 – 110+ |
| University of Oxford | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 100 – 110+ |
| Imperial College London | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 100+ |
| University College London (UCL) | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 92 – 109+ |
| The University of Edinburgh | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 92+ |
| The University of Manchester | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 90 - 100+ |
| King's College London | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 100+ |
| The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 107+ |
| University of Bristol | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 90+ |
| The University of Warwick | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 92+ |
TOEFL Eligibility 2024 - Australia
| Top universities in Australia | TOEFL exam 2024 eligibility scores |
|---|---|
| Australian National University (ANU) | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 80 -100+ Minimum PBT score:: 570 – 600+ |
| The University of Melbourne | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 79+ Minimum PBT score: 577+ |
| The University of Sydney | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 85+ Minimum PBT score: 565+ |
| The University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 90+ Minimum PBT score: 577+ |
| The University of Queensland | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 87+ Minimum PBT score: 570+ |
| Monash University | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 79+ Minimum PBT score: 550+ |
| The University of Western Australia | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 82 – 100+ Minimum PBT score: 570+ |
| The University of Adelaide | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 79+ Minimum PBT score: 577+ |
| University of Technology Sydney | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 79 - 102+ |
| University of Wollongong | Minimum TOEFL iBT score: 40 - 106+ |
**Who Should Take the TOEFL Exam?
The TOEFL exam is suitable for:
- **Students: Non-native English speakers planning to pursue undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral programs in English-speaking countries.
- **Professionals: Individuals seeking employment opportunities or professional certification in English-speaking environments.
- **Immigrants: Applicants for immigration visas who need to demonstrate their English language proficiency.
TOEFL Eligibility Documents Requirements
Before the registration process for the TOEFL exam, the candidate needs to check the required documents as per the ETS which is the TOEFL exam conducting authority.
- As a candidate, **you need a valid passport. The **passport number is important for the registration. It is **recommended to register for the exam with your valid passport for TOEFL as it is an International exam.
- The passport should be valid during the time of registration as well as throughout the exam.
- During the exam time, the candidate should carry their original passport with some Xerox copy. Digital image of the passport is not accepted in the examination hall.
- If **any candidate does not hold a valid passport, they **need a government-issued photo ID card as an identity document. The identity card (if you do not have a passport) **must be a valid one and **your photo must be there along with your nationality.
- Those **candidate whose ages are below 15, need to **fill in a letter of consent from their parents. Before taking the test, they need to submit it to the ETS official website.
TOEFL Eligibility for Retakes
There are no restrictions on the frequency of TOEFL exam attempts. TOEFL exams are offered 50 times throughout the year. Candidates are permitted to retake the exam as many times as they wish, provided there is a minimum gap of 12 days between each attempt.
TOEFL Eligibility for Scholarship
Indian students seeking TOEFL scholarships must fulfill several criteria:
- Residency Requirement: They must be residing in India during the application period.
- Institution Selection: Applicants must apply to a university or college listed in the TOEFL Destination Search.
- Academic Performance: They need to maintain a minimum GPA of 80/100 or 3.0.
- TOEFL Score: Applicants must possess a valid TOEFL score.
There are various types of TOEFL scholarships, each with its own eligibility requirements:
- TOEFL Research Grants: Intended for doctoral students conducting research in language assessment, with an approved dissertation.
- TOEFL Young Student Services (YSS): Available for candidates focusing on YSS-related topics, requiring proficiency in English.
- Jacqueline Ross Dissertation Award: Granted to those who have successfully published a dissertation within the last three years.
- Samuel J. Merrick Memorial Lecture Award: Given to candidates nominated for outstanding contributions.
- TESOL Award: Eligible candidates must be members of TESOL.
TOEFL IBT Home Edition - Eligibility, System and Environment Requirements
There is no age limit or minimum qualification requirement mentioned for the TOEFL IBT Home-based test. To take this exam, candidates need to fulfill some requirements related to the exam equipment. Here the **certain system and environment requirements needed for the test as mentioned below.
