TOEFL iBT guide for Australia: format, scores, fees and visas
The TOEFL iBT is ETS's computer-based English test of Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking. ETS says allow approximately two hours. Since January 2026 it is scored on a 1 to 6 scale, and for an Australian visa you must select Taking TOEFL for Australia at a test centre.
TOEFL is a family of tests, and the names get tangled. This guide separates them, then gives the parts of the TOEFL iBT that most readers need: how it is built, how it is scored, what to expect on the day, and what Australia asks. Everything factual comes from ETS, Home Affairs or AHPRA, with a quote.
What the TOEFL iBT is
One test, four skills, from the company that makes it.
The TOEFL is made by ETS, an American testing organisation. ETS describes the TOEFL iBT as a test that measures reading, listening, speaking and writing, and says it is the only test that measures all four academic English skills in the way they are used in a classroom. That is ETS describing its own product, so read it as a claim, not a ranking.
"It's the only test that measures all four academic English skills"
The letters stand for Test of English as a Foreign Language, and iBT for internet-based test. Home Affairs spells it out in its list of accepted tests.
"Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT)"
TOEFL and TOEFL iBT: which is which?
Four names you will meet, and what each one means.
The names overlap, so readers often ask what separates "TOEFL" from "TOEFL iBT". TOEFL is the brand. The tests under it are different products with different rules.
| Name | What it is | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | The main TOEFL test, taken on a computer at an authorised test centre. | ETS test content page |
| TOEFL iBT Home Edition | The same family of test taken on a computer at home, watched by a live proctor. | ETS test content page |
| TOEFL iBT Australia, or Taking TOEFL for Australia | The option Home Affairs tells you to select when you register, so the result counts for Australian visas. ETS calls it the TOEFL iBT Australia test. | Home Affairs and ETS |
| TOEFL Essentials | A separate, shorter test. ETS says you can take it in 1.5 hours. | ETS Essentials page |
If your reason is an Australian visa, only one line in that table matters: TOEFL iBT at a test centre, with the Australia option selected. Our TOEFL for Australian visas page goes through the rules.
Format and timing
Four sections in a fixed order, about two hours.
ETS publishes how the test is built. You take the Reading section first, then Listening, Writing and Speaking. Each section has a set number of items and a base time.
| Section | Task types | Number of items | Approximate base time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading (comes first) | Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, Read an Academic Passage | 50 | 30 minutes |
| Listening | Listen and Choose a Response, Listen to a Conversation, Listen to an Announcement, Listen to an Academic Talk | 47 | 29 minutes |
| Writing | Build a Sentence, Write an Email, Write for an Academic Discussion | 12 | 23 minutes |
| Speaking | Listen and Repeat, Take an Interview | 11 | 8 minutes |
ETS adds that the time does not include directions, and that the test adapts, so time and items may vary. It says to allow approximately two hours. A second ETS document says the test takes under two hours.
"Test time does not include directions. Please allow approximately two hours to complete the test. As the test adapts, test time and items may vary."
Adaptive Reading and Listening
The Reading and Listening sections are multistage adaptive. ETS says how you do on the first part of a section decides which content you get in the second part, so the difficulty matches your level. The aim, ETS says, is an accurate score in less time.
"Performance on the first part of a test section is used to select the content for the second part of the section so that the difficulty of the test tasks matches the ability level of the test taker."
What each task asks you to do
Twelve task types, in ETS's own descriptions.
ETS now calls the test the updated TOEFL iBT, and its new score scale started in January 2026, so check the date on any older book or video. These are the current task types from ETS's test overview, with the sizes and timings ETS gives.
| Task | What ETS says about it |
|---|---|
| Complete the Words (Reading) | A paragraph-length academic text of about 70-100 words. After an intact first sentence, the second half of every second word is deleted and you supply the missing letters. Each text has 10 words with missing letters. |
| Read in Daily Life (Reading) | Short everyday texts, about 15 to 150 words long, followed by two or three multiple-choice questions depending on the length of the text. |
| Read an Academic Passage (Reading) | A passage of approximately 200 words followed by five questions on facts, vocabulary in context, inferences, the relationship between ideas and purpose. |
| Listen and Choose a Response (Listening) | You hear a question or statement, which is not written on the screen, then read four possible responses and choose the most appropriate. |
| Listen to a Conversation (Listening) | A short conversation between two speakers, with two questions about it. |
| Listen to an Announcement (Listening) | A short academic-related announcement of about 40-85 words, then questions about it. |
| Listen to an Academic Talk (Listening) | A short academic talk of about 100-250 words, with four questions about it. |
| Build a Sentence (Writing) | You move words and phrases to form a grammatical sentence that is an appropriate reply in the context. |
| Write an Email (Writing) | You write an email for a stated purpose. You have 7 minutes. |
| Write for an Academic Discussion (Writing) | You add to an online class discussion and support your opinion. You have 10 minutes. ETS's own example prompt asks for at least 100 words. |
| Listen and Repeat (Speaking) | You repeat seven sentences within a campus scenario, with a maximum of 8 to 12 seconds to record each one. |
| Take an Interview (Speaking) | A simulated interview with four questions about your experiences and opinions. You have 45 seconds for each answer. |
ETS's test overview says the speakers in the listening tasks have accents from North America, the United Kingdom and Australia, and its Listening page also names New Zealand. We cover how to practise these tasks on our TOEFL practice and samples page.
