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GRE Exam Syllabus for General Test, Reading, Writing, Verbal/Candidates wanting to pursue graduate studies abroad are required to qualify their Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Candidates are required to check with their university admission guidelines and accordingly start preparing for the test. Candidates can check out the latest GRE Syllabus and the GRE Exam Pattern below.

The GRE Exam has a unique pattern that assesses candidates’ overall ability required to successfully pursue a graduate course. The GRE General Test, which is conducted both online and on paper, comprises three sections. The first component of the GRE General Test is Analytical Writing. Interestingly, this section is scaled between 0-6 and is scored separately. Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections of the GRE General Test are scored between 130-170.

Two Test Formats

GRE exam has two test formats – GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test. The GRE syllabus is different for each.

• GRE General Test – General Test is the standard exam that tests students’ verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing skills.
• GRE Subject Test – For more specific courses a Subject Test might be required by the college, as Subject Test focuses on judging the candidate’s expertise in specific fields. 

What are the Skills Tested in GRE?

• Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Verbal Reasoning

GRE Syllabus for General Test

Here is the GRE exam syllabus covering writing syllabus, verbal reasoning syllabus, and Math syllabus:

Analytical Writing

The analytical writing section aims to measure the test taker’s ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively, support ideas with relevant reasons and examples, examine claims and accompanying evidence, sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion and control the elements of standard written English.

• articulate complex ideas effectively and with clarity
• support ideas with appropriate reasons and examples
• examine claims and accompanying evidence
• sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion
• control the elements of standard written English

Verbal Reasoning

The verbal reasoning section aims to measure the test taker’s ability to analyze and draw conclusions from the discourse, reason from incomplete data, identify author’s assumptions and/or perspective, select important points, distinguish major from minor or relevant points, summarize text, understand the structure of a text, understand the meanings of words, sentences and entire texts and understand relationships among words and concepts.

• analyze and draw conclusions from discourse; reason from incomplete data; identify author’s assumptions and/or perspective; understand multiple levels of meaning, such as literal, figurative and author’s intent
• select important points; distinguish major from minor or relevant points; summarize text; understand the structure of a text
• understand the meanings of words, sentences and entire texts; understand relationships among words and among concepts

Type of questions

• Sentence Equivalence and Text Completion: These sections require a rapid comprehension of the given sentence and a thorough grasp of the usage of words.
• Reading Comprehension: The questions require students to be equipped with the arsenal to tackle relatively difficult passages. The scale of difficulty varies depending on the sectional additivity.

Expertise required

• Vocabulary: The exam requires students to have a repository of words embedded in their memory. This is not a parameter that is to be feared. Instead, students must sequentially and systematically improve their command over the ‘GRE jargon’. Jamboree’s Vocabulary lists are extensively planned and formulated in a manner that helps everyone understand how words can be logically separated and therefore, how they can be learnt much faster.
• Comprehension Speed: A key skill that contributes to an improved GRE score is the speed of comprehension. Consistent effort to increase comprehension speed, combined with the ability to comprehend passages from different fields such as science, art, history, is extremely critical.
• Reading and Answering: The GRE is keen to test a student’s understanding of the flow of passages and the dependencies between paragraphs, which ultimately help students pick the right choice. In essence, the test is about how quickly one can eliminate answer choices and arrive at the correct one.

Three types of questions are asked in this section and they are: 

• Reading Comprehension
• Text Completion
• Sentence Equivalence

Books for Verbal Reasoning 

• Best books that can help in the verbal reasoning section of GRE exam is given below. 
• ETS Official GRE Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions
• GRE Verbal Grail – Aristotle Prep (Good for Reading Comprehension)

List of topics covered under the verbal section

• Basic Sentence structure: Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives
• Verb Tense
• Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions
• Pronoun Agreement
• Subject-Verb Agreement
• Modifiers
• Parallelism 

Reading comprehension

This makes up about 50% of the GRE verbal reasoning section of the GRE General Test. In this, the test taker is presented with a passage and has to answers related to it. The test is made up of about 10 passages and most of them are one paragraph long. The passages are derived from books and periodicals on:

• Physical sciences
• Biological sciences
• Social sciences
• Arts and humanities
• Everyday topics in popular culture

The abilities assessed in this subsection are:

• Understanding the meaning of words and sentences
• Understanding the meaning of larger blocks of text like paragraphs
• Being able to identify minor and major points in a passage
• Ability to summarize a passage
• Draw conclusions from text presented
• Dealing with incomplete data and infer missing information
• Identifying underlying assumptions an author works from
• Analyzing an argument to identify its strengths and weaknesses
• Developing alternative explanations for a situation

Text completion

This section tests the test taker’s ability to form a complete picture from the text presented. If one is able to understand the overall sense that a passage conveys, one would be able to fill in crucial words that have been omitted out of the passage. This section presents:

• Passages composed of up to five sentences
• The passage may have up to three blanks
• Three or five options are presented for each blank
• Each blank has only one right answer
• Answer for each blank is independent of the answer chosen of other blanks

Remember that the correct answers would ensure that the passage is not only grammatically correct but also logically and stylistically coherent.

Sentence Equivalence

This subsection also tests the test taker’s ability to draw conclusion about a passage presented from partial information. In this case, the test taker is presented with a single sentence with a. single blank – the test taker has to choose two ways to complete the sentence that have the same meaning while also being grammatically correct. For each blank six answer choices are presented. No credit is given if only one of the two selected answers is correct.

Remember that correct answers may not be words that mean the same thing. The completed sentences have the same meaning – not the missing words.

Quantitative Reasoning

The quantitative reasoning section aims to measure the test taker’s ability to understand quantitative information, interpret and analyze quantitative information, solve problems using mathematical models, and apply basic mathematical skills and elementary mathematical concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, probability, and statistics.

List of topics covered in Quantitative Reasoning

Ratio and proportion	Profit and loss
Simple and compound interest	Speed, distance and time
Permutation & combination	Linear equations
Quadratic equations	Sets Theory
Statistics	Powers and roots
Probability	Pipes, cisterns, work, time
Lines and angles	Triangles
Polygon	Quadrilateral
Circles	Coordinate geometry
Order of operations	Volume and surface area
Percentage	Number properties

Here are some concepts that will be tested in the GRE quantitative section. It has a lot of overlap between the basic topics tested in the GMAT exam. So you’ll find that the preparation can help you for both tests.

• Maths Formulas List
• Number properties
• Order of operations
• Percentage
• Ratio and proportion
• Profit and loss
• Simple and compound interest
• Speed, distance and time
• Permutation & combination
• Linear equations
• Quadratic equations
• Sets Theory
• Statistics: Average, Median, Mode, Range, Standard deviation
• Powers and roots
• Probability
• Pipes, cisterns, work, time
• Lines and angles
• Triangles
• Polygon
• Quadrilateral
• Circles
• Co-ordinate geometry
• Volume and surface area

List of topics in GRE Verbal Reasoning Syllabus

The clickable links will launch a tutorial covering the basic concepts from the GRE verbal syllabus.

• Basic Sentence structure: Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives
• Verb Tense
• Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions
• Pronoun Agreement
• Subject Verb Agreement
• Modifiers
• Parallelism

GRE Subject Test Syllabus

GRE syllabus for Subject Test consists of the following subjects:

Biology

The test consists of approximately 190 five-choice questions related to Biology. The topics include:

• Cellular and Molecular Biology
• Organismal Biology
• Ecology and Evolution

Chemistry

The test consists of approximately 130 multiple-choice questions related to the four fields into which chemistry has been traditionally divided

• Analytical Chemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Organic Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry

Literature in English

Each edition of the test consists of approximately 230 questions on poetry, drama, biography, the essay, the short story, the novel, criticism, literary theory and the history of the language.

• Literary Analysis
• Identification
• Cultural and Historical Contexts
• History and Theory of Literary Criticism
• Consists of about 230 questions on topics among:
  • Poetry
  • Drama
  • Biography
  • Essay
  • Short Story
  • Novel
  • Criticism
  • Literary Theory
  • The History of the Language

• Some questions would be based on text presented – this could be a short work in its entirety or an extract from a longer work.
• The questions can be:
  • Factual – requiring identification of literary or critical movements, period in which a work was composed, identifying the author, etc.
  • Analytical – requiring answers about meaning, forms, structure, literary technique and other aspects of language
• The test covers the following topics:
  • Literary analysis – 40% to 55%
  • Identification – 15% to 20%
  • Cultural and historical context – 20% to 25%
  • History and theory of literary criticism – 10% to 15%

GRE Math Syllabus: Quantitative Reasoning

The test consists of approximately 66 multiple-choice questions drawn from courses commonly offered at the undergraduate level.

• Algebra          
• Calculus
• Discrete Mathematics
• Real Analysis
• Probability and Statistics
• Additional Mathematics
• Additional Topics

The quantitative reasoning section of the GRE General Test aims to assess the test taker’s

• Basic mathematical ability
• Understanding of high school level mathematical concepts
• Ability to use mathematical models to solve a quantitative problem
• Ability to reason quantitatively

The questions asked in this section can be purely mathematical in nature, or may be drawn from a real-life scenario. Most of the questions will be so-called “word problems”, where the candidate will have to convert the details provided into a quantitative problem before solving them.

This is designed to access the knowledge of the candidate across four content areas

Arithmetic

This includes the following topics:

• Integers and their properties
  • Divisibility
  • Factorization
  • Prime numbers
  • Remainders
  • Even and odd
• Arithmetic operations
• Exponents and roots
• Estimation
• Percent and ratio
• Rates of change
• Absolute value of numbers
• The number line
• Decimal representation of numbers
• Sequences of numbers

Algebra

This includes the following topics:

• Exponents
• Algebraic expressions
  • Factoring
  • Simplifying
• Relations and functions
• Equations and inequalities
• Linear and quadratic equations
• Linear and quadratic inequalities
• Word problems
  • Setting up equations to solve the same
• Coordinate Geometry
  • Graphs of functions
  • Graphs of equations
  • Graphs of inequalities
  • Intercepts and slopes of lines

Geometry

This includes the following topics:

• Lines
  • Parallel
  • Perpendicular
• Circles
• Triangles
  • Isosceles
  • Equilateral
  • 30°-60°-90° triangles
• Quadrilaterals
• Other polygons
• Congruent and similar figures
• Three-dimensional figures
• Area
• Perimeter
• Volume
• The Pythagorean theorem
• Angle measurements

It is important to remember that GRE does not test a test taker’s ability to construct proofs.

Some of the conventions used in quantitative reasoning section are

• Only real numbers are used
• All figures are assumed to be in a plane, unless specified otherwise
• Figures may not be drawn to scale
• Coordinate systems and number lines are drawn to scale
• Graphical data presented in the form of bar graphs, circle graphs, line graphs etc. are drawn to scale

Quantitative reasoning section of the GRE General Test consists of four types of questions:

• Quantitative comparison questions
• Multiple-choice Questions — Select One Answer Choice
• Multiple-choice Questions — Select One or More Answer Choices
• Numeric Entry Questions

These questions can either be independent of each other, or be part of a data interpretation set. You are allowed to use a basic calculator for the quantitative reasoning section of the test.

Physics

The test consists of approximately 100 five-choice questions, some of which are grouped in sets and based on such materials as diagrams, graphs, experimental data and descriptions of physical situations.

• Classical Mechanics
• Electromagnetism
• Optics and Wave Phenomena
• Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
• Quantum Mechanics
• Atomic Physics
• Special Relativity
• Laboratory Methods
• Specialized Topics Laboratory Methods
• Specialised Topics like Nuclear and Particle Physics etc.

Psychology

The test consists of approximately 205 multiple-choice questions. Each question in the test has five options from which the examinee is to select the one option that is the correct or best answer to the question.

• Biological
• Developmental
• Social
• Clinical
• Measurement/Methodology/Other
• Biological
• Cognitive
• Measurement/Methodology/Other

GRE Syllabus – General Exam Pattern

Even though one is aware of the GRE Syllabus and knows all the answers, failure to manage time can lead to an incomplete exam. This is where the importance of being familiar with the GRE Exam pattern is of utmost importance. The GRE question paper is divided into three main sections, namely, Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. The total time given to complete the exam is three hours and thirty minutes (3 hours 30 minutes=210 mins) and for computer-based, it is three hours and forty minutes (3 hours 40 minutes= 220 mins).

Test Pattern for Computer-Delivered General GRE

For the computer-based pattern, each of these sections is further divided into two-sub-sections with forty questions in total (Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning). Analytical Writing has only one section that contains two tasks with a time duration of one hour. Apart from these main sections, there are two other variable sections included in the computer-based pattern exam. This section is followed by a ten-minute break after the Quantitative Reasoning part is complete. However, these two variable sections- Unscored and Research section- are not included in the final GRE Scores.

GRE Sections	No. of Sections	Duration
Analytical Writing	1 section- two tasks	60 minutes
Verbal Reasoning	2 section- 40 questions	60 minutes
Quantitative Reasoning	2 section- 40 questions	70 minutes
Unscored	Varies	Varies
Research	Varies	Varies

GRE Scoring – How is GRE scored?

Measure	Scores Reported
Verbal Reasoning	130 – 170, in 1 point increments
Quantitative Reasoning	130 – 170, in 1 point increments
Analytical Writing	0 – 6, in half point increments

Test Pattern for Paper-Delivered General GRE

The paper-based exam includes two sub-sections of each of the main categories- Analytical Writing, Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning. Analytical Writing part contains two tasks with a duration of one hour (60 mins). Verbal and Quantitative reasoning each contains two sections and 50 questions with a maximum time limit of 60 and 70 minutes, consequently. The variable sections of Unscored and Research are not included in the paper-based exam.

GRE Sections	No. of Sections	Duration
Analytical Writing	2 sections- 2 tasks	60 minutes
Verbal Reasoning	2 sections- 50 questions	70 minutes
Quantitative Reasoning	2 sections- 50 questions	80 minutes
Unscored	NA	NA
Research	NA	NA

Best Books for GRE Preparation

The costs of studying and preparing for the GRE exam plus the application costs add up to a lot of expenses. If you are taking coaching classes, even then you will need to purchase an official GRE guide and practice tests. So it doesn’t make a difference whether you will be taking coaching classes or you believe in self-studying; you will need to purchase a few resources to practice GRE sections. So here are the best online resources to boost your studies.

