The revised TOEFL^® Paper-delivered Test

More than 11,500 colleges, universities, agencies and other institutions in over 160 countries accept TOEFL test scores. View the search tool on TOEFL Where to Study to find colleges and universities that accept TOEFL test scores.

Sending additional score reports

You can order additional score reports during the time your scores remain valid — up to 2 years after your test date. Requests to send additional score reports can be made by mail or fax.

Print out a copy of the TOEFL Score Report Request Form (PDF) and follow the instructions on the back of the form for completing and mailing or faxing your request and payment.

• You will need a code number for each institution. See the Country Location/Region Codes list in the Bulletin (PDF).
• The fee is US$20 for each report.
• Be sure to sign and date the form before mailing or faxing.
• Reports are mailed 10 business days after receipt of your request form and payment.

There is no passing or failing score for the revised TOEFL Paper-delivered Test. Score requirements are established by individual institutions and agencies.

Each section of the revised TOEFL Paper-delivered Test has a score range of 0–30. No total score is reported.

• Using statistical analysis, we convert the raw scores for the Listening and Reading sections to a number between 0 and 30 (the TOEFL test scale). This allows universities and institutions to compare students who took different versions of the same test.
• Each correct answer in the Reading and Listening sections counts equally toward the score for that section.
• The Writing section is scored by an ETS Rater.¹ See the Writing Scoring Guide (PDF).

All TOEFL scores are valid for 2 years.

_{1 The Writing section is scored with the same rubrics used for the TOEFL iBT test. However, because the responses are handwritten, automated scoring is not used, and all responses are scored by human raters only.}

Confidentiality of scores

The TOEFL program recognizes the right of test takers to privacy with regard to information that is stored in data or research files held by Educational Testing Service (ETS) and the program's responsibility to protect information in its files from unauthorized disclosure. ETS or its authorized representative may share score data with institutions or agencies for verification purposes.

TOEFL score data and writing responses that may be used at any time for informational, research, statistical, or training purposes are not individually identifiable. The information retained by ETS is the same as the information printed on your score report and on the official score reports. Official score reports are sent only to those institutions or agencies designated by the test taker when he or she registered to test, ordered via an Additional Score Report Request, or otherwise specifically authorized by the test taker.

Scores are not to be released by institutional recipients without the explicit permission of the test taker.

Inquiries on test questions

Language specialists prepare TOEFL test questions. These specialists follow careful, standardized procedures developed to ensure that all test material is of a consistently high quality. Each question is reviewed by several members of the ETS staff.

The TOEFL Committee of Examiners, an independent group of professionals in the fields of linguistics, language testing and language teaching that reports to the TOEFL Board, establishes overall guidelines for test content and specifications. After test questions have been reviewed and revised as appropriate, they are selectively administered in trial situations and assembled into tests.

The tests are then reviewed according to established ETS and TOEFL program procedures to ensure that all possible versions of the test are free of cultural bias. Statistical analyses of individual questions ensure that all items provide appropriate measurement information.

Although ETS employs extensive quality control checks throughout the development of test questions and the preparation of final tests, typographical errors or flaws in questions may occasionally occur. If you suspect a problem and want to question a test item for any reason, notify the test center supervisor before you leave.

You can also write to: MS 42N-208, TOEFL Test Question Inquiries, Educational Testing Service, Rosedale Road, Princeton, NJ 08541-0001, USA, or send a fax to 1-609-683-2600 as soon as possible after taking the test. Please include the name of the test, the section of the test, the test date, the name of the center where the test was taken and, if possible, the number of the test item being questioned.

If you have a complaint about the testing facilities or the test center staff, email tas@ets.org or write to Test Center Complaints, ETS, MS 34Q, 225 Phillips Avenue, Ewing, NJ 08618, USA, no later than 7 days after the test date. Be sure to include the name you used when you registered, your registration number, the date of the test, the name of the test center, and the city and country/location in which you tested.

ETS score cancellation policy

ETS and the TOEFL program strive to report scores that accurately reflect the performance and independent work of every test taker. ETS standards in this regard have two primary goals: giving all test takers an equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities, and preventing any test taker from gaining an unfair advantage over others. These standards are of the utmost importance to ETS and to those who rely on the validity of ETS test scores. Therefore, ETS reserves the right to cancel any test score when, in its sole judgment, there is substantial evidence that the score is invalid. Scores may be canceled as a result of test taker behavior or irregularities that affect testing integrity.

