byCollegedunia Team Content Curator
The TOEFL exam has no specific eligibility criteria mentioned by the conducting body, ETS. A valid, current passport is required to complete the identification requirements for the TOEFL exam. The other important TOEFL eligibility requirements include carrying the printout of the confirmation form that includes the registration number, a photo identification card, and a valid passport.
There is no specific age limit for TOEFL registration. You must be at least 16 years old to appear in the exam. A candidate younger than 16 can also take the test, but in that case, the parents or guardian need to accompany them during the TOEFL exam and sign a release form at the test center. Candidates planning to take the TOEFL at home need to follow certain TOEFL eligibility criteria in terms of equipment and environment requirements.
Your ID must be valid on the test date, and only original documents are accepted for admission to the TOEFL exam. Most universities worldwide accept the TOEFL iBT scores. Candidates are advised to check the TOEFL exam eligibility requirements on the official website before completing the registration process. To check the specific requirements of their application process, visit the admissions website of the university or program you're applying to.
TOEFL Exam Eligibility Criteria
General criteria by ETS mentioned for TOEFL exam eligibility are only age and acceptable identification documents. There are very little TOEFL exam eligibility requirements that the aspirants need to be concerned about, like – a valid passport, photo requirements, and documents required during the test.
Below mentioned are some of the key points about TOEFL eligibility:
- No Formal age limit: ETS does not specify any age restriction for registering for the TOEFL. If the candidate is below 16 years of age, he/she must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Both must sign a release form at the test center and provide their valid, current passport
- No Specific Educational Qualifications: You do not need any particular degree or diploma to register for the TOEFL exam.
- Focus on English proficiency: The TOEFL assesses your English skills, so prior knowledge of English is helpful for a good score.
- Institution-specific requirements: While there's no universal TOEFL eligibility criteria, individual universities and institutions set their minimum score requirements.
- Online registration: You can register for the TOEFL online through the ETS website.
- Identification: You will need to provide a valid identification document during registration and also at the test center. And this document must be a valid and current passport. No other documents will be accepted.
- Special accommodations: ETS offers accommodations for test-takers with disabilities, like adjustable chairs and more time duration. Candidates need to submit Accommodation Request with supporting documents to prove the disability.
Many universities/institutes do not ask for a TOEFL score from certain international applicants. These classifications include:
- Non-native speakers who have degrees or diplomas from post-secondary institutions in English-speaking countries like the USA, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.
- Candidates who have completed at least a 2-year course of study in English.
- Candidates who have been transferred from institutions in the USA or Canada.
- In case the candidate is a non-native speaker, then he/she has taken the TOEFL test in the past 2 years.
- In case the candidate is a non-native speaker who has pursued academic work at English-speaking schools.
TOEFL Eligibility Documents Required
TOEFL requires a primary valid and acceptable ID to be presented at the test center each time the exam is taken. Candidates have to make sure that these documents are up to date on the exam day. The candidates will be required to provide supplemental ID documents if the primary ID documents are questioned by the Test Administrator. Apart from these, the ID documents must be original, physical, up to date, and government-issued.
Below are the primary and supplemental documents that are acceptable at TOEFL test centers:
- Primary ID Documents:
- Passport
- Supplemental ID Documents:
- Government-issued ID card
- Student ID Card
- Confirmation of identity letter from the educational institution.
If any candidate is unable to meet the ID requirements, primary or supplemental, they may contact the Office of Testing Integrity at least 7 days before registering for the exam for their approval.
| TSReturns@ets.org | |
| Phone | 1-609-406-5430 |
| Toll-free Number | 1-800-750-6991 (United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Canada) |
| Hours | Monday – Friday, 5:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m. IST |
Note: The following TOEFL exam eligibility IDs are not accepted for TOEFL as valid ID proof, even though all these contain name, signature, and photo:
- Any temporary ID card
- Birth certificate
- Credit/debit card of any kind
- Diplomatic, consulate, or embassy ID card
- Draft classification card
- Employee ID card
- International driver's license
- International student ID
- Notary-prepared letter or document
- School or college or Library IDs
- Social Security card
ETS is very strict in terms of ID and failing this, the candidate will not be able to take the exam or get a refund.
TOEFL Eligibility for Retakes
There is no set number of times a candidate can take TOEFL exam. TOEFL exam dates are available throughout the year occurring 50 times. Candidates can retake TOEFL as many times as they want but only keeping a gap of 3 days between 2 consecutive exams.