GRE POWERPREP II Software – Preparation for the Computer-based GRE revised General Test – Along with the sample questions, strategies and tips, this free software includes two full-length practice tests. They have timed tests, which simulate the test-taking experience including the user-friendly design features like changing answers within a section, as well as an on-screen calculator.

The Official Guide to the GRE revised General Test, Second Edition – The second edition of the official test prep book includes a copy of the POWERPREP II, Software CD along with four complete practice tests, hundreds of test questions, explanations for answers, sample essay responses with user commentary, test-taking strategies and more. This guide is available in print and eBook versions.

Register for GRE

There are multiple ways that candidates can register for their next GRE in India:

• Online Registration

Via this method, GRE registration is done online and candidates are required to make an account for the same.

• Mail Registration

Aspirants looking to appear for GRE are required to print and complete the Application Form, and send it to the correspondence address along with the appropriate fee.

• Phone Registration

Students are required to contact the Regional Registration Center (RRC), which is located in Gurgaon, Haryana.

• Fax Registration

Candidates are required to print and complete the GRE Application Form, and send it to the fax number with the appropriate fee.

GRE FAQs

Is calculator allowed in GRE Test?

An on-screen basic calculator (non scientific) is available for GRE Quantitative section.

Can I go back and forth or edit answers and come back to review my answers?

Yes you can move around within a section and edit answers.

What is the price for GRE test?

Cost for most of the countries is $205. It may vary from $205-$230 (depending on your country).

• If you have taken GRE multiple times, you can send score from any test date (like current score or score from the previous exam). There will be no mention of other scores in your score report.
• Maximum score for sections Verbal, Quantitative is 170. Analytical writing score will be reported on a 0-6 score scale, in half-point increments.
• GRE is required by universities in North America (USA and Canada).
• Most Universities require General GRE for admission to MS and Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences. Many Business schools now accept GRE scores for admission to MBA program.
• Generally for Engineering Students score like 160 (q)+ 148 (v) + 4 (a) is considered OK for admission for middle order universities ranked between 40 to 90. There might be some deviation.
• For all Engineering Students GRE Quant. is most important for best results GRE Quant. must be well above 160, GRE A>4.0/6.0), GRE V above 150.
• A high GRE score can considerably improve your chances of admission. TOEFL score must be well above 92. GPA is another major factor in admission.
• Top 50 ranked Universities may require GRE>318(162+,156+,>4/6) and TOEFL>95. For International students, the Verbal section is quite difficult. So they must prepare hard on vocabulary.
• There is no penalty for wrong answers.
• You can review, move forward and edit/change your answers, etc. (within a section).

References

1. https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/exams/gre/syllabus
2. https://www.ets.org/gre
3. https://www.graduateshotline.com/gre.html
4. https://admission.buddy4study.com/study-abroad/gre-syllabus
5. https://www.graduateshotline.com/gre.html
6. https://www.mbacrystalball.com/gre/gre-syllabus
7. https://collegedunia.com/exams/gre/exam-pattern
8. https://www.crackverbal.com/gre/gre-syllabus/
9. https://www.jamboreeindia.com/content/gre-exam-syllabus
10. https://www.careerlauncher.com/blogs/gre-syllabus/
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduate_Record_Examinations

Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is a standardized test that is an admissions requirement for many graduate schools in the United States and Canada. The GRE is owned and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The test was established in 1936 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.^[rx]

The GRE General Test is one of the world’s largest assessment programs for graduate admissions and the exam is conducted by Educational Testing Service (ETS). Over half-a-million individuals from over 160 countries take the GRE General Test every year, across 1,000 test centers set up by ETS. GRE scores of candidates are accepted at thousands of graduate programs around the world, for masters and doctorate degrees.

More than 1,200 business schools around the world accept the GRE scores, including top-ranked MBA programs according to The Financial Times, U.S. News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek along with a handful of US law schools accept GRE scores. In this article, we are going to talk about each and every aspect related to the GRE Exam. Candidates looking to appear for their GRE examination will learn about the following GRE Topics

Acronym	GRE
Type	Computer-based or paper-based standardized test
Developer/administrator	Educational Testing Service
Knowledge/skills tested	Analytical writing, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning.
Purpose	Admissions to master’s and doctoral degree programs in various universities
Year started	1936; 84 years ago
Duration	About 3 hours and 45 minutes (includes 1-minute breaks after each section and a 10-minute break after the third section)
Score / grade range	Analytical writing: 0.0 to 6.0 (in 0.5-point increments), Verbal reasoning: 130 to 170 (in 1-point increments), Quantitative reasoning: 130 to 170 (in 1-point increments).
Score / grade validity	5 years
Offered	Computer-based test: Multiple times a year (depends on the availability of the test center) Paper-based test: Up to 3 times a year in October, November, and February[rx]
Restrictions on attempts	Computer-based test: It can be taken only once after 21 days from the day of the exam in every year. Maximum of 5 times a year. (Applies even if the candidate cancels scores on a test taken previously.)[rx] Paper-based test: Can be taken as often as it is offered.[rx]
Countries / regions	About 1,000 test centers in more than 160 countries[rx] (Paper-based test offered only in areas where computer-based testing is not available.)
Languages	English
Annual number of test takers	584,677 (2016)
Prerequisites/ eligibility criteria	No official prerequisite. Intended for bachelor’s degree graduates and undergraduate students who are about to graduate. Fluency in English assumed.
Fee	US$ 205[rx] (Limited offers of “Fee Reduction Program” for U.S. citizens or resident aliens who demonstrate financial need, and for national programs in United States that work with underrepresented groups.[rx])
Scores/ grades used by	Most graduate schools in USA, and few in other countries
Website	www.ets.org/gre

Recent Updates in GRE

CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 ALERT: ETS, the conducting body for the GRE exam has launched the GRE General Test Special Home Edition from April 2, 2020. Worldwide, candidates will be able to take the exam from home except in mainland China and Iran. Currently, registration is open for dates from June 2020. However, candidates need to make sure that they meet the equipment requirements set by the ETS for registration. The at-home testing solutions are similar to the one taken at the test center. Candidates will be able to preview, skip questions, review and change answers while giving the test at home.

ETS has postponed testing in India till April 11th-2020. In addition to this, the April 4 GRE Subject Test administration has also been canceled worldwide. Candidates registered for this date will receive an email alert from the ETS. Also, candidates need not do anything right now. Subject Test administration dates for the 2020–21 testing year will be published by ETS in April 2020 and registration will open from July 1, 2020. ETS has also temporarily waived off rescheduling fees for all the test takers due to the novel Coronavirus pandemic.

Why take the GRE Exam?

Apart from being one of the most commonly accepted exams by universities for admission to graduate programs, students looking to pursue masters, MBA, or Ph.D. are also required to appear for the GRE General Test. Also, students appear for the GRE exam to secure a merit-based scholarship for grad school. The GRE Test is accepted by thousands of graduate schools across the world. Apart from this, various Business and Law schools and different departments within these schools accept GRE test scores.

Types of GRE

There are two types of GRE tests, GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test.

What is GRE General Test?

Students seeking admission to MS courses in different fields in the US and various other countries appear for GRE General Test. Through this test, a candidate is evaluated on his analytical writing, quantitative ability, and verbal reasoning skills. The GRE Exam is conducted around the year, and candidates can appear for the GRE General Test as per their convenience. A large number of students opt for this test as the majority of universities across the world accept GRE scores.

What is GRE Subject Test?

The GRE Subject Test evaluates the candidates’ ability on a particular subject. The subject tests are conducted in the following topics: Mathematics, Literature (English), Physics and Psychology, Biology, Chemistry, and Biochemistry (Cell and Molecular Biology). Generally, this test is required for getting admission to specialized courses. The GRE General Test is offered year-round as a computer-delivered test in most locations around the world. The Paper-delivered GRE General Test is offered up to two times a year in areas of the world where computer-delivered testing is not available.

GRE 2020: Key Highlights

Exam Name	GRE
GRE full form	Graduate Record Examination
Official Website	https://www.ets.org/gre
Most popular for	MS courses in the USA
Also accepted for	MBA courses outside India
Conducted by	ETS (Educational Testing Service)
Mode of Exam	Computer and Paper – delivered test
GRE Fee	US $205
Score Range	Verbal Reasoning score range: 130–170Quantitative Reasoning score range: 130–170Analytical Writing score range: 0–6
GRE Contact	+91-1244517127 or 000-800-100-4072Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ISTEmail: GRESupport4India@ets.org

What are the Eligibility criteria for GRE Exam?

There are no specific eligibility criteria for the GRE exam. Anyone can register for this exam, irrespective of age or qualifications. The only thing that a candidate is required to keep in mind is the fact that he/she would be required to produce their original passport as proof of identity at the exam center, so candidates are required to have a valid passport before they register for the GRE exam.

Age Criteria 

There is no age limit set for candidates wanting to appear for their GRE exam.

Educational Qualification

ETS has not announced any official statement regarding qualification required to appear for GRE. However, candidates are expected to possess a graduate degree in any discipline from a recognized university

GRE Exam Fee

The application fee for the GRE General Test is $205 worldwide, which would roughly translate to Rs. 14,699 approximately. GRE Subject Test costs $150 worldwide, which would cost Indian students Rs. 10,756 approximately. Also, if the applicants want to change the center or reschedule the test then they would be required to pay an extra fee for the same.

GRE Cancellation Fee/ GRE Rescheduling Fee

Candidates who must cancel or reschedule their GRE General Test registration are required to do so no later than 4 days before the test date or the GRE exam fee would be forfeited. Candidates would be required to pay $50 for rescheduling their GRE test. Apart from this, candidates are charged $50 if they want to change a subject in the GRE Subject Test.

GRE Special Handling Requests

Candidates wanting to avail additional services would be required to pay an extra fee for the same. Charges for special handling requests for services are mentioned below.

Services	Fee
Late Registration Fee	$25
Standby testing	$25
Changing the test center	$50
Rescheduling fee for rest of the world	$50
GRE Subject Change Fee	$50

How to Register for GRE?

GRE Slot Booking: There are multiple ways to register for GRE. Popular ways through which aspirants can register for GRE are online and over the phone. Apart from this, aspirants can also register through mail or even by fax. For booking a slot for the GRE test candidates would require a debit or credit card to pay a registration fee of US$205 and a valid passport.

Ways to register for GRE

• Online
• Phone
• Mail
• Fax

How to register for GRE online?

Candidates are required to follow the below-mentioned steps to register for GRE via the online method.

• Candidates need to create an ETS account.
• Select the type of GRE exam they want to take – the GRE General or GRE Subject Test.
• Select the date when they want to appear for the GRE Exam and find the nearest test center.
• Give their academic details.
• Proceed ahead and pay the registration fee of $205.

How to register for GRE over Phone?

Candidates can call the Regional Registration Center (RRC), which is ‘Prometric’ located in Gurgaon, Haryana. The phone number is 91-124-4147700. The call must be made at least two business days before your preferred test date. A confirmation number, reporting time and the test center address will be provided to you when you make the call for registration. You can make the payments online through JCB, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or Visa credit or debit card. As mentioned, other methods of registering for your GRE Exam include via mail and through Fax.

Things to remember before registering for the GRE 2020:

• The information you provide on the ETS application should always match your passport. The name you provide should always be the same as it is on your passport. The testing authority can prohibit the aspirant from entering the test center in case of any discrepancies.
• Check out which test-taking format is available in your location and if you are comfortable with that format or not.
• Also, carefully read the policies of the exam before registration.

GRE Test Dates 2020

Like other international standardized exams, there are no fixed official GRE dates and you can choose any date according to your convenience and availability. The exam date that you choose should be at least two months before your first application deadline. So if the deadline for your application is November, you should choose a test date for September. If you feel the need to retake the GRE exam, you can take it in October again. So you need to make a judicious decision about when you need to start preparing for GRE. e!

GRE Exam Pattern

GRE exam pattern is as follows – three sections, namely, Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. The Analytical Writing section will always be the first, whereas, the Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and unscored sections may appear in any order. Along with the time duration difference, the pattern also differs for paper-based and online exams. Candidates looking to appear for the paper-based format of the GRE Exam can visit the official website for the same. 

The GRE General Test consists of three sections

• Analytical Writing
• Verbal Reasoning
• Quantitative Reasoning

GRE paper pattern for the GRE Computer-based Exam

Candidates looking to appear for the GRE General Test can find the detailed GRE Exam Pattern mentioned below. 

GRE Syllabus

The GRE syllabus is different for both GRE tests, GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test. General Test is the standard exam that tests students’ verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing skills. Students who wish to pursue specialized subjects, need to take the Subject Test that might be required by the college/university they are seeking admission to, as Subject Test focuses on judging the candidate’s expertise in specific fields.

GRE Scores

Candidates who have appeared for their GRE exam can access their GRE scores by logging into their GRE account using their credentials. 

When are GRE results available?

Your official GRE test scores will be available in your account on the GRE website 10-15 days after your test date. They will be sent to the universities of your choice within three weeks of your test date. Once the results are out, you will receive an email from ETS that your official GRE result is available in your account.

How is the GRE Score calculated?

You need to have some idea about how the scoring pattern works to better understand how your GRE score will be calculated. The GMAT Score Report comprises of the following components along with their score range according to the official website.