**TOEFL IBT Home Edition: System Requirements
Let us discuss the system requirements for the TOEFL IBT Home Edition as mentioned below.
- Candidates are allowed to **use a single monitor only during the exam.
- Your system's **operating system should be a licensed one.
- Candidates should have the **ETS-secured test browser on their system. You **need to install it during the exam and it is compulsory for the TOEFL IBT Home Edition.
- Any type of **earphone, earbuds, or headphones is not allowed during the exam. Only you can use the external and internal speakers to hear the invigilator.
- **External and internal microphones can be used during the examination.
- During the test, **you have to set up aenvironmental webcam through which the **invigilator will get a 360-degree view of the place where you are taking the exam.
**TOEFL IBT Home Edition: Environment Requirements
Let us discuss the environmental requirements for the TOEFL IBT Home Edition as mentioned below.
- Candidates are **required to sit alone in the room while they are taking the exam. **Do not forget to close the door of the room.
- Your **keyboard and other computer accessories need to be placed on a desk.
- You need to **set your computer and chair in that place, from **where the invigilator can see the room's door.
- **Cameras (not the webcam), study materials, mobile phones, and Bluetooth devices are **not allowed to be placed on the exam desk.
- You **can not take any notes on paper externally. Rather you can use the desktop whiteboard with the digital marker.
- At the end of the test, **you need to erase the all notes you have taken, and needs to be checked by the invigilator.
TOEFL Eligibility Score and Re-attempt
If you are taking TOEFL for your higher education abroad, **you need to secure the B2 CEFR level at least. Though it is dependent on the university requirements. Most of the educational institutions decide the minimum admission requirements and they can set a cut-off CEFR on the TOEFL marks also. Generally, the exam has four distinct sections and each part carries 30 points. **A score of 87-109 (B2) is always considered as a good one. Let's check the points table for the TOEFL as mentioned below.
| **Section | **TOEFL Score Range | **Proficiency Level |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL Reading Section | 0-30 | Poor (0–14) Average (15–21) Proficient (22–30) |
| TOEFL Listening Section | 0-30 | Poor (0–14) Average (15–21) Proficient (22–30) |
| TOEFL Speaking Section | 0-30 | Poor(0–9) Below average (10–17) Average (18–25) Proficient (26–30) |
| TOEFL Writing Section | 0-30 | Poor - Below average (1–16) Above average (17–23) Proficient (24–30) |
| TOEFL Total Score | 120 |
If you are not able to secure the B2 level CEFR, you do not have to worry. **You are eligible to retake the exam on the next date. As **there is no certain barrier and ETS has not set any maximum attempt count, you can retake the TOEFL IBT Home Edition exam until you receive your desired CEFR. **But you have to remember, there should be a gap of at least 3 days of your first and second attemptsa and so on.
TOEFL Score & Eligibility Criteria
There are some exciting scholarship and award opportunities you may receive. The ETS and TOEFL Board sponsor these grants and awards every year for 10 lucky people for helping them in their Doctoral Research in Second or Foreign Language Assessment. The cash prize amount is 2000 USD.
Here are the eligibility criteria, if you want to receive this scholarship and award as mentioned below.
- To be eligible, you must have a graduate or a postgraduate degree or you should be pursuing a doctoral program abroad.
- Your doctoral program should be focused on foreign language assessment and must be the end of the whole curriculum.
- Candidates have to fulfill all exams and defined course criteria to receive the grants and awards.
- They must have a dissertation proposal that is accepted by the university committee as well.
Enquiry About TOEFL Eligibility
Candidates concerned about their TOEFL eligibility in India or other countries can directly reach out to ETS for assistance. The email address to contact is TOEFL@ets.org, in case of any queries. In case of India, TOEFLSupport4India@ets.org can be used for contacting in case of further information on TOEFL.
Failure to contact OTI and provide original passport or national ID documents on the test day may result in test cancellation without refund.
It's essential for candidates to thoroughly review the eligibility requirements during registration to minimize errors. Universities typically consider various factors including GRE, TOEFL eligibility, GPA, work experience, and previous educational qualifications when evaluating applications.
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