How the TOEFL iBT is scored
A 1 to 6 scale since January 2026, and no pass mark.
As of January 2026, ETS reports each section and the overall score on a 1 to 6 scale, in half-point steps. The overall score is the average of the four sections, rounded to the nearest half band.
"As of January 21, 2026, TOEFL iBT score reports feature a new 1 – 6 scale, in half point increments, with a more intuitive alignment to the Common European Framework of References for Language (CEFR)."
| Section | Raw score range | Band score range |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 0-30 | 1-6 |
| Listening | 0-30 | 1-6 |
| Writing | 0-20 | 1-6 |
| Speaking | 0-55 | 1-6 |
For a two-year transition period after January 2026 you also get a comparable overall score on the 0 - 120 scale. Some institutions and visa pages still use the older numbers, which is why you may see both.
"There are no passing or failing scores set by the TOEFL Program or ETS. Each institution sets its own score requirements."
Speaking and Writing are not marked at your test centre. ETS says TOEFL tests are only scored by a centralised scoring team, never at the test centre. ETS's scores page says scores appear in your ETS account 3 days after your test date. Its Bulletin says TOEFL iBT Australia scores are posted approximately 4-8 days after you take the test. Scores stay valid for 2 years.
Booking and test day
The rules that catch people out.
You register by creating an ETS account at ets.org, and the name you use has to match the name on the identification you present on the day. ETS's Bulletin also says your account is not transferable.
- Arrive at least 30 minutes before your assigned start time at a test centre.
- There are no scheduled breaks, so plan for that.
- At a test centre, scratch paper and pencils are provided for notes.
- Writing assistance software is not permitted.
- Mobile devices are not permitted during the test.
- If you skip a whole section you may get no score: ETS says that unless you complete at least one Reading question, one Listening question, one Speaking task and one Writing task, your test will not be scored.
The fee, the deadlines and the refund rules are on our TOEFL fee page for Australia. ETS says there are no age restrictions, but the content is at the level of a first-year university student.
TOEFL and Australia
Visas, registration and universities.
Home Affairs accepts the TOEFL iBT for Australian visas when it is taken at a secure test centre, and you must select Taking TOEFL for Australia when you register. It does not accept the Home Edition. The fee ETS lists for Australia is US$293, in US dollars and before tax.
"To ensure your TOEFL iBT result is valid for Australian visa purposes, you must select ‘Taking TOEFL for Australia’ when registering for your test."
For registration with a professional board, AHPRA says the same: TOEFL iBT Australia is the test currently accepted by National Boards. Everything else, including the scores for each visa English level, is on our TOEFL for Australian visas page.
Preparing with ETS's free material
Start here before you pay for anything.
ETS gives away three practice items. It also offers a free 8-week planner. We list them so you can check them on ETS's own page.
- Interactive Sample: free, a preview of the real test. ETS's test page also describes a TOEFL iBT Sample Test as a 40-minute, self-paced sample with questions from all 4 sections.
- Full-Length Practice Test 1: free, to get familiar with the full test structure.
- Full-Length Practice Test 2: free, the same.
- TOEFL iBT Test Prep Planner: a free, 8-week plan to practise for the test.
Our TOEFL practice and samples page adds an original practice set and prompts of our own.
Common questions
TOEFL is the name of ETS's test programme. TOEFL iBT is the main internet-based test in it, offered at a test centre or, as the Home Edition, at home. TOEFL Essentials is a separate test.
The test is spelled TOEFL, for Test of English as a Foreign Language. If you typed tofel ibt, you are looking for the same TOEFL iBT that ETS and Home Affairs name.
ETS says to allow approximately two hours, and a second ETS document says the test takes under two hours. The base times are 30 minutes for Reading, 29 for Listening, 23 for Writing and 8 for Speaking.
On a 1 to 6 scale in half-point steps since January 2026. The overall score is the average of the four section scores, rounded to the nearest half band. ETS also gives a comparable overall score on the 0 - 120 scale for a two-year transition period.
No. ETS says there are no passing or failing scores set by the TOEFL Program or ETS, and each institution sets its own score requirements.
ETS's scores page says 3 days after your test date. Its Bulletin says TOEFL iBT Australia scores are posted approximately 4-8 days after you take the test. Scores are valid for 2 years, and Home Affairs sets its own limit on how old a test can be for a visa.
Yes. At a test centre, scratch paper and pencils are provided. There are no scheduled breaks.
Yes, under conditions. Home Affairs accepts it at a secure test centre, and you must select Taking TOEFL for Australia when you register. The Home Edition is not accepted.