Section	Score Range	Mean*
Verbal Reasoning	130–170	150
Quantitative Reasoning	130–170	152
Analytical Writing	0–6	3.6
Total	260–340	–

*Source – ETS

Scaled score percentiles

The percentiles for the current General test and the concordance with the prior format^[rx] are as follows. According to interpretive data published by ETS, from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2018 about 2 million people have taken the test. Based on performance of individuals the mean and standard deviation of verbal section were 150.24 and 8.44. Whereas, mean and standard deviation for quantitative section were 153.07 and 9.24. Analytical writing has a mean of 3.55 with a standard deviation of 0.86.^[rx]

Scaled score	Verbal reasoning percentile	Verbal prior scale	Quantitative reasoning percentile	Quantitative prior scale
170	99	760–800	96	800
169	99	740–750	95	800
168	98	720–730	93	800
167	98	710	90	800
166	97	700	89	800
165	96	680–690	86	790
164	94	660–670	84	790
163	93	650	82	780
162	90	630–640	79	770
161	88	620	76	770
160	86	600–610	73	760
159	83	590	70	750
158	80	570–580	67	740
157	76	560	64	730
156	73	540–550	60	720
155	68	530	56	700–710
154	64	510–520	53	690
153	60	500	49	680
152	54	480–490	45	660–670
151	51	460–470	41	640–650
150	46	450	37	630
149	41	430–440	34	610–620
148	37	420	30	590–600
147	33	410	26	570–580
146	29	390–400	23	550–560
145	26	380	19	530–540
144	22	370	16	500–520
143	19	350–360	13	480–490
142	16	340	11	460–470
141	14	330	9	430–450
140	11	320	7	400–420
139	9	310	6	380–390
138	8	300	4	350–370
137	6	290	3	330–340
136	4	280	3	300–320
135	3	280	2	280–290
134	2	270	1	260–270
133	1	260	1	240–250
132	1	250	<1	220–230
131	1	240	<1	200–210
130	<1	200–230	<1	200

 Field-wise distribution of takers of GRE revised General Test.^[rx]

Analytical Writing score	Writing % Below
6	99
5.5	98
5	92
4.5	81
4	57
3.5	39
3	15
2.5	7
2	2
1.5	1
1	<1
0.5	<1

GRE Subject Test Score

GRE Subject Test is calculated on a scale of 200 to 990 with an increment scale variation of 10 points.

GRE Score Range

The GRE score range can be understood with a section-wise distribution system: 

• Verbal Reasoning score: On a 130–170 score scale, in 1-point increments
• Quantitative Reasoning score: On a 130–170 score scale, in 1-point increments
• Analytical Writing score: On a 0–6 score scale, in half-point increments
• GRE Total Score: On a 260–340 score scale

How long is GRE Score valid for?

Candidates who have appeared for their GRE exam should be aware that their GRE score is valid for a period of five years from the day of the exam. 

GRE Cut-Off

GRE is mainly made up of three sections, Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning and students are given a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes to complete the test. While there is no blanket cut-off, every college and course accepting GRE scores would have their own cut-off listed on the official website. Candidates wanting to get admission into top Graduate Colleges are required to lean towards the higher margin.

What is a Good GRE Score?

If you are applying for MS courses in the US in particular, remember that colleges don’t have minimum ‘cutoff’ marks required for admission. However, you still need to have an idea about average GRE scores across Top US universities. 

GRE 2020 Preparation Tips

If money is a consideration and one is quite confident of being able to prepare well without supervision, then self-study may be the better option to prepare for GRE. You could save money on personal tuitions and classes, but you need to keep in mind other factors too. To be able to study on your own effectively, you need a few good books and resources for GRE, along with motivation and self-discipline. Candidates can also check out our customized 4-week GRE Preparation plan to better their GRE Exam performance.

On the other hand, if time is a constraint and one needs professional guidance to ensure the competitive edge in GRE exam preparation, then coaching classes are the better option. You will have access to a better resource of study materials and will have a team of experts guiding you. Your time will be better managed as being regular to classes will become part of your routine. Moreover, being around other students will increase their motivation levels. Candidates could also check out our take on Reasons Why You Should Choose Online GRE Prep. Try your hand at GRE Practice papers to self-evaluate your understanding of GRE. 

 Interesting facts regarding students from India based on previous GRE exams

• About twice as many men, women take the GRE General Test in India. However, the number of women in the younger age range (18-22) has grown slightly year over year. From 29.5% of the Indian test-taker population in the 2013-2014 test year, a growth of 30.3% in the 2015-2016 test year has been reported. Globally, more women take the GRE General Test than men (53% women vs 45% men). There are more women test-takers in the 18-22 age group.
• GRE test takers were interested in graduate study in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Western Europe.
• Engineering (34%) and Physical Sciences (28%) were the most dominant areas of interest.

Who Accepts GRE?

Those students who wish to enroll in graduate, business or law schools should opt for the GRE test. It is accepted by thousands of schools across the globe. You can check the list of MBA programs worldwide that accept the GRE General Test here. Apart from this, you can check out the complete list of institutions and fellowship programs here.

Universities accepting GRE Scores

University accepting GRE Scores	Verbal	Quantitative	Writing
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	158	159	5.3
Stanford University	159	158	4.8
University of California, Berkeley	153 – 156	167	4.5
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	155	167	5.0
University of Virginia	163	166	4.5
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor	160	167	5.0
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill	158	160	4.5
Georgia Institute of Technology	158	167	4.3
University of California – San Diego	162	160	5.5
University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign	155	165	4.0
University of Wisconsin – Madison	163	163	4.5
University of Washington	156	167	4.0
Pennsylvania State University	150	165	3.0
University of Florida (UFL)	154	165	3.0
University of Texas, Austin	155	165	4.0
Ohio State University	156	165	4.0
California Institute of Technology	160	157	5.0
Duke University	160	160	4.5
University of Chicago	158	167	4.0
Northwestern University	160	160	5.0
Washington University in St. Louis	161	160	5.0
Johns Hopkins University	163	164	4.8
Rice University	160	167	5.0
Emory University	153	163	4.0-6.0
University of Notre Dame	165	165	5.3
Vanderbilt University	157	166	4.8
William and Mary	158	160	4.5
Johns Hopkins University	159	162	4.2

GRE for Engineering School

Candidates who have appeared for their GRE can check out popular Computer Science & Engineering colleges abroad for admissions. GRE scores are widely accepted by engineering colleges across all courses. 

GRE for Business School 

Business schools across the globe use GRE scores for giving admission to MBA aspirants. Apart from this, students who want to pursue business programs and other specialized master’s courses seeking admission in business schools worldwide also take the GRE test.

GRE for Law School

Those who are seeking admission in law school can also give the GRE 2020 Test. Various law schools across the world are accepting GRE General Test Scores for giving admission. Some of the law schools accepting GRE Scores are:

American University Washington College of Law	Boston University School of Law
Brooklyn Law School	Chicago-Kent College of Law
Columbia Law School	Harvard Law School
Florida International University College of Law	Cornell Law School
John Marshall Law School	New York University School of Law

GRE Scholarships

The GRE aspirants must note that ETS, the body that conducts GRE does not provide any scholarship even to the top scorers. There is no such thing as a GRE scholarship. Scholarships are provided by the graduate schools and GRE score is not the sole criterion for granting financial aid. Your academic background, work or research experience or any other achievements are also considered for awarding a scholarship. So, it doesn’t mean that GRE scores are not important, they are given equal importance with other factors while applying for a scholarship.

Syllabus for TOEFL & TOEFL Exam Syllabus 2020 /Syllabus for TOEFL The TOEFL iBT syllabus for students includes testing the candidates’ reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. The TOEFL Exam syllabus and TOEFL Pattern are designed to assess various skills of the candidates and know their English language proficiency. Here is the TOEFL exam format covering writing syllabus, reading syllabus, listening syllabus, and speaking syllabus

• With the excellent availability of the internet, the exam has become an Internet-based test. The internet-based test has certainly dominated the computer-based tests and paper-based tests. The test consists of Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing.
• In the Reading section, there are 3-4 passages of 700 words each, where students have to answer questions about main ideas, details, vocabulary, rhetorical purpose and overall ideas.
• The listening section includes six passages of 3-4 minutes in length. In this section, there are passages that include two student conversations and four academic lectures or discussions. Each conversation is heard only once. Each conversation will be associated with five questions, whereas each lecture with six. Questions in this section will be asked to determine the main ideas, important details, speaker purpose, and attitude. 
• The speaking section consists of six tasks: two independent tasks and four independent tasks. In independent tasks, the candidate has to answer opinion questions on familiar tasks. Candidates are judged on their ability to speak spontaneously and clearly.

Syllabus for TOEFL

Reading Comprehension

• In this section, you will be required to read 3-5 passages and answer 12-14 questions on each passage. The section is scored based on the number of correct reading comprehension responses.
• Question type: 3–4 passages, 10 questions each
• Total no. of questions: About 40
• Total time: 54-72 minutes

Listening Comprehension

In this section, you will hear short conversations as well as long conversations. After the short conversation, you will be asked one question and multiple choices of answers will be given. You have to choose one answer. In long conversations, you will be asked multiple questions based on the conversation.

Question type:

• a) 3–4 lectures (3-5 minutes long, about 500-800 words), 6 questions each; About 30
  questions in total
• b) 2–3 conversations (about 3 minutes long, about 12-25 exchanges), 5 questions each; About 12 questions in total
• Total no. of questions: 40+
• Total time: 41–57 minutes

Speaking Section

For you to earn the highest scores in the Speaking Section, your responses must fulfill the demands of the task given with only minor mistakes or lapses. The test graders are looking for a highly intelligible and sustained conversation. There are three main factors that comprise scoring for the section.

Speaking Questions covered in TOEFL Syllabus:

• a) 1 independent task (prep time: 15 sec; response time: 45 sec)
• b) 3 integrated tasks – Read/Listen/Speak (prep time: 30 sec; response time: 60 sec)
• Total no. of questions: 4
• Total time: 17 minutes

Writing Section

The essay should effectively address a topic. The response should be well-organized and well-developed using relevant explanations and detailed support. Furthermore, it should also display unity, progression, and coherence. If you want to achieve a high writing score, make sure that you demonstrate the syntactic variety and appropriate word choice with minor grammatical errors.
Writing Questions Covered in TOEFL Syllabus

• a) 1 integrated task – Read/Listen/Write (20 minutes) (reading time: 3 min; listening
  time: 2 min; writing: 15 min)
• b) 1 independent task (30 minutes)
• Total no. of questions: 2
• Total time: 50 minutes

Highlights of TOEFL Exam Pattern 2020

Given below is a detailed TOEFL Exam pattern 2020 for the benefit of our test takers. 

Sections	Syllabus	Time duration
Reading	3–4 passages, 10 questions each	54-72 minutes
Listening	3-4 Lectures, 2-3 Conversations	41-57 minutes
Speaking	4 questions	17 minutes
Writing	2 tasks	50 minutes

How do I start preparing for TOEFL?

There are two ways in which aspirants can prepare for the TOEFL Exam 2020. Students can either go for self-study or prepare themselves, apart from this, they can go for TOEFL coaching. However, students should know when to start preparing for the TOEFL exam. 

TOEFL IBT Test Pattern

The TOEFL iBT test is given in English and administered via the Internet. There are four sections (listening, reading, speaking and writing) which take a total of about four and a half hours to complete.

Section	Time Limit	Questions	Tasks
Reading	60–80 minutes	36–56 questions	Read 3 or 4 passages from academic texts and answer questions.
Listening	60–90 minutes	34–51 questions	Listen to lectures, classroom discussions and conversations, then answer questions.
Break	10 minutes	–	–
Speaking	20 minutes	6 tasks	Express an opinion on a familiar topic; speak based on reading and listening tasks.
Writing	50 minutes	2 tasks	Write essay responses based on reading and listening tasks; support an opinion in writing.

TOEFL Preparation

One of the most important tips that will be conducive to crack TOEFL is familiarizing yourself with the format of the exam. Attempting mock test will be of great help as this will enable you to crack the nerdy moments during the actual exam.

Since the exam is conducted to test the students’ skills in understanding English as a language, it is recommended that students should improve their reading and listening skills by reading newspapers and magazines. Improve your typing skills as the exam will be proper internet based test, where student has to answer by typing on keyboard. 

When you’re practicing to improve listening skill, don’t play the audio on tape recorder more than once. Train your ears to listen the audio in first attempt only. 

FAQs

1. Where can I find the previous question papers for TOEFL?
You can find the previous year’s question papers from the website: http://entrance-exam.net/toefl-papers.

2. What are the best books for preparing for the TOEFL?
Some of the books recommended are Complete Guide to the TOEFL Test, Vocabulary, and Grammar for the TOEFL Test, Oxford Preparation for the TOEFL iBT Exam, NorthStar Building Skills for the TOEFL iBT.

3. Which universities accept TOEFL paper-based in the USA?
Almost all North American universities accept TOEFL. Many universities like Harvard University, Hofstra University, Howard University, Idaho State University, Samford University, Stanford University clearly accept the TOEFL PDF.

4. Does the test contain MCQs? If yes, what’s their score range?
Yes, most of the reading questions are multiple-choice questions format containing 1 raw point each.

5. Would I get a refund if I cancel the test?
You can get a refund of only 50% if you cancel 4 days before the conduction of the test.

6. What should I carry on the exam day?
You need to carry your identification documents like passport, photo identification card, your confirmation email printout, and a small snack.

7. What things should I not carry in the test center?
Don’t bring any valuables and a lot of money. Also, you don’t need to carry stationery as you’ll be provided with a pen, paper, and pencils at the test center itself.

8. What’s the fee of the test in India?
You’ve got to pay a fee of $180 to sit for the test in India in reference to the year 2019.

9. Can I get a review if I’m not satisfied with the test score?
Yes. You can send for a review at a fee of $80 for each section.

10. How can I improve my vocabulary for the test?
Using vocabulary flashcards, learning vocabulary words given on university websites, reading articles online, news stories and novels may help improve your vocabulary.  

11. How should I manage my time in the reading section?
You should know the art of scanning important details by just going through the text once and not spend more than 20 minutes on each passage. This can be achieved through rigorous practice.

12. How can I perform well in the listening section?
You should understand what you heard in one go. There’s no way you can re-listen to the audio or pause it in between so you should practice the same way.

13. How are my speaking responses scored?
The recorded answers are sent to ETS where some certified human raters score you from 0 to 4. The average score of the 4 tasks is then calculated on a range of 0 to 30. They see the effectiveness of your communication and your ability to perform the given tasks.

14. Can I take notes during the test?
You are given a blank sheet of paper which is destroyed at the end of the exam during the test center only. You can make notes on it throughout the test.

15. Are headphones provided for the listening test?
A pair of noise-canceling headphones with a microphone is provided for the listening test.

16. How do I start preparing for TOEFL?

The preparation of TOEFL can take about a year for a very high and successful score. Students can join institutes that help in TOEFL preparation and also organize crash courses before the final dates. TOEFL related videos are also released online from which students can take help during their preparation time and can clear their doubts. There are lots of TOEFL books available from which students can start their preparation.

17. What is a good score on the TOEFL?

A2. 90 to 100 is the perfect range score a student can acquire to gain admission to any top university across the globe. With such a score range students can acquire a position in an RA, TA or in a GA campus as well. The top scores of TOEFL are from the 100-110 range.

