TOEFL® VS. IELTS - WHICH LANGUAGE TEST SHOULD I TAKE

TOEFL® VS. IELTS - WHICH LANGUAGE TEST SHOULD I TAKE

The two main English language proficiency tests acknowledged at universities across the globe are the Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Accomplishing a specific score on one of these tests could help you study in English at your preferred university, so it tends to be a significant part of the STUDY ABROAD process.

Prima Education’s STUDY ABROAD consultants help you discover which test is best for you. Read below!


 

ABOUT TOEFL

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is an English language proficiency test created by the ETS, the very organisation that builds up the GRE (a test for graduate school affirmations) and a few different tests.

There are a couple of versions of the TOEFL, either paper-based or computer(internet) based. The TOEFL iBT is, by a long shot, the most normally taken and acknowledged adaptation of the TOEFL. TOEFL is the preferred test for entry requirements of US universities, and the most widely accepted English proficiency test for higher education.


 

FORMAT OF TOEFL

SectionNumber of QuestionsTime Given
Reading36-5660-80 minutes
Listening34-5160-90 minutes
Speaking6 tasks20 minutes
Writing2 tasks50 minutes


 

WHICH UNIVERSITIES ACCEPT TOEFL?

Over 9000 institutions around the world accept TOEFL scores. Schools especially in the US prefer and accept TOEFL scores over other English Language Tests. You can use TOEFL Destination Search to find who accepts TOEFL scores.


 

ABOUT IELTS

The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is another English language proficiency exam jointly owned by the British Council and IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment.

There are two versions of the IELTS: IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. IELTS Academic is for students applying for higher education or a profession. IELTS General Training is for individuals who wish to train or study at a below degree level or undertake work related training in an English speaking country. Here, our focus is on the IELTS Academic exam.


 

FORMAT OF IELTS

SectionNumber of QuestionsTime Given
Listening4030 minutes
Reading4060 minutes
Writing2 tasks60 minutes
Speaking3 tasks11-14 minutes


 

WHICH UNIVERSITIES ACCEPT IELTS?

IELTS scores are also accepted by over 9,000 institutions across the globe. The IELTS is not taken as often as the TOEFL for students looking to attend grad school in the United States and is more popular overseas, such as in the United Kingdom and Australia, but many American schools still accept TOEFL scores. The IELTS is not taken as frequently as the TOEFL for students hoping to go to graduate school in the United States and is more well known in the United Kingdom and Australia. You can check the official website to see if your preferred university accepts IELTS scores.


 

MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TOEFL AND IELTS

EXAMTOEFLIELTS
LengthAbout 3 hours long2 hours 45 minutes long
CostINR 13,567INR 14,700
ScoringScore on a sliding scale from 0 to 120Score in any of the 9 bands or levels
Sections in orderReading, Listening, Speaking, WritingReading, Listening, Speaking, Writing

TOEFL generally requires that you only use either US English or UK English during your examination and not mix the two, whereas IELTS seems to be a bit more flexible. TOEFL consists mainly of multiple-choice questions and the IELTS has more variation in how questions are formed and answers need to be given.


In the debate of TOEFL vs. IELTS, ask yourself which exam do the universities you are interested in accept. Prima’s overseas education consultants can guide you to figure out which exam is best for you.