What is a Good TOEFL Score?

On this Page:

What is TOEFL?
Why are Good TOEFL Scores Important?
What is a Good TOEFL Score?
What are Good TOEFL Scores for Top Universities?
How to Get a Good TOEFL Score?
What are TOEFL MyBest Scores?
Conclusion

On this Page:

Find what score is good enough to get admission to your dream university! Get bonus tips too to get your target score in TOEFL!

TOEFL

Madhuwrita Nandi

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Updated on: 15 Nov 2023 | Reviewed By:

Aman

Aman Jain graduated from IIT Kanpur, and currently functions as the CMO at GyanDhan. He is deeply passionate about creating equality in higher education and has directly interacted with 2 Lakh...

| 10.6K | 5 min read

What is TOEFL?

TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language and is conducted by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The TOEFL exam tests the expertise of non-English speakers in the English language. TOEFL scores come handy if you plan to go to an English-speaking country for study, work, or immigration purposes. It tests the reading, listening, speaking, and writing abilities of the examinees. Other than students who want to go abroad for their studies, candidates applying for scholarships, people wanting to track their progress while learning the language, and those applying for visas, professional certifications, and immigration purposes also take the TOEFL.

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Why are Good TOEFL Scores Important?

Universities in the United States, France, or Germany, Canada and those belonging to the Russell Group in the UK accept TOEFL scores for admitting students to their programmes.
It is important to aim for a good TOEFL score if you want to study in any of the top universities in the mentioned countries. Though TOEFL scores are not the only factor which determines if your application will be accepted, obtaining a score which clears the university TOEFL score cut-off is compulsory to be eligible for admission. And these cut-offs are usually high, especially for top universities. Therefore, it is important for students to aim for a high TOEFL score if they dream to study in high ranking universities.

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What is a Good TOEFL Score?

We cannot talk about a fixed ideal score in TOEFL as different universities have their own minimum TOEFL score requirements. Generally, the minimum score required ranges from 70 to 110 points. But, on an average, any score less than 80 is not considered to be a good score and does not meet the criteria for most universities. A score between 80 and 90 might be enough if you are applying for graduate schools and a lot of universities. A score in the range between 90 and 100 qualifies you as a competent candidate for most of the top universities. If you manage to get a score between 100 and 120, you are likely to clear the minimum TOEFL cutoffs of the Ivy League schools.
You should, however, keep in mind that you are also required to meet the section-wise criteria fixed by the universities. Section-wise ideal TOEFL scores are as follows: Reading: 22-30, g: 22-30, Speaking: 26-30, Writing: 24-30.Listenin

What are Good TOEFL Scores for Top Universities?

The table below lists the minimum TOEFL criteria for the top-ranking universities across the world for you to get a better idea about the range of scores expected at different universities.

Minimum TOEFL Scores for Top Universities

1	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	90
2	Stanford University (School of Engineering)	89
3	Harvard University (MS Courses)	80
6	ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)	100
8	UCL (University College London)	92-109
9	Imperial College London	92-100
10	University of Chicago	Overall - 104 Sectional - 26
14	Cornell University	Speaking - 22 Reading - 20 Listening - 15 Writing - 20
18	Columbia University	100
25	Duke University	90

How to Get a Good TOEFL Score?

Now that we know what the TOEFL scores for the top universities are, let us have a look at the ways through which you can give your TOEFL preparations that extra boost to achieve the scores mentioned above:

You should get started with your preparations as early as possible. Starting early always has an added advantage as it not only gives you enough time to prepare but also leaves you with adequate amount of time to revise as well.
Prepare a proper time table to help you complete the syllabus on time. Make your time-table as per your strengths and weaknesses and existing level of aptitude in English. Make sure that it is neither too ambitious nor too modest.
Regular revision and practice make you more competent. Moreover, practice as many mock tests as you can. ETS provides you with a lot of practice materials for free. You can also access the overall and sectional practice questions provided by ETS. The ‘TOEFL Go!’ official app helps you prepare for the exam from wherever you want. It makes all the resources supplied by ETS available to you anytime, anywhere.
Focus on gaining clarity in important as well as the basic concepts. After you have learnt the basic concepts, practice as many questions as you want to strengthen your hold over the concepts and also to come across your doubts and weak areas and get them addressed quickly. Consult seniors or mentors to clear any doubt that arises.
The last and the most important point to keep in mind is time management. For better scores, make effective time management strategies as per your preparation, strengths and weaknesses, and try to stick to this strategy to maintain clarity and consistency.
For syllabus, study tips, preparation resources, and sample questions do give our preparation guides a read: GyanDhan’s Overall TOEFL Preparation Guide
GyanDhan’s Overall TOEFL Preparation Guide

What are TOEFL MyBest Scores?

As per the new grading process effective from August 2019 onwards, students who take the TOEFL will receive MyBest Scores, which is to say, their final report will contain the best individual section scores from all the tests they have previously taken in the last two years.

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Conclusion

A good TOEFL score does not mean a very high score. It’s, in fact, the minimum TOEFL criteria set by the university which the applicants need to fulfil to be considered for admission. Therefore, your application does not only hinge on your TOEFL score; there are academic and extracurricular aspects and other requisites too which need to be taken care of. Once you have set your target score, start honing your skills with regular practice and pay attention to your grades, extracurriculars, etc. alongside.
If you need any assistance for TOEFL preparation, do contact GyanDhan. We are affiliated with the top TOEFL prep institutes, and we will be glad to connect you with our partners for free of cost.

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