18. Is TOEFL easier than IELTS?

A3. Both the exams are English Proficiency related exams and have equal importance and are needed by every foreign university. But as per the observations over the years TOEFL is considered to be tougher than IELTS. With so many sections individually it is very important to score equal good scores in every section so that the final score is good. Thus, TOEFL is considered to be harder than IELTS.

19. Is the TOEFL test hard?

A4. Yes, TOEFL is considered to be harder than the other English Proficiency exams conducted. As in TOEFL, there are sections and students need to score good marks in all the sections which in turn can raise the average and final score. Thus, to score a good TOEFL score range it is very important that in the individual section also students should score well.

20. Who is eligible for TOEFL?

A5. Students or candidates who have passed their high school from an Indian Board which is recognized by the government of India can take part in the exam and are completely eligible for the exam.

TOEFL Scores and How to Validate the TOEFL Score/ Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a standardized test to measure the English language ability of non-native speakers wishing to enroll in English-speaking universities. The test is accepted by many English-speaking academic and professional institutions. TOEFL is one of the two major English-language tests in the world, the other being the IELTS.

To understand the scores you receive for TOEFL, you need to first comprehend how each section of the exam is scored.

• The Reading section of TOEFL –  is scored by the computer and the score range is from 0 to 30. This section has 36–56 tasks based on reading passages from texts and answering questions.
• The Listening section of TOEFL –  is scored by computer with a score range from 0 to 30. This section has 34–51 tasks based on listening to lectures, classroom discussions, and conversations, then answering questions.
• In the Speaking section of TOEFL – all six tasks are rated from 0 to 4. The sum is converted to a scaled score of 0 to 30. This section is scored by human scorers, and they rate responses and evaluate how well you develop your topic argument and deliver your message in English.
• The Writing section of TOEFL – is scored by evaluating the integrated writing task for development, grammar, vocabulary, accuracy, and completeness. Human raters score tests anonymously. Two tasks are rated from 0 to 5. The sum is converted to a scaled score of 0 to 30.

 Division of TOEFL scores

Section	Score range	Level
Reading	0–30	Low (0–14) Intermediate (15–21) High (22–30)
Listening	0–30	Low (0–14) Intermediate (15–21) High (22–30)
Speaking	0–4 points converted to 0–30 score scale	Weak (0–9) Limited (10–17) Fair (18–25) Good (26–30)
Writing	0–5 points converted to 0–30 score scale	Limited (1–16) Fair (17–23) Good (24–30)
Total Score	0–120	–

What Do Your Scores Mean?

You will receive 4 scaled section scores and a total score.

• Each section has a score range of 0–30.
• These are added together for a total score of 0–120.

Each skill has 4 or 5 proficiency levels, so where your score falls within that range tells you your proficiency for that skill.

Skill	Level
Reading	Advanced (24–30) High-Intermediate (18–23) Low-Intermediate (4–17) Below Low-Intermediate (0–3)
Listening	Advanced (22–30) High-Intermediate (17–21) Low-Intermediate (9–16) Below Low-Intermediate (0–8)
Speaking	Advanced (25–30) High-Intermediate (20–24) Low-Intermediate (16–19) Basic (10–15) Below Basic (0–9)
Writing	Advanced (24–30) High-Intermediate (17–23) Low-Intermediate (13–16) Basic (7–12) Below Basic (0–6)

TOEFL Results

Viewing your TOEFL scores has never been easier. Around 10 days after your test date, you will receive an e-mail informing you when your score result will be available. Since the TOEFL test is administered through the Internet, you will be able to view your result online.

For that, all you have to do is log in to your TOEFL account on the TOEFL website and click ‘view scores’ to see your scores. You will see the list of dates, they will provide an estimate of when your score result will be available for viewing.

Official Score Reports

Printed reports are mailed 13 days after your test date. After that, you need to allow at least 7 to 10 days to reach you. This process can’t be hurried as ETS has no control over the delivery of the mail. Your TOEFL scores will be valid for two years.

TOEFL percentile

Here is a table explaining what percentile would equal your total scaled scores.

TOEFL Score	Percentile
120	100
116	99
112	97
108	93
104	88
100	81
96	74
92	67
88	59
84	51
80	44
76	37
72	31
68	25
64	20
60	16
56	13
52	10
48	8
44	6
40	4
36	3
32	2
28	1
24	1
20	0
16	0
12	0
8	0
4	0
0	0

What is a Good Score, in Terms of Percentiles?

Then there’s the matter of TOEFL percentiles. Your percentile shows how you did in comparison with other test-takers. The higher the percentile, the better. A 90th percentile TOEFL score means you scored higher than 90% of the other test-takers. If you can fall into that percentile, you have a pretty good TOEFL score. And more basically, the higher above the 50th percentile you go, the better off you are.

Now, here’s where percentiles get interesting: ETS measures percentiles based on the demographic that you’re in. This means you compare your TOEFL score to other test-takers who share your language, come from your home country, share your gender, or have the same level of education that you do.

Let’s say that your TOEFL score is in the 90th percentile for your country. This makes your score a good one, if you’re applying to English language degree programs in your own country.

If you’re from a very big nation, your national TOEFL percentile influences global percentiles a lot. So a high TOEFL percentile in your home country may be good by the standards of universities around the world. “Big nation” high percentiles are especially valuable for university admissions in the English-Speaking world. Many American, British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, and Irish universities primarily accept either Chinese or Indian international students. What does this mean if you’re from China or India and have a high TOEFL percentile for your country? It means your TOEFL score will probably be good for schools you apply to in native English speaking countries.

The people at ETS offer a very “data-heavy” way to answer the question “What is a good TOEFL score?” They keep an official document of TOEFL iBT score percentiles. That document can help you find your percentile for one or more of your demographics.

This official TOEFL percentile report can seem a little complicated and overwhelming for some readers, though. That’s why Magoosh has created an analysis and explanation of ETS’s TOEFL percentile data. You can read explanations of the official TOEFL percentiles in these three posts:

So What is a Good TOEFL Score, in General?

As you’ve seen, a good score depends on many things: your university, your major, your country, and more. Still, generally, the following is true about TOEFL scores at most schools:

Less than 80: This is generally not a good TOEFL iBT score. If you below on 80 on the TOEFL, it will be hard to get into an English language university, unless you go for conditional acceptance. However, some small public universities in the US will accept TOEFL scores below 80. And English degree programs in non-English speaking countries also sometimes may accept scores in this not-so-good range.

80-90: This score range is treated as moderately good. Once you get your TOEFL iBT score to 80 or higher, many more universities will accept you. Interestingly, in this moderate range, it’s easier to get accepted into grad schools. (Graduate programs require English ability, but are more interested in your research skills and academic expertise.)

90-100: TOEFL scores in this range are perfectly good. At this level, your TOEFL score is good enough for most universities. With these TOEFL scores, you also have a shot at getting a position as an RA, TA, or GA on campus.

100-110: These are very good TOEFL scores. Once you start scoring this high on a TOEFL iBT, you can be accepted into Ivy League schools and other top universities.

110-120: These are the best TOEFL iBT scores by any standard. If you score this well, you should get in…. Unless you fail to meet section subscore requirements.

TOEFL MyBest Scores and Retaking the TOEFL

Since 2019, the TOEFL has been scored on the MyBest system. What does this mean? Well, if you’ve only taken the TOEFL once, it doesn’t mean much; MyBest scores apply to people who have taken the TOEFL two or more times in a two year period. If this applies to you (or if you are considering a retake), below is a breakdown of how MyBest combines your best section scores into a single score report.

Under the TOEFL’s new MyBest scoring system, if you’ve taken the TOEFL more than once and you request a TOEFL score report, your score report will combine the highest TOEFL section scores from each of your past exams.

For an example of how this can work, let’s say that you take the TOEFL once and get the following:

• Reading 25
• Listening 24
• Speaking 28
• Writing 23
• WHOLE TEST SCORE: 100

Then suppose you take the TOEFL a second time, and get:

• Reading 24
• Listening 26
• Speaking 27
• Writing 26
• WHOLE TEST SCORE: 103

If you order a score report after those two exams, your score report will be a MyBest score report, and will be as follows:

• Reading 25 (higher score from first exam)
• Listening 26 (higher score from second exam)
• Speaking 28 (higher score from first exam)
• Writing 26 (higher score from second exam)
• WHOLE TEST SCORE: 105

This also means that even though your score on the first exam was 100 and your score on the second exam alone would be 103, your MyBest score report would show a total score of 105, using your best scores from each.

In short, the new MyBest score system may help you if:

• You have taken the TOEFL more than once in the last two years or are considering a retake.
• Some of your section scores meet your requirements, but others don’t.
• Boosting your score in just one part of the exam will get your whole test score to where it needs to be.

So for many of you reading this, the MyBest changes to TOEFL scoring are certainly something to consider. But again, if you’ve only taken the test once, and that got you the score you need, no need to worry about this. 🙂

My Whole Application is Great! What is a Good TOEFL Score for Me?

Consider the quality of the rest of your application. If you have a very strong admissions essay, an excellent past academic record, recent coursework that was taught in English, etc., a lower TOEFL score may still be seen as “good” by schools. Or at least, a low TOEFL score can be seen as good enough.

In fact, if you have a TOEFL score that’s just below the minimum, but the rest of your application materials are excellent, you should ask your school if you can still be considered for acceptance. Many schools will say yes. (There are also many schools that won’t be flexible, of course.) Good luck!

IELTS Exam Syllabus 2020 /After the completion of your IELTS exam, you will receive IELTS scores for each for the four sections on a band of 1 – 9. Along with that, you will also get an overall band score. See the scoring pattern below to understand how your IELTS score will be calculated.

If you have appeared for the computer-delivered IELTS test, you will get your IELTS result online within 5 to 7 days and if you have appeared for paper-based IELTS you have to wait for 13 calendar days to view your IELTS result online from the test date. IELTS result remains online for only  28 days. IELTS results are divided on the 9 level IELTS band scores system, so there is no pass and fail system in it. Each institute or organization specifies its individual level of IELTS results to meet its individual requirement. The IELTS 9 scoring system reports test scores of each candidate.

Band	Skill Level	Meaning
Band 9	Expert user	Has fully operational command of the language
Band 8	Very good user	Fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies
Band 7	Good user	Has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies and misunderstandings in some situations
Band 6	Competent user	Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations
Band 5	Modest user	Has partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes
Band 4	Limited user	Have frequent problems in understanding and expression. Is not able to use complex language
Band 3	Extremely limited user	Conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns occur in communication
Band 2	Intermittent user	Has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English
Band 1	Non-user	Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words
Band 0	Did not attempt the test	No assessable information provided

IELTS Result

After you are done with your IELTS exam, your result will be available after 13 days from test date. The result will be issued in Test Report Form (TRF) format, and you will receive only one TRF. The TRF shows your scores in all four section reading, listening, writing and speaking, along with your overall band. All five scores are given on a 9-Band scale.

Requirements to view IELTS result 

You will need your ID number, which must be same as you used before while booking your IELTS TEST or passport and your candidate number.

To check your IELTS Result follow the steps detailed below :

• Visit the official British Council IELTS website to check IELTS result online.
• Next, you have to Click on ‘’Take an exam’’ option under which you have to click ‘IELTS’’
•  Next, you will find an option of ‘’Your Results’’, on the right-hand side of the page, click on it.
• On the next page, you will have to select ‘’Preview your IELTS result online’’ option. Before you click that, make sure you go through the information shared on the page.
• When you click ‘Preview your IELTS result online’, you will have to fill the details of the test date, date of birth, identification document number and candidate number and then click on the ‘’Find’’ option.
• As another option or possibility, you can prefer the other way: you can collect your IELTS result from the test centre. You can check your IELTS result at the centre itself by giving your password or ID number you used while registration of the exam.

IELTS Bands

The table below shows how IELTS result scores are calculated and converted into band scores.

IELTS Listening score

Correct Answers	Scored Bands
13-15	4.5
16-17	5
18-22	5.5
23-25	6
26-29	6.5
30-31	7
32-34	7.5
35-36	8
37-38	8.5
39-40	9

IELTS Reading Academic Score

Correct Answers	Scored Bands
13-14	4.5
15-18	5
19-22	5.5
23-26	6
27-29	6.5
30-32	7
33-34	7.5
35-36	8
37-38	8.5
39-40	9

IELTS General Reading

Correct Answers	Scored Bands
19-22	4.5
23-26	5
27-29	5.5
31-32	6
32-33	6.5
34-35	7
36	7.5
37-38	8
39	8.5
40	9

The validity of IELTS results :

The candidate who has received the IELTS result can use it for a period of 2 years after the test, as it expires after the given period and loses its validity.

Apply for a Re-score of your IELTS result

If you are not satisfied with your IELTS result you received, you can apply for a remark of your score using a service known as Enquiry on Results (EOR). It should be requested within six weeks of sitting your test, with your Test Centre. An Enquiry on Results (EOR) demands some enquiry fee, which is fully refunded if your band score of IELTS result changes. Your changed IELTS result will generally be available within 21 days, depending on numerous elements including the number of sections applied for re-marking.

To receive a copy of IELTS results

After giving your  IELTS, you will be presented with your IELTS result in the Test Report Form (TRF). If this IELTS result is lost or damaged you have an option of replacement. To get a copy of your TRF, you will need to communicate with the centre where you have given your test. You must request them in writing by providing a copy of the ID document you used on the test day. You can contact them for additional copies to be sent to recognizing institutions. For providing this service, your centre may charge some administration fee.

Provisional Online Result

You will be able to view your provisional result online after 13 days of your test. The provisional test results are not formal results, and printed copies or screenshots of the result page will not be accepted as your IELTS result. You will have to wait for your TRF to be mailed to get the format scores. Provisional result will be available to view online only for 28 days.

Get IELTS Results through SMS

Candidates can also check their IELTS test score through SMS by sending the below-mentioned code to 9289892898 after 12.00 noon on the days of the result.

RESULTCandidate No.Passport No.

