TOEFL requirements vary by institution, school, programme, intake, degree level, section, and test date. Use this page as a verification checklist, then confirm the current 1–6 requirement on the official admissions page before applying.
What this guide covers
Start here
Use this page when you need the TOEFL score a university or visa pathway is likely to expect, including total-score targets and section minimums.
Many students check only the overall TOEFL score and miss the section rule. A university may list TOEFL 90 overall, but still require 22 in Writing or 20 in Speaking. That means a score like 95 can still fail the English requirement if one section is too low.
When you compare programs, record three numbers: the overall minimum, the lowest accepted section score, and the score that makes your application competitive. For selective graduate programs, the competitive score is often higher than the published minimum.
If you are close to the requirement, practise the lowest section first. TOEFL Speaking and Writing usually improve fastest with feedback because the scoring criteria are visible: delivery, language use, development, organisation, and source use. Reading and Listening need more repeated timed practice because they depend on vocabulary and processing speed.
There is no universal US minimum. Check the official page for the exact university, school, programme, intake, and degree level, including any section minimums or waiver rules.
UK requirements vary by institution and programme. Verify the current accepted test, 1–6 overall and section requirements, test-date rules, and any UK visa requirement separately.
No single score applies to most universities in a way that is safe for an application decision. Use the receiving organisation's current official requirement and do not rely on an old 0–120 average.
There is no universal official one-to-one conversion for every purpose. TOEFL now uses a 1–6 scale and also reports a comparable 0–120 overall score through January 2028; compare each test with the receiver's own rule.