Test-taker behavior

ETS reserves the right to dismiss you from the test center, cancel your scores and ban you from taking an ETS test in the future for violations such as, but not limited to, the following:

• Taking or attempting to take the test or part of the test for someone else, or having or attempting to have someone take the test or part of the test for you.
• Failing to provide acceptable identification or have your ID verified.
• Obtaining improper access to the test, part of the test or information about the test.
• Using or having a phone or any other electronic device in your possession at the test center.
• Using any unauthorized aids in connection with the test, such as mechanical pencils, pens, calculators, watches of any kind, books, pamphlets, notes, scratch paper, rulers, highlighter pens, stereos or radios with headphones, cell phones, stop watches, dictionaries, translators or recording, scanning, photographic or any other electronic devices.
• Attempting to give or receive assistance. Communication in any form during the test administration — discussing or sharing test content or answers during the test administration or during breaks and discussing or sharing test questions or answers after the test — is prohibited.
• Evidence that your responses are invalid for reasons such as unusual timing patterns, unusual answer patterns and/or inconsistent performance on different parts of the test and/or inconsistent performance with other test administrations.
• Evidence that a Writing section response includes material that is substantially similar to material found in other TOEFL test takers' responses, or quotations or paraphrasing of language or ideas from published or unpublished sources that are used without attribution.
• Removing, attempting to remove, reproducing or disclosing by any means (for example, hard copy, orally, electronically) to any person or entity any test content, test part or notes relating to the test.
• Referring to, looking through or working on any test or test section when not authorized to do so, or working after time has been called.
• Leaving the test center without permission during the test session or during breaks.
• Taking excessive or extended breaks during the test session. Test center staff are required to strictly monitor breaks and report test takers who take multiple or extended breaks.
• Failing to follow any of the test administration regulations in the Bulletin (PDF), stated orally by the test center staff or specified in any test materials.
• Creating a disturbance or engaging in disruptive behavior at the test center.
• Taking a weapon or firearm into the test center.
• Taking food, drink (unless you have applied for and have been approved for an accommodation based on a disability or health-related need), tobacco or e-cigarettes into the testing room.
• Taking any other prohibited items into the testing room.
• Test takers who respond to a Writing section question by using profanity or other inappropriate language or content will receive a score of zero. ETS will exercise its right to determine what constitutes an inappropriate response.

If you are dismissed from the test center or your scores are canceled for any of the reasons above, your test fee will not be refunded and you will not be able to retest for free. In addition, ETS may ban you from taking an ETS test in the future.

Note: ETS reserves the right to take appropriate action and/or notify the appropriate authorities, including but not limited to law enforcement authorities, if any test taker responds in a threatening or disturbing way to essay questions, or communicates with ETS either verbally or in writing in a threatening or disturbing manner.

Test integrity irregularities

ETS may cancel your scores for irregularities such as, but not limited to, the following:

• Problems with the administration of a test (improper timing, improper seating, defective materials, defective equipment) and other disruptions of test administrations (natural disasters, weather conditions and other emergencies). These may affect an individual, a group, or multiple groups of test takers.
• Circumstances at the test center reasonably indicate that the test was improperly administered due to fraudulent or other improper or illegal activities. In certain circumstances, determined by ETS, all scores for test takers at a particular test center may be canceled even if there is no evidence of individual wrongdoing.

On occasion, weather conditions or other circumstances beyond our control may result in a delayed start or rescheduled test, or scores may be canceled after you take the test.

If your test is rescheduled by ETS before you take the test, you can select a different test date and you will not be charged the rescheduling fee.

If you travel to the test center and find out that the test administration has been canceled by ETS, you can reschedule your test at no charge or receive a full refund of your test fee.

If ETS cancels a test administration or cancels scores after you test, and you have incurred travel costs to get to the test center, you may be eligible for reimbursement of reasonable and documented travel expenses for yourself only within 30 days of your original test date. Refunds are in U.S. dollars.

When you contact TOEFL Services, have appropriate receipts available and be prepared to provide the following information:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Mailing address
• Daytime phone number
• Email address
• Original test date
• TOEFL registration number
• A description of the problem

If you have any questions about rescheduling and refund policies, please contact TOEFL Services.

Invalidating/canceling scores

When there is information that ETS considers sufficient to indicate that a test taker has engaged in any activity that affects score validity, ETS may cancel the test taker’s scores and may ban the test taker from future ETS tests.

For test takers outside the United States, ETS may also inform score recipients of the reason(s) for the score cancellation and may also disclose the reason(s) for score cancellation in certain group cases. Note: This policy applies only to test takers outside the United States.

ETS reserves the right to take any action — including, but not limited to, dismissing the test taker from the testing site, canceling the test taker's scores, and banning the test taker from future testing — for failure to comply with test administration regulations or the test center staff's instructions. If a test taker is dismissed from the test center or a test taker's scores are canceled, that test taker’s scores will not be reported, and the test fee will not be refunded.

Liability

ETS shall have no liability to any test taker for damages or claims of any kind whatsoever that the test taker may have against ETS for not reporting a score, canceling a score or banning the test taker from future testing.

Please contact ETS as soon as possible to report any conduct you observe at or in connection with a test administration that may be in conflict with the above policies, whether or not the conduct leads to an invalid score. The identity of any person making such a report will be held in confidence.