Test Report Form (TRF)

There are two kinds of test reports:

• Personal Test Report Form
• Institutional Test Report Form

Personal Test Report Form

Candidates will receive a Test Report Form (TRF) that will report a score for each of the four skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking), as well as an overall band score. Also, it is important to keep the copy of the Test Report Form safe as candidates won’t receive it another one. The students will receive TRF scorecard through Courier/ Speed post. Students get the tracking number through SMS once it is out for delivery. It can take up to 10 days to receive the scores from the date of the declaration of the result.

Institutional Test Report Form

While registering for the IELTS exam, students have the option to send the Score Report up to five colleges/universities for free. Also, students can also request for more Score Reports other than the five free Score Reports which they booked at the time of registration. For this, students need to fill the Additional Test Report Form and give proper addresses of the colleges/universities where they want to apply. The Additional Test Reports will be sent directly to the colleges or universities asked by the candidate.

Apart from this, candidates can also opt for paid services for sending additional score reports to the universities anytime during the validity of the Test Report Form. Score reports can be transmitted through the following modes:

• Electronic: Candidates are charged INR 250 per University. The universities/institutions that have subscribed to electronic download of scores (STED RO) will get the results electronically.
• International Courier: Candidates have to pay INR 1250 per address. Generally, the courier service takes approximately 4 days to deliver the score report to a university. The tracking number is shared with the candidates through SMS.
• By Post: Candidates need to pay INR 250 per address. It takes approximately two weeks to deliver the score report through Air Mail. Further, the tracking number is not shared for this service.

How to calculate IELTS score?

To calculate your IELTS score you just need to simply take out the mean (average) of all the sections’ score, namely, Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. That is the sum of all the scores divided by four. If average comes out in a decimal point, then it will be rounded off to the nearest half or whole band. For instance, if the average comes out in .25, then it is rounded up to the next half band. So, in this case, if your average score is 6.25, then the final score will be counted as 6.5. In other cases where the average is .75, then it will be rounded off to the next whole band. Therefore, if you get a 6.75 band, the final score will be taken as 7.

Enquiry on Result

Enquiry on Result (EoR) means having your IELTS test re-marked. For that, EoR must be applied within 6 weeks of the test date. You can choose to remark only one section or all of the sections. You must download and complete the EoR form, submit your original TRF and pay an enquiry fee. The whole process of getting scores re-marked will take additional 6-8 weeks to process

Note that if your result ends up getting marked upward, you will receive a full refund of the enquiry fee and a new TRF. You can apply for five extra copies of the TRF to be sent to receiving college/universities free of charge. But if your result remains unchanged, no refund will be issued.

Check IELTS Result

• Candidates can check their IELTS result published by British Council on their official website.
• Candidates can check their IELTS result published by IDP IELTS Australia on their official website.

It is always advisable to consult experts while planning to move study abroad for pursuing higher studies.

SOME IELTS FACTS

Why do we have two formats of IELTS?

• IELTS has two versions – Academic and General Training. The Academic test is for those who want to study at a tertiary level in an English-speaking country. The General Training test is for those who want to do work experience or training programs, secondary school or migrate to an English-speaking country. All candidates take the same Listening and Speaking tests but different Reading and Writing tests

How do I know which should I take?

• Read the explanation of the Academic and General Training tests and contact the organization or institution to which you are applying to find out what it requires. Note that you must know which version to take when you complete the IELTS Application Form.

How long is the test?

• The total duration is 2 hours 45 minutes. The Listening, Reading and Writing tests are done in one sitting. The Speaking test may be on the same day or up to seven days before or after the other tests.

How much does the test cost?

• The registration fee for the IELTS stands at INR 12,650* with effect from 01 April, 2018.

When will I receive my test results?

• Your Test Report Form will be posted to you 13 calendar days after your test date. All test centers will post your Test Report Form to you. Keep your Test Report Form in a secure place as you only receive one copy. Some test centers provide SMS alerts and an online results service.

How long are IELTS scores valid?

• IELTS scores are valid for 2 years.

IELTS Practice Test Exam Preparation and Important Tips/Commonly referred to as IELTS, the International English Language Testing System is an examination that measures the language proficiency of candidates who wish to pursue education or work in locations where English is used as a language of communication. To be able to excel in the IELTS examination, candidates are always advised to attempt as many IELTS Practice/ Sample papers as possible. Candidates who appear for the IELTS examination or attempt IELTS practice papers are graded on a nine-band scale to clearly identify their levels of proficiency of the English language, from non-user (band score 1) through to expert (band score 9).

Why attempt IELTS Sample Papers?

Preparing for the IELTS through reliable study material is only half the battle won. Candidates are always advised to solve as many IELTS Practice Tests as possible. Solving IELTS practice papers would provide candidates an extra edge to be able to perform well in their IELTS examination. Candidates are advised to use the IELTS practice material available on the official IELTS website to the fullest to familiarize themselves with the latest IELTS test format, experience the different types of tasks and finally self-evaluate answers and compare them with model solutions.

For more IELTS Question Papers

Are you interested in solving more IELTS Sample papers? Check out extensive IELTS Practice Papers from leading publications, here:

• Practice IELTS Practice/ Sample Tests with British Council
• Practice IELTS Practice/ Sample Tests with Cambridge Assessment English
• Practice IELTS Practice/ Sample Tests with IDP

IELTS Key Points

• IELTS Test dates are available throughout the year
• There are 78 IELTS Test Centres spread across India
• The IELTS test scores are declared within 13 days
• The IELTS score is valid for two years from the date of the examination
• IELTS examination is aimed to provide a valid and accurate assessment of the English language

Types of IELTS

IELTS is available to candidates in two formats, IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. The two different formats of the IELTS examination serve different purposes. The main focus of the IELTS examination is to provide a valid and accurate assessment of the four language skills namely listening, reading, writing and speaking.

• IELTS Academic: The IELTS Academic is for candidates who are looking to apply for higher education or professional registration whereas
• IELTS General Training: The IELTS General Training is for candidates looking to migrate to Australia, Canada, and the UK or applying for secondary education, training programs and work experience in an English-speaking environment.

IELTS Test Pattern consists of four modules

• IELTS Listening
• IELTS Reading
• IELTS Writing
• IELTS Speaking

IELTS Test Pattern

For candidates to ace their IELTS Sample papers they should be well versed with the latest IELTS Syllabus. They should also be aware of the latest IELTS Test Format to be able to perform well in their English examination. Here is the latest IELTS exam syllabus/ format for the four basic language skills.

Skill	IELTS Test Description	No. of Questions / Total Duration (mins)
Reading Syllabus	The reading module consists of three passages of general interest.	Questions: 40Duration: 30 mins
Writing Syllabus	This module consists of providing information in your own words.	Questions: 02Duration: 60mins
Listening Syllabus	This module consists of a conversation on different topics.	Questions: 40Duration: 30mins
Speaking Syllabus	This module consists of testing your general speaking skills.	Questions: 03Duration: 11-14 mins

Candidates wanting to excel in their next IELTS Examination need to put in their best efforts and above all have a good command over the English language. The following IELTS preparations tips are only going to help candidates in achieving a better IELTS score in their IELTS Practice tests and the final examination.

IELTS Exam Prep Tips

• Reading: The Reading section of the IELTS consists of three passages of increasing difficulty, and there is a total of 40 questions to answer. A variety of question types are used in order to test a wide range of reading skills.
• Writing: The Writing section of the IELTS exam includes two tasks. Task 1 requires candidates to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. Task 2 requires candidates to interpret a diagram in their own words.
• Listening: In the Listening section of the IELTS, candidates would be required to listen to four recorded texts, monologues, and conversations by a range of native speakers, and answer a series of questions that follow.
• Speaking: The Speaking section of the IELTS tests the candidates speaking ability and vocal clarity. This segment includes a one-to-one interaction between the student and an examiner.

How to prepare for IELTS? IELTS Preparation Tips

• Any exam needs 80% of the preparation to pass, and 20% of that preparation to clear it. Once you have understood the format for the kind of test you would want to take, start skimming through IELTS Exam practice tests papers and IELTS sample tests.
• You can take the IELTS practice test online by factoring in the time you will be given for taking the actual tests. You can find them on website where sample questions and answers are given. Separately, you can also buy IELTS preparation books and related IELTS study material and IELTS listening practice tests that are available at British Council IELTS tests centres and selected bookstores across the globe.
• The British Council IELTS website has a list of IELTS Preparation books with brief description that you could refer to while preparing for your IELTS test.
• Likewise, you can ask for some good book references from the people who have taken the exam before you. The Official Cambridge IELTS Guide is one top recommendation by many. It comes with a DVD and has questions for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Another is the Cambridge IELTS Practice Tests Series.
• Many IELTS Preparation books are available, but you should first stick to the source material for the preparation, i.e. IELTS vocabulary books, the British Council IELTS books, Cambridge IELTS books and the like.

IELTS Preparation

These are some essential steps that you must follow while preparing for the IELTS test. Some also ask how to prepare for IELTS at Home. It may seem like a daunting task, but we are going to give you some helpful IELTS study tips to help you refine your study habits.

• You must concentrate on building your Core English Skills
• A major error some IELTS applicants make when preparing for the exam is concentrating only on IELTS mock tests. Many consider that the IELTS more mock tests they do, the better prepared they will be. This is a misconception.
• The test is talent-based, not knowledge-based. This means that every IELTS mock test you do will comprise diverse content that you cannot study for. It is about the excellence of your abilities, and not the number of your IELTS mock tests.
• Language is an ability. Therefore, you need to learn speaking skills, listening skills, writing skills and reading skills. You can’t approach building your language abilities the same way when you do IELTS mock tests. Though understanding with the exam format is half the battle, do not undervalue the necessity to develop your language skills.
• So, find a good English teacher, take IELTS course and immerse yourself in the language through IELTS Preparation books and other novels, newspapers, music, and movies. Find some English-speaking friends and organize an English only conversation club. The more normal the language becomes to you, the more calm you are going to feel in the exam.

Learn from your weaknesses

To achieve success anywhere, you will have to learn from your mistakes, and be aware of the weaknesses and habits you repeat. Candidates often tend to repeat the same mistakes repeatedly even after they are given a thorough feedback.
Take your time to understand your errors thoroughly. Are they related to spelling? If so, follow IELTS writing tips, practice writing misspelled words correctly. Are your errors related to verb tense? Then focus on that, is it related to vocabulary? Then focus on that. Learn the rules and how to use them. The important thing is to not make those errors again.

Ielts Essay Writing Tips

Develop your writing skills by learning how to structure an essay paragraph by paragraph. Practice IELTS reading Practice test and understanding IELTS essay questions. It is easy to go off topic or not directly answer the question. Additionally read many different sample IELTS essay questions and write sample responses.
The more practice you get writing responses to different IELTS essay questions, the more comfortable you will feel with various topics. Be careful not to memorize sample IELTS essays. I have seen many candidates make this mistake. Even if you get a similar topic in the exam, the concentration of the question will be diverse and so the answer will have to exactly address the question.
IELTS examiners know how to spot learnt essays and they will give zero no matter how well written it is. It is also significant to practice writing 250 words in timed situations. Your writing should be neat and legible. Therefore, if you do not feel comfortable with writing by hand, then practice more writing, until you feel comfortable doing that.

Ielts Speaking Practice

• The same goes with IELTS speaking Test. IELTS speaking Practice can be done with a friend. Become comfortable talking about yourself and your experiences. You can have some common answers pre-prepared related to your basic information related to the first part of the test, but this should come out as impulsive and natural.
• Furthermore, remember to avoid memorizing presentations for part 2. The examiner will know if you are repeating memorized answers. Always keep in mind that you are talking about yourself. Therefore, develop a habit to do it on a daily basis. Even if it means speaking to yourself!

Read a diverse range of articles

• Read up on general topics such as news, current affairs, science, climate change, animals, history, economics, sociology, etc. The more you read, the more you will develop the habit of understanding the context of the sentences and new vocabulary.
• This will help you increase your knowledge of English and feel more comfortable with the reading paragraphs in the exam. If you are doing the IELTS academic, but have never read an academic paragraph until the day of the exam, you could be in trouble. So, use sites like National Geographic, the Economist, the New Internationalist and Science Daily to become an academic reader.

Learn native like fluency

You can listen to some podcasts and ted talks to understand different accents and pronunciations. Not only can this help you understand different accents, but is also a great way to expose yourself to new vocabulary and different interesting IELTS speaking topics. Remember, the broader your general language and general knowledge, the more comfortable you will be with the language and topics in the test.

Know the test tips and strategies

Finally, learn the exam tips and strategies and apply them to practice exams. This will help you learn how to manage your time and how to utilize it effectively to complete each section of the exam. Time management is one of the most important aspects when it comes down to tests. However, at the end of the day, it rests on your language skills the most.

Study Material for IELTS

There are various options available when it comes to buying a good IELTS preparatory guide. However, the final selection would depend on a candidate’s current English level. Candidates who plan to prepare on their own for their IELTS Practice Tests and IELTS Exam need to study from the best books and resources for IELTS which are easily available in the market. Candidates can also enroll with an authorized coaching center for preparing for IELTS. The British Council and IDP have their own official study guides and online preparation material that candidates can access for the examination. Candidates can also get in touch with the British Council for IELTS preparatory classes.

The IELTS examination is aimed at assessing the English language skills of candidates at all levels. Hence, students can never fail the IELTS. Candidates can expect their results to be declared online 13 calendar days, excluding the day of the examination. Candidates should keep in mind that the IELTS score is valid for two years from the date of the examination.

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language Details (A-Z)/Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a standardized test to measure the English language ability of non-native speakers wishing to enroll in English-speaking universities. The test is accepted by many English-speaking academic and professional institutions. TOEFL is one of the two major English-language tests in the world, the other being the IELTS.

TOEFL is a trademark of the Educational Testing Service (ETS), a private non-profit organization, which designs and administers the tests. ETS issues official score reports which are sent independently to institutions and are valid for two years following the test.^[rx]

TOEFL is one of the most popular English proficiency exams accepted at American and Canadian universities and schools abroad. TOEFL tests the international students’ usage and understanding of English as it is spoken, written and heard in college and university surroundings. The Educational Testing Services (ETS) is the conducting body of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and is responsible for setting the TOEFL questions, conducting the test, and sending each examinee their scorecard. Students wanting to study abroad, can choose from multiple TOEFL Test Dates available round-the-year and select from the various test centers located across major cities to appear for their TOEFL Exam. Candidates looking to appear for their TOEFL exam will learn about the following TOEFL topics as they read along.