Eligibility Criteria for TOEFL At-Home Exam
ETS had arranged for TOEFL at-home exam due to the COVID-19 restrictions. TOEFL exam pattern for Home Edition and iBT is the same. This enables candidates to take TOEFL exam from the safety of their home. But candidates need to follow certain TOEFL eligibility related to the requirements of the equipment to take the exam. Below is TOEFL test eligibility that candidates need to have for taking the at-home exam:
Equipment Requirments
For TOEFL at-home, candidates must check the following details of their eligibility criteria for TOEFL exam for equipment:
- Desktop or computer, no tablet or mobile can be used
- PC: Windows® operating system, versions 10 or 8
- MAC®: Mac OS X® 10.5 or higher (10.13 High Sierra is recommended)
- Browser: Firefox or Chrome
- Candidates need to download and run the ETS secure test browser till they see the notification "Success! You have installed the ETS secure test browser"
- Also, run the ProctorU® Equipment Check before the test. In case of any issue, get it solved before the exam.
- The computer firewalls and security applications may hamper the functions of the test software. If this happens, reconfigure or disable those applications before the test.
- Only internet or external speakers are allowed to listen to the Proctor
- TOEFL test eligibility allows no headphones or earphones
- Communicate with the proctor with the help of an internal or external microphone
- The camera can be in-built or a separate webcam
- A 360-degree view of the room needs to be shown to the Proctor
Environment Requirements
Apart from TOEFL eligibility for equipments, the additional details about the environment requirement is added below:
- TOEFL exam eligibility for at-home exam requires candidates to take the test alone
- The test cannot be taken in a public place like a cafe, park, restaurant, etc
- All the doors of the room must be closed before beginning the test
- The laptop and keyboard must be on top of the table surface
- Candidates are not supposed to cover their ears by wearing a headband or hat
- Do not wear jewellery
Note-taking Requirements
Here is a brief details about the note-taking requirments while appearing for TOEFL iBT at-home test:
- Candidates are not allowed to take notes on regular paper for security issues.
- According to TOEFL test eligibility, candidates can only take notes on a desktop whiteboard with an erasable marker, no pencil or pen can be used, or a sheet of paper inside a transparent sheet protector with an erasable marker
- When the test will end, candidates need to show the proctor that all notes have been erased
Number to Dial for Enquiry About TOEFL Eligibility
In case any candidate is concerned about their TOEFL eligibility criteria India or other TOEFL eligibility countries, they can directly contact ETS. Candidates need to contact the Office of Testing Integrity (OTI) 7 days before TOEFL registration to get the approval. In this matter, the candidates are asked to provide alternative documents. To contact OTI, dial +1-609-406-5430 (Monday – Friday, 7.30 am to 5.30 pm ET). In case the candidates did not contact OTI and failed to submit the passport and national ID in original on the test day, their tests or TOEFL score will be canceled and there will be no chance of refund.
Eligibility to write TOEFL exam includes the candidates check the requirements properly at the time of registration to reduce the scopes of making mistakes. The universities generally focus on GRE, TOEFL eligibility along with GPA, work experience, previous educational qualifications when considering an application.
FAQs
Ques: Who can take TOEFL exam?
Ans: There is no specific eligibility requirement for taking TOEFL. Candidates completed their 10+2 education, and 18 years of age, can apply for TOEFL.
Ques: Is there a minimum age requirement for the TOEFL exam?
Ans: You must be at least 18 years old to appear in the exam. If you are younger than 18, in that case, the parents need to accompany them during the registration process.
Ques: Is there an educational qualification required for the TOEFL exam?
Ans: You must have passed a 10+2 level of education from an authorized institution to attain TOEFL exam.
Ques: What kind of identification is required for the TOEFL exam?
Ans: A valid, government-issued photo ID is required to complete the eligibility for TOEFL. Your ID must be valid on the test date, and only original documents are accepted as TOEFL exam eligibility criteria.
Ques: How can I find out the TOEFL score requirement for a specific program?
Ans: To check the specific requirements of their application process, visit the university’s admissions website of the university or program you're applying to.
Ques: What are the TOEFL exam eligibility criteria for admission to universities abroad?
Ans: There are no specific criteria, but the candidate must be 10+2 level qualified from a recognized board or university in India.
Ques: Is there a TOEFL qualification criteria for students?
Ans: ETS did not put any qualification criteria for students. The test focuses on examining a student’s proficiency in the English language.
Ques: What is the upper age limit in the TOEFL exam eligibility?
Ans: The ETS has not specified any upper age limit.
Ques: What is the maximum number of attempts allowed at the TOEFL exam?
Ans: There is no limitation on a number of attempts of the TOEFL. The test is conducted more than 60 times a year. So, candidates cannot take two successive attempts within a gap of 12 days.
Ques: Do I need any educational qualifications to be eligible for the TOEFL exam?
Ques: Can international students take the TOEFL exam?
Ques: Do I need a passport to register for the TOEFL exam?
Ques: Can I take the TOEFL exam if English is my first language?
Ques. How long are TOEFL scores valid?
Ques. What is the TOEFL eligibility for re-attempts?
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
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