Types of TOEFL test

There are mainly two types of TOEFL

1. TOEFL IBT

• IBT stands for TOEFL internet bases test. This test has taken over the older TOEFL CBT (TOEFL Computer-based Test) test. TOEFL CBT was terminated in 2006, and the scores are not valid. Where internet and computer facilities are available, TOEFL IBT test is taken. Most of the test centres in the world had an internet-based testing system of TOEFL.

2. TOEFL PBT

• PBT stands for Paper Based Test. In the areas of the world where internet facilities and Computers are not available, TOEFL  paper-based testing is done. It is now replaced by TOEFL PDT, Paper Delivered Test from 2017. The test pattern and Scoring are different than the TOEFL IBT.

Other Types of TOEFL Test

1. TOEFL Junior

• TOEFL junior is an assessment of middle school level English Proficiency Test. TOEFL junior standard is paper-based, while TOEFL junior comprehensive is a computer-based exam. Subjects for TOEFL junior standard are Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension and Language Form and Meaning. Subjects for TOEFL junior Comprehensive test are Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking Comprehension.

2. TOEFL ITP

• TOEFL ITP stands for Institutional Training Program. The test is used to assess English Language Proficiency for institutes’ internal structure. These are closely related to IELTS PBT. The only difference here is the exclusion is the Test of Written Expression.

Why Take the TOEFL Exam?

TOEFL is mostly undertaken by students who are planning to pursue higher education abroad. Appearing for TOEFL would also allow students to be eligible for several scholarships and also help students and candidates looking for employment abroad with their visa application process. Accepted in over 10,000 universities and institutions worldwide, including universities in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, the United States, and across Europe and Asia, TOEFL is one of the most preferred English-language tests for students wanting to study abroad.

Students wanting to study abroad and opting for TOEFL comes with many benefits. TOEFL is a more preferred exam among students who want to pursue higher education abroad, as more TOEFL scores are sent to universities in the United States and Canada, compared to others. Similarly, TOEFL is a more preferred English Test among countries as more TOEFL scores are sent to German, French, US and Canadian universities than other English tests. ETS – the conducting body of the TOEFL also guarantees students a fair and unbiased process of score reporting, making the test more authentic in nature.

Registration for TOEFL is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Candidates can register for their TOEFL exam via the online method, via phone or through mail or in person. Candidates should keep in mind that TOEFL online registrations close 7 days prior to the exam and late registration closes 4 days prior to the test date with a late fee of US$40. Candidates appearing for their TOEFL from India are required to pay a TOEFL registration fee of US$180.

Recent Updates in TOEFL

CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 ALERT: ETS, the conducting body for the TOEFL exam has launched the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition from April 2, 2020. Worldwide, candidates will be able to take the exam from home except in mainland China and Iran. Currently registration is open for dates from June 2020. However, candidates need to make sure that they meet the equipment requirements set by the ETS for registration. The at-home testing solutions are similar to the one taken at the test center. Candidates will be able to view Reading and Listening scores at the end of the test.

ETS has postponed testing in India till April 11th-2020. ETS has also temporarily waived off rescheduling fees for all the test takers due to the novel Coronavirus pandemic.

The Educational Testing Services (ETS) – the conducting body of TOEFL has shortened the duration of the test by 30 minutes starting August 1, 2019. The conducting body has significantly reduced the number of questions in all three sections – reading, listening and speaking. The previous duration of the exam was 3 hrs and 30 minutes, the current duration of the exam is 3 hours. ETS has also introduced ‘MyBest Score’ – which is basically taking the candidate’s best scores for each section from all valid TOEFL scores from the previous 2 years. ETS – the organizing body of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) has rolled out another set of initiatives to enhance the TOEFL iBT® test experience for students. Students can now book TOEFL exam slots for afternoon testing sessions, worldwide.

What are the types of TOEFL Exam?

Candidates should be aware that the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is held in two formats, viz. TOEFL iBT (Internet-based Test) and TOEFL PBT (Paper-based Test). The TOEFL iBT is a more preferred mode of the exam while TOEFL PBT is only available in locations that do not support the use of the Internet and this mode of examination does not have the TOEFL Speaking Test due to lack of resources. Read on to know more about the two formats of the TOEFL Exam.

What is TOEFL iBt?

As the name suggests, the TOEFL Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT) is the online version of the TOEFL test for candidates looking to appear for their exam. It is the more preferred medium of TOEFL due to its ease of convenience and uses fewer resources.

What is TOEFL PBT?

The TOEFL Paper Based Test (TOEFL PBT) is the more orthodox method, wherein paper and pen are extensively used for the purpose of the exam. Not a big hit among students, the paper-based model of the TOEFL exam is conducted in areas that do not have access to the Internet. Candidates should be aware that in this format of the TOEFL exam, the TOEFL Speaking Test is not conducted due to the limited availability of resources.

TOEFL 2020: TOEFL Exam Key Highlights

Exam Name	TOEFL
TOEFL full form	Test of English as a Foreign Language
Official Website	https://www.ets.org/toefl
Conducting body	Educational Testing Service (ETS)
Widely popular as	English language proficiency test
Generally accepted by	Universities in USA and Canada
Mode of exam	Internet-based and Paper-based
TOEFL iBT fee	US$180
TOEFL Paper-based test fee	US$180
Score Range	Reading: 0–30Listening: 0–30Speaking: 0–30Writing: 0–30
TOEFL Helpline	1-609-771-7100, 1-877-863-3546
Fax	1-610-290-8972

What are the Eligibility criteria for the TOEFL Exam?

Students wanting to study abroad are required to appear for the TOEFL exam. However, there are certain eligibility guidelines that students have to qualify before applying for the exam.

Age Criteria 

• ETS – the conducting body of TOEFL has not specified any age limit required to appear for the TOEFL test.

Educational Eligibility

• Students who have successfully passed out high school or equivalent are eligible to appear for the exam.

TOEFL Exam 2020 Fees

The registration fee for the TOEFL exam varies from location to location. The registration fee for TOEFL in India is US$180. Apart from this, candidates also need to pay extra for other services like late registration, rescheduling the exam or score review. The cost of different services is mentioned below.

TOEFL Cancellation/Rescheduling Fee

Candidates who have booked a test date and would want to cancel or reschedule the same would be required to do so 4 full days in advance before the actual test date. Rescheduling of tests by mail or email or at the test centre is NOT acceptable. Candidates would have to either call their Regional Registration Centre (India – 91-124-4147700) and furnish them with their full name and appointment number to reschedule. Candidates can also log into their ETS account online and reschedule any upcoming tests. The fee for rescheduling the test is US$60.

TOEFL Special Handling Requests

A lot of times, candidates may need to avail of special services provided by the ETS. Candidates can check out the charges of special handling requests mentioned in the table below.

Special Requests	Charges
TOEFL Registration Fee	$180
TOEFL Late Registration Fee	$40
TOEFL Rescheduling Fees	$60
Reinstatement of canceled TOEFL scores	$20
Additional TOEFL score reports (per institution or agency)	$20 each
Speaking or Writing Section score review	$80
Speaking and Writing Section score review	$160

TOEFL Payment Policies

• TOEFL has laid down certain payment policies that the candidates are required to follow. These include, candidates are required to pay the entire fee at the time the service is requested, they should have the correct numerical amount and have the appropriate signature.

Forms of Payment

• ETS is accepting all Credit/debit cards, electronic check, Paypal account, paper check or money order and Western Union Quick Pay for the payment of TOEFL Fees. Modes of payment that are NOT accepted are cash or demand drafts, post-dated checks, any currency other than US dollars, receipts for bank checks and UNESCO coupons.

Country Wise TOEFL Fees

Not from India? Don’t worry, TOEFL is held in all major countries across the globe. Check out the TOEFL Fee for your country, below:

Country	Cost
USA	$205
Australia	$300
India	$180
Germany	$255
South Korea	$200

How to Register for TOEFL

Registration for TOEFL can be done via phone, online, mail or in person at the TOEFL 2020 test registration centre. One can register for the TOEFL exam throughout the year. There are various test centres available for the TOEFL application. Before filling the application, one should choose the venue of the exam. Kindly Note: Online registration for the TOEFL exam will close seven days before the test date.

TOEFL Online Application

Candidates are required to visit the TOEFL login page and create an online profile. Then they’ll be required to pay the exam fee of US$180 (for Indians). Online registration on the ETS website is the fastest and easiest method. Through the online method, you can register anytime and on any day. Be sure to spell your name exactly as it appears on the identification you will bring on the test day, which for Indian students should ideally be their Passport. You will be required to pay with a credit/debit card. Steps include,

• Go to the official website of ETS and create your profile.
• Fill all the information like your name, address, and email id, etc.
• Make sure the information you provide is the same as it is on your passport.
• Proceed to pay the application fee.

TOEFL Registration by Phone

Candidates are required to go through the registration form before they call. Spell your name correctly and exactly as it appears on your passport. Pay with a credit/debit card as directed. Registration closes seven days before your test date.

TOEFL Registration by Mail

Candidates are required to download and print the registration form. Then fill out the form. Spell your name exactly as it appears on the identification you will bring on the test day. Send the form with your payment to the address on the form or to the Gurgaon center address, mentioned above. Forms must be received at least four weeks before your test date.

How to Book TOEFL Slot

Whenever you plan to give the TOEFL exam, just check the appropriate TOEFL dates and TOEFL test centers to book your slot. Those who are thinking of pursuing an international degree, giving TOEFL must be on their priority list. Selecting dates is one of the most crucial factors as it is the first step in getting into your school of choice. It also depends on the college/university you are going to apply, as some universities have a single deadline where the candidates need to submit their TOEFL score reports before the deadline. Also, there are colleges that have rolling deadlines, here candidates have the option of submitting their TOEFL scores as per their convenience. So, based on your need, choose the TOEFL exam dates and the TOEFL test center and then do TOEFL Slot Booking. In addition to this, the candidate also needs to have a valid passport for showing as an identity proof.

TOEFL Exam Dates

Your target date for taking the TOEFL exam should be at least a month before your first application deadline. This will give you plenty of time to work on your applications, and in case you need to retake the exam you can do so after 12 days of the first attempt. So if the deadline for your application is November, you should take the exam by October. If you feel the need to retake TOEFL, you can take it in the latter half of October again. You can retake the TOEFL after 12 days post your first attempt.

TOEFL 2020 Exam Centres

In India, TOEFL iBT is conducted in 39 cities: Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Dehradun, Delhi, East Godavari District, Gurgaon, Gwalior, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kochi, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Madurai, Mumbai, Mussoorie, Nagpur, Nashik, Nizamabad, Patna, Pondicherry, Pune, Raipur, Surat, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Tirupati, Trichy, Vadodara, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, and Warangal. NOTE: Candidates should always check the availability of their exam date and time at the nearest centre and then book it accordingly.

TOEFL Test Takers with Disabilities or Health-related Needs

ETS offers three different kinds of testing accommodation services to help its test takers with health-related needs and disabilities. The test takers should meet the ETS requirements to be able to avail of these services.

Accommodations Provided by ETS

Once approved by ETS, the needful candidates may avail the following kinds of testing accommodations services as per their documented requirements:

Paper-delivered Test

The TOEFL PDT is an official test for use where the internet test is unavailable, usually due to internet & computer issues.

It consists of the Listening, Reading, and Writing sections, with scores that are the same scale as the Internet Based Test. There is no total score.

Paper-based test

The TOEFL paper-based Test (PBT) was still available in limited areas until 2017, when it was replaced by the Paper-delivered test. Scores are valid for two years after the test date, and test takers can have their scores sent to institutions or face time.^[12]

• Listening (30 – 40 minutes) – The Listening section consists of 3 parts. The first one contains 30 questions about short conversations. The second part has 8 questions about longer conversations. The last part asks 12 questions about lectures or talks.
• Structure and Written Expression (25 minutes) – The Structure and Written Expression section has 15 exercises of completing sentences correctly and 25 exercises of identifying errors.
• Reading Comprehension (55 minutes) – The Reading Comprehension sections has 50 questions about reading passages.
• Writing (30 minutes) – The TOEFL PBT administrations include a writing test called the Test of Written English (TWE). This is one essay question with 250–300 words in average.^[rx]

Test scores

TOEFL iBT Test

• The TOEFL iBT test is scored on a scale of 0 to 120 points.
• Each of the four sections (Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing) receives a scaled score from 0 to 30. The scaled scores from the four sections are added together to determine the total score.
• The reading and listening sections are tested first, followed by a ten-minute break. The speaking and writing sections are then completed following the break. A maximum amount of 203 minutes is allowed to complete the whole exam process.^[14]
• Each speaking question is initially given a raw score of 0 to 4, with 1-point increment, and each writing question is initially given a raw score of 0.0 to 5.0, with 0.5-point increment. These scores are converted to scaled scores of 0 to 30.

Paper-based Test

• The final PBT score ranges between 310 and 677 and is based on three subscores: Listening (31–68), Structure (31–68), and Reading (31–67). Unlike the CBT, the score of the Writing component (referred to as the Test of Written English, TWE) is not part of the final score; instead, it is reported separately on a scale of 0–6.
• The score test takers receive on the Listening, Structure and Reading parts of the TOEFL test is not the percentage of correct answers. The score is converted to take into account the fact that some tests are more difficult than others. The converted scores correct these differences. Therefore, the converted score is a more accurate reflection of the ability than the raw score is.

The TOEFL PBT was discontinued at the end of May 2017. Official testing in areas without internet or computers now uses the TOEFL PDT.^[rx]

Accepted TOEFL Scores

Most colleges use TOEFL scores as only one factor in their admission process, with a college or program within a college often setting a minimum TOEFL score required. The minimum TOEFL iBT scores range from 61 (Bowling Green State University)^[rx] to 110 (University of Oxford).^[rx]

ETS has released tables to convert between iBT, CBT and PBT scores.^[rx]

TOEFL Exam Pattern

TOEFL exam pattern is as follows – four sections, namely, Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing – along with the total score. It goes without saying that the more you practice TOEFL sample papers, the better your scores will be. The total score is the sum of the scores of the four skill areas. Scores will be posted online 10 days after the test date. ETS will send up to four official score reports directly to the institutions the student selects.

TOEFL Syllabus

The TOEFL iBT syllabus for students includes reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. Here is the TOEFL exam format covering TOEFL writing syllabus, TOEFL reading syllabus, TOEFL listening syllabus, and TOEFL speaking syllabus:

TOEFL Reading Syllabus

In this section, you will read 3-4 passages and answer 10 questions on each passage. The section is scored based on the number of correct reading comprehension responses.

• Question type: 3–4 passages, 10 questions each
• Total no. of questions: About 40
• Total time: 64-72 minutes

TOEFL Listening Syllabus

In the Listening test section, you will hear short conversations as well as long conversations. After the short conversation, you will be asked one question and multiple choices of answers will be given. You have to choose one answer. In long conversations, you will be asked multiple questions based on the conversation.

• Question type: a) 3–4 lectures (3-5 minutes long, about 500-800 words), 6 questions each
• b) 2–3 conversations (about 3 minutes long, about 12-25 exchanges), 5 questions each
• Total time: 41–57 minutes

TOEFL Speaking Syllabus

For you to earn the highest scores in the Speaking Section, your responses must fulfill the demands of the task given with only minor mistakes or lapses. The test graders are looking for a highly intelligible and sustained conversation. There are three main factors that comprise scoring for the section.

Question type:

• a) 1 independent task (prep time: 15 sec; response time: 45 sec)
• b) 3 integrated tasks – Read/Listen/Speak (prep time: 30 sec; response time: 60 sec)
• Total no. of questions: 4
• Total time: 17 minutes

TOEFL Writing Syllabus

The essay should effectively address a topic. The response should be well-organized and well-developed using relevant explanations and detailed support. Furthermore, it should also display unity, progression, and coherence. If you want to achieve a high writing score, make sure that you demonstrate the syntactic variety and appropriate word choice with minor grammatical errors.
Question type:

• a) 1 integrated task – Read/Listen/Write (20 minutes) (reading time: 3 min; listening
  time: 2 min; writing: 15 min)
• b) 1 independent task (30 minutes)
• Total no. of questions: 2
• Total time: 50 minutes

TOEFL Scores 2020

Once you are done with your test, you need not wait much for the TOEFL results. When your scores are declared online, you receive an email intimation about it. Log in to your TOEFL iBT account and click on the scores option. You will receive your results after 10 days of your test. However, it will take at least 13 days (after the test date) for printed scores to reach you. These scores will be valid for the next two years from the date of the declaration.

How are TOEFL Scores calculated?

For calculating TOEFL scores, both human raters and automated scoring methods are used. This is done in order to offer a complete and accurate picture of the candidate’s ability. While the automated scoring method has the advantage of being unbiased, it does not measure the effectiveness of the language and content. Human raters are required to attend to a wider variety of features, such as the quality of ideas and content as well as form. Also, you are expected to answer at least one question each in all sections. For reading and listening, you should answer at least one question. For writing and speaking, you must attempt one task each. For the online TOEFL iBT test as well the result is four-scaled along with a total score. The four-section scores of the TOEFL are divided as follow:

Section/ Score Range	Mean Scores*	Level*
Reading0–30	20	High (22–30)Intermediate (15–21)Low (0–14)
Listening0–30	19	High (22–30)Intermediate (14–21)Low (0–13)
Speaking0–30	19	Good (26–30)Fair (18–25)Limited (10–17)Weak (0–9)
Writing0–30	20	Good (24–30)Fair (17–23)Limited (1–16)Score of zero (0)
Total Score0–120	80

*Source – ETS

Linking TOEFL iBT Score Ranges to other scores

IELTS Score	TOEFL Score	TOEFL PBT Score	CEFR	IELTS Description
9.0	118-120	667 – 677	C2	Expert User
8.5	115-117	657 – 663	Very Good User
8.0	110-114	637 – 653	C1
7.5	102-109	610 – 633	Good User
7.0	94-101	587 – 607
6.5	79-93	550 – 583	B2	Competent User
6.0	60-78	500 – 547
5.5	46-59	453 – 497	Modest User
5.0	35-45	417 – 450	B1
4.5	32-34	400 – 413	Limited User
0.0 – 4.0	0-31	310 – 397	A1-B1	Extremely Limited/Intermittent/Non User

*Note: the above comparison scores are provided by ETS, the company that creates the TOEFL tests. Other charts show different ranges ^[rx]

CEFR	TOEFL	Reading	Listening	Speaking	Writing
C1	95	24	22	25	24
B2	72	18	17	20	17
B1	42	4	9	16	13
A2	N/A	N/A	N/A	10	7

How to access TOEFL Scores?

Viewing your TOEFL scores has never been easier. Around 10 days after your test date, you will receive an e-mail informing you when your score result will be available. Since the TOEFL test is administered through the Internet, you will be able to view your results online. For that, all you have to do is log in to your TOEFL account on the TOEFL website and click ‘view scores’ to see your scores. You will see the list of dates, they will provide an estimate of when your score result will be available for viewing.

When will TOEFL Official Score Reports be available?

Printed reports are mailed 13 days after your test date. After that, you need to allow at least 7 to 10 days to reach you. This process can’t be hurried as ETS has no control over the delivery of the mail. Your TOEFL scores will be valid for two years.

What is a Good TOEFL Score?

Along with the total score, your score report will also include performance feedback. This is an assessment of your overall test performance with a suggested description of the tasks you can do, within the score range obtained. This will give you an idea if you have fared well, what are your strengths and which sections do need to improve. ETS has further divided each section into High, Intermediate and Low levels score for Reading and Listening section.

• High: Simply put, High-level scores help you in getting into the best or top universities. Your chances of being accepted by them increase drastically if you score anywhere within this range. Ivy League schools usually target these scores for setting a cut-off.
• Intermediate: Intermediate level scores will help you get into good universities as these scores meet the requirements set by most of the top 100 universities.
• Low: Low-level scores speak for itself. Scoring within this range may not get you into good universities or the university you have short-listed. However, you can consider getting through conditional acceptance programs such as foundational courses or Pathway programs with these scores, if any university accepts scores within this range.

For the Speaking and Writing sections, ETS has given four levels of score range like Good, Fair, Limited and Weak.

• Good: A Good-level score will help you get into top and upper-mid ranked schools. The higher the score, the more the chances of getting into an Ivy-league university
• Fair: Scores within this range can get you into mid-ranked universities. Most of the good universities accept scores within this range for STEM programs as finding such scores quite impressive.
• Limited: Generally speaking, these scores can get you only conditional acceptance. You may have to go through different programs like the Pathway Programme to get acceptance into a particular course at that university.
• Weak: Full acceptance is very unlikely with such scores. Some low ranked universities may offer conditional programs, however, such cases are quite rare.

What is the validity of TOEFL scores?

Your TOEFL scores are valid until two years post the declaration of your result. If you are not satisfied with the scores of your first attempt, you can try again as there is no limitation on the number of retakes. However, there should be a 12-day gap between your retakes; i.e if you have a test appointment for today, you cannot register for another appointment for the next 12 days.

TOEFL Cut Off

There are no minimum passing marks required for the TOEFL exam as each university or educational institution decides its own score range or minimum score required. There is no such thing as a cut-off for the TOEFL score as each university will set its score range according to their own requirements. Top universities or Ivy-league schools generally set a high score range (79 and above), which may change each year. Thus, you need to keep a check on the changes brought in by the universities by keeping a check on their website for any such updates.

How to Send TOEFL Scores to Colleges?

At the time of registration, the candidate gets the option of sending four free score reports to colleges/universities/programs. Official score reports will be sent to the selected recipients approximately after 13 days when the official scores are released.

• Order Online: Once you receive your scores, you can send them to your choice of colleges till two years, post which you will have to re-take the exam. Those who do not wish to send the free score report can send Additional Score Reports by paying additional charges. Students can also avail of a discount on sending five Additional Score Reports by ordering the TOEFL Value Pack premium. ETS offers more value packs which students can order and avail huge discount on sending their scores to colleges/universities. Usually, the amount per report is 20$ (USD), which you can pay through debit, credit, e-check or Paypal. After your request is received by the organization, your scores will be sent within 3-5 business days.
• Order by Fax: You need to fill the ‘TOEFL iBT Additional Score Report Request Form’ that you can get from the ETS website. Fax the form along with your registration details and payment information (debit or credit card) to 1-610-290-8972. If the fax fails or if you have to re-send the same form due to some issues, make sure to write ‘DUPLICATE’ in capital letters on the form itself to avoid double charges on your debit or credit card.
•  Order by Mail: For mail order, you need to fill the same form: ‘TOEFL iBT Additional Score Report Request Form’. Mail the form along with your payment information (debit or credit card) to the following address:
• TES-TOEFL iBT
• P.O Box 6153
• Princeton, NJ 08541-6153 USA

Colleges Accepting TOEFL Score

More than 10,000 colleges, universities, and other organizations across 130 countries accept TOEFL scores including universities in the US, universities in the UK, universities in Australia, universities in New Zealand, universities in France, universities in Germany and universities in Canada. Apart from this, even immigration departments of various English speaking countries use this test for granting work and residential visas to prospective immigrants. Non-as such there is no cut off for TOEFL exams, any score which can get you admission to your preferred college/university can be considered as a good score. Minimum requirements for TOEFL scores can vary from institution to institution, so, it is always recommended to check the minimum requirements for the program you are applying to.

Countries Accepting TOEFL Score

TOEFL scores are accepted in over 130 countries including the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany and widely accepted in Canada. To know more about these countries or to search countries on the basis of your TOEFL score, you can visit ETS’s website and look up countries in their TOEFL Destination Search Tool.

TOEFL Preparation Tips

There are two ways all exam-takers prepare for TOEFL i.e. self-study and attending coaching classes. Both these methods of studying have unique benefits and no one way is better than the other. If money is the prime consideration, then self-studies through TOEFL books and resources may be the better option. Similarly, if you need professional guidance to ensure you have some advantage in TOEFL exam preparation, then enrolling for a TOEFL coaching center is the better option.

TOEFL Test monitors the candidates’ ability to understand the English language at the university level. The four sections on which the candidate’s ability is judged are reading, writing, listening and speaking. While preparing for the test, first of all, candidates should understand the format of the test and result and scores system of the test. ETS, the conducting body of the TOEFL exam also provides free and paid study material, which is easily available.

TOEFL Sample / Practice Paper

Since it is an English language test, TOEFL requires its candidates to have a good command over the English language. Like the other standardized tests required to study abroad, TOEFL is divided into sections. Every section has its own weight and hence needs to be prepared accordingly. With four sections in total, the exam requires dedicated time to cover and excel in each section. Once you are done with your preparation, you may test your abilities through TOEFL 2020 Sample Papers to see how far you have reached in your preparation.

TOEFL Exam Day Tips

As the day arrives, you need to be ready with all your necessary documents to bring to the test centre. You need to carry at least two forms of acceptable ID that must be:

• An original document (photocopies not allowed)
• Valid (expired documents are not allowed)
• Have your full name mentioned in it as mentioned during registration
• Have your photo in it (recent photo matching the test taker)
• Have your signature

Also, remember that no other personal items are allowed inside the test centre except your ID documents, as they may be inspected or confiscated.

TOEFL Scholarships

One of the biggest drawbacks of studying abroad is having to pay tuition fees in foreign currency clubbed with high living expenses. Due to such reasons, a lot of times, many sections of students are unavailable to go abroad and end up settling down for other alternatives. However, with the availability of various TOEFL Scholarships and education loans, students can finally make their dream come true. Scholarships are available on the official website of every college along with other fellowships and grants that are awarded to deserving students on a regular basis. Students can also opt for education loans from financial institutions for studying abroad.

IELTS – All About You Need To Know/IELTS is an English language exam that is required to be taken by international candidates considering studying or working in a country where English is the main language of communication. Most popular countries where IELTS is accepted for university admissions are the UK, Australia, New Zealand, USA, and Canada. The exam mainly measures the ability of test-takers to communicate in the four basic English language skills – listening, reading, speaking, and writing. IELTS exam is jointly owned and conducted by IDP Education Australia, British Council, and Cambridge English Language Assessment. With the number of IELTS tests grew to a record of 3.5 million in the year 2018, it has become a leader in the area of international higher education. It is accepted in 100% of universities in the UK and Australia. Also, it is accepted in more than 3,400 institutions in the US and thousands of institutions in English speaking countries.

Recent Updates in IELTS

IELTS Test Fee Update: IELTS Test fee is being revised to INR 14,000 for registrations from 1st-April-2020.

CORONAVIRUS ALERT: IELTS Partners has also launched the IELTS Indicator, an online English language test for students who are affected by the COVID-19 and are not able to attend the IELTS test center. IELTS Indicator will assess the student’s English language skills in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. Students can take the test online from their homes.

Why IELTS Exam is Required?

IELTS 2020 exam is required for migration as well as academic purposes abroad in English speaking countries like Australia, UK, New Zealand, USA, and Canada. It is the only English Language Test approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) for visa applicants applying both outside and inside the UK. A lot of students get confused about why are the IELTS scores required. The simple answer to this is that foreign universities and visa granting authorities need to be sure that you will not have communication issues while staying in the country. You need to show a good understanding and strong command of the English language and that is why your overall IELTS scores are so important. Another common doubt students have is whether IELTS is a compulsory exam or not. No, IELTS isn’t compulsory in all university admissions. Many universities might not even require IELTS scores for admission purposes. But remember that if you don’t give IELTS, your chances of getting the student visa might suffer as the visa officers may not be convinced about your English proficiency without IELTS scores. So it is safer to appear for IELTS and aim to score at least 6 bands overall.

You can take the IELTS exam with the British Council or IDP up to once a week (four times a month). The British Council and IDP global schedule for test dates are 48 days per year.

Types of IELTS

There are two types of IELTS exam: IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Listening and speaking sections are the same for both these tests, however, the subject matter for the writing and reading sections are different depending on which test one takes. The Reading, Writing and Listening sections of the IELTS tests are completed on the same day of the test with no breaks between them. However, the Speaking section can be completed either a week before or after the other tests date. This information test can be taken from your test centre. 

IELTS Academic Test

IELTS Academic is taken by those who apply for higher education or professional registration abroad.

IELTS General Test

IELTS General Test is taken by those who wish to migrate to major English speaking countries like Canada, Australia, and the UK. This test is also taken by those who want to enroll in training programs or secondary education or wants to gain work experience in a country where English is the main language used for communication.

IELTS Highlights

Exam Name	IELTS
IELTS full form	International English Language Testing System
Official Website	https://www.ielts.org/
Most popular for	Study, work, and migration to English speaking countries like Australia, New Zealand, and the UK
Also accepted by	Canada and USA
Conducted by	British Council and IDP Education Ltd
Mode of Exam	Computer and Paper – delivered test
IELTS Fee	Rs. 14,000 for registrations from 1st-Apr-2020
Score Range	On a scale of 1 (the lowest) to 9 (the highest)
IELTS Contact	British Council0120-4569000 / 0120-6684353, Mon-Sat 09.00 to 18.00Email: ExamsCustomerCare@britishcouncil.org

IELTS vs TOEFL

Often international students are confused between choosing IELTS or TOEFL, as universities abroad ask for either exam scores. It is up to you as a test taker to decide which of the two exams to take, but remember that IELTS is more preferred in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, while TOEFL is popular among applicants to universities in US and Canada.

IELTS Eligibility

IELTS can be taken by anyone irrespective of age, gender, race, nationality or religion, however, the IELTS test is not recommended for those under 16 years of age.

What is the age limit to appear for the IELTS exam?

Minimum age requirement is lowered for language requirements for Canadian citizenship: Due to changes in the Citizenship Act in Canada, the minimum age that applicants have to prove their language proficiency for Canadian citizenship has been lowered. From June 2015, applicants between the ages of 14-64 who wish to move to Canada have to meet language requirements set by the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

How many attempts can be given for IELTS?

There is no limit set by the conducting bodies of IELTS for taking the IELTS exam. You can take the IELTS test as many times as you want until you get your dream/target score. However, you have to pay the IELTS test fee for every attempt.

What is the educational eligibility to give IELTS exam?

As such, there are no minimum eligibility criteria for IELTS set by the conducting bodies of IELTS. Anyone who wishes to pursue higher studies abroad or want to work abroad can attempt the IELTS exam (both Academic and General Training). However, candidates should always check the eligibility criteria set by the educational institution or organization where they are applying.

How does IELTS work?

IELTS test has been developed to assess the English language skills of an individual. The individuals are assessed on the bases of their Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking skills.

• IELTS for Study –  Choosing IELTS for study can be of huge advantage for candidates as IELTS is accepted by more than 10,000 education institutions globally.
• IELTS for Work – Various professional organizations, and employers across the world accept IELTS to select the right candidate. The importance of communication felt at the time of working. There are many industries which accept the IELTS test for testing the language proficiency of the candidates.
• IELTS for immigration – Every country has its own set of guidelines for IELTS. Like in Australia it is accepted for permanent residency and various Visa categories. Those applying to Canada for a work visa, permanent residency or professional purpose are required to take IELTS General Test.

Who Conducts IELTS?

IELTS test is jointly owned by:

• British Council
• IDP IELTS Australia (International Development Program)
• Cambridge ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) 

Candidates have this doubt about who is best for IELTS, British Council or IDP? Where they should take the IELTS test? However, there is no difference between both the agencies, whether you take IELTS from British Council or IDP. So, you can take the IELTS exam conducted by any of the agency.

IELTS Registration

Make sure to keep your passport handy at the time of registration as you need passport number at the time of registration. Apart from this, you also need to carry your passport on the test day. IELTS Registration can be done in easy steps:

• First, you need to visit the official British Council registration page.
• Create an account with the British Council.
• Find your nearest test center.
• Register for the IELTS test and pay online.

Those below 18 years of age need their parent or guardian to book the test for them. Once the registration is complete, your test center will send a written confirmation to you informing about the date and time of your IELTS test.

IELTS Exam Fees

The registration fee for IELTS is Rs. 14,000 for registrations from 1st-Apr-2020.

What is IELTS Cancellation Fees?

• If you cancel your IELTS application more than five weeks before the test date, you will receive the refund minus 25% administrative fee.
• If you cancel the IELTS exam less than five weeks ahead of the test date, you will receive no refund.
• In case you fail to appear for the test, then also you will not receive any refund. This is also considered as a cancelation.

Those who can produce a medical certificate within 5 days of the test date can receive the refund after deducting the local administrative cost.

What is IELTS Rescheduling Fees?

If you want to change your test date, then you can request for a test day transfer at least five weeks before your already booked test date after deducting your cancellation/postponement fee. Also, make sure the new test date must be within three months of the original test date. Candidates need to pay an administrative charge of INR 3,300 inclusive of all taxes for transfer of test date.

IELTS Scholarships

One of the biggest drawbacks about studying abroad is having to pay tuition fees in foreign currency clubbed with high living expenses. Due to such reasons, a lot of times, many sections of students are unavailable to go abroad and end up settling down for other alternatives. However, with the availability of various IELTS Scholarships and education loans, students can finally make their dream come true. Scholarships are available on the official website of every college along with other fellowships and grants that are awarded to deserving students on a regular basis. Students can also opt for education loan from financial institutions for studying abroad.

IELTS Important Dates

British Council and IDP IELTS are the two official conducting bodies of the IELTS Exam. The IELTS test is available multiple times throughout the year. Candidates are advised to book an IELTS Test Date that is most convenient to them, keeping in mind the university admission timeline. Students looking to appear for the IELTS test are advised to choose an exam date 3-4 months before their application deadline, to avoid any last minute error. The IELTS test is available across various major cities in India.

IELTS Exam Pattern and Syllabus

It is important for candidates looking to score well in their IELTS Test to understand the IELTS Exam Pattern and Syllabus in detail. IELTS Syllabus includes four sections, Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. You get marked on these four sections and you get the IELTS total score as well. The total score is the sum of the scores in the four skill areas. The total test duration is 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Here is the IELTS paper pattern – At a Glance

The IELTS Exam consists of four sections:

• IELTS Listening section
• IELTS Reading section
• IELTS Writing section
• IELTS Speaking section

How is IELTS Scored?

IELTS is designed to assess English language skills at all levels. Your total IELTS score will be a combination of the band scores from the four sections. You will receive IELTS scores based on each of the four skills on a band of 1 – 9, and you will also be awarded an overall band score. You can score whole (example 5.0, 6.0, 7.0) or half (example 5.5, 6.5, 7.5) bands in each part of the test. You need to have some idea about how the scoring pattern works to better understand how your IELTS score will be calculated.

How to get your IELTS Exam Result?

Once you are done with the IELTS, then comes your wait for the result. The good thing about these exams is that the results are usually declared within a fortnight. In this case, if you have given the computer-based exam, your results will be declared within 5-7 days or within a week.

• Offline Mode: For offline or paper-based test, you will receive your results within 13 calendar day from the day of your exam.
• Online Mode: On the day of your result, you will receive an intimation from your Test Centre about the results. You can simply login with your ID, password, passport number, and test date information to view your result. From the time of declaration of result, your results will be available online for the next 28 days

IELTS Band Scale

Band	Skill Level	Meaning
Band 9	Expert user	Has fully operational command of the language
Band 8	Very good user	Fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies
Band 7	Good user	Has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies and misunderstandings in some situations
Band 6	Competent user	Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations
Band 5	Modest user	Has partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes
Band 4	Limited user	Have frequent problems in understanding and expression. Is not able to use complex language
Band 3	Extremely limited user	Conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns occur in communication
Band 2	Intermittent user	Has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English
Band 1	Non-user	Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words
Band 0	Did not attempt the test	No assessable information provided

IELTS Score validity period

From the time you obtain your IELTS results, your IELTS score is valid for two years.

IELTS Results

You do not have long to wait for your results as IELTS test results are released within a week (online) or 13 calendar days (offline) after you sit for the test. You will receive an email when your scores are available. You can log into your IELTS account on the IELTS Results website to see your scores.

IELTS Cut-Off

IELTS has been designed to assess the English language skills of students at all levels. Hence, students can never fail the test. The IELTS score is based on each of the four skills on a scale of 1 – 9, and students would also be awarded an overall band score. Candidates are reminded that the IELTS cut-off score varies for different colleges and programmes that students are interested in and not all universities and programmes require candidates to qualify for the IELTS exam. Your overall IELTS band score is important if you intend to apply for university, take up a job or immigrate to an English-speaking country.

Colleges Accepting IELTS

Taking the IELTS exam opens doors of opportunities! More than 10,000 organizations across 140 countries accept IELTS. These include professional organizations, schools, colleges, and universities. This test will clearly monitor the use of the English language of the aspirant at work, study, which reflects how the aspirant will manage communication abroad. It is the most popular English language test with more than 3 million IELTS exams are taken every year.

Countries Accepting IELTS Score

IELTS exam score is accepted in more than 140 countries including UK, Australia, New Zealand, USA, and Canada. Whether it is for study, work or immigration, you can sit for IELTS and with a good score apply to your favourite country. It is advisable to check the university/country requirements for IELTS before sitting for the exam.

IELTS 2020 Preparation Tips

There are two ways to prepare for IELTS: one was is self-study and another is attending coaching classes. Which way you will choose depends on your language proficiency and comfort level. If you are already fluent in English, you need not attend coaching classes, you can prepare for the exam on your own. You just need to figure out when to start preparing for IELTS.

Also, if money is an important consideration, then self-study is a better option. However, remember that in order to study on your own, you need the latest preparation tips dedicated for each section of IELTS exam.

On the other hand, if you do not have enough time and you need professional supervision for the exam preparation then coaching classes are a good option. Since regularly attending classes will become part of your routine, your time will be better managed.

What are the best books for IELTS Exam 2020?

Apart from good command over the English language, you need to have clarity on what to prepare and how to prepare it. Since there is no fixed syllabus like there used to be in schools with specific chapters and grammar sections, you need to know how to score well in every section.

Whether you prepare on your own or you choose a coaching center to study, you need to have the appropriate study material to get started with. Coaching centers would often help you with the exact kind of books you need to prepare. However, in the case of self-study, you need to look for the study material on your own. 

IELTS Exam day tips

Each exam has its own preparation technique, which also changes the treatment of exam day. Planning your exam day and preparing for strategies to crack the question paper is equally essential as studying for the exam is. Therefore, it is as important to be exam-day ready as it is to be prepared with its syllabus.

IELTS Question/ Sample Paper

While preparing for the exam, you would need to know how far you have reached. Knowing where you stand would help you move further with your preparation. Hence, it is suggested that you keep on taking up the IELTS practice tests every now and then. It would also help in preparing you for facing and handling the question paper well, without panicking on the day of the exam.

Top 200 Universities in Latin America/What are the most popular Universities in Latin America? uniRank tries to answer this question by publishing the 2020 Latin American University Ranking of the top 200 recognized higher-education institutions in Latin America meeting the following uniRank selection criteria:

• being chartered, licensed and/or accredited by the appropriate higher education-related organization in each country
• offering at least four-year undergraduate degrees (bachelor degrees) or postgraduate degrees (master or doctoral degrees)
• delivering courses predominantly in a traditional, face-to-face, non-distance education format

Our aim is to provide a non-academic League Table of the top Universities in Latin America based on valid, unbiased and non-influenceable web metrics provided by independent web intelligence sources rather than data submitted by the Universities themselves.

2020 Top 200 Universities in Latin America

Rank	University	Country
1	Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México	mx
2	Universidade de São Paulo	br
3	Tecnológico de Monterrey	mx
4	Universidad de Guadalajara	mx
5	Universidad de Buenos Aires	ar
6	Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina	br
7	Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro	br
8	Universidad de Chile	cl
9	Universidade Estadual de Campinas	br
10	Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul	br
11	Universidad Nacional de Colombia	co
12	Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais	br
13	Universidade Estácio de Sá	br
14	Universidade de Brasília	br
15	Universidade Estadual Paulista	br
16	Universidad Nacional de La Plata	ar
17	Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León	mx
18	Universidade Federal do Paraná	br
19	Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile	cl
20	Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú	pe
21	Instituto Politécnico Nacional	mx
22	Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro	br
23	Universidade Federal Fluminense	br
24	Universidad Veracruzana	mx
25	Universidad Nacional de Córdoba	ar
26	Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana	mx
27	Universidade Federal da Bahia	br
28	Universidad de Costa Rica	cr
29	Universidad Tecnológica Nacional	ar
30	Universidad de Antioquía	co
31	Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo	mx
32	Universidad de Puerto Rico	pr
33	Universidade Paulista	br
34	Universidade Federal do Ceará	br
35	Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala	gt
36	Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo	br
37	Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte	br
38	Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul	br
39	Pontificia Universidad Javeriana	co
40	Universidade Federal de Goiás	br
41	Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos	pe
42	Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora	br
43	Universidade Federal da Paraíba	br
44	Universidade Federal de Uberlândia	br
45	Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul	br
46	Universidade Federal de Pernambuco	br
47	Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro	br
48	Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos	br
49	Universidade Federal de Santa Maria	br
50	Universidad de Los Andes	ve
51	Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México	mx
52	Universidade Estadual de Maringá	br
53	Universidad de Concepción	cl
54	Universidad Nacional de Cuyo	ar
55	Universidad ICESI	co
56	Universidad Nacional de Rosario	ar
57	Universidade Federal de São Carlos	br
58	Universidad de las Américas Puebla	mx
59	Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Mayagüez	pr
60	Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla	mx
61	Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras	pr
62	Universidade Federal do Amazonas	br
63	Universidad de los Andes, Colombia	co
64	Universidad Autónoma de Baja California	mx
65	Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais	br
66	Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente A.C.	mx
67	Universidade Federal de São Paulo	br
68	Universidad Rafael Landívar	gt
69	Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso	cl
70	Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo	br
71	Universidade Federal do Piauí	br
72	Universidad de Piura	pe
73	Universidad de Palermo	ar
74	Universidade Federal do Pará	br
75	Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie	br
76	Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios	co
77	Universidade Estadual de Londrina	br
78	Universidade Federal de Campina Grande	br
79	Universidad EAFIT	co
80	Universidad del Norte	co
81	Universidade Federal de Lavras	br
82	Universidad de Sonora	mx
83	Universidad Nacional del Nordeste	ar
84	Universidad Tecnológica del Peru	pe
85	Universidad Austral de Chile	cl
86	Universidade Federal do Maranhão	br
87	Universidad del Valle	co
88	Universidade Federal de Pelotas	br
89	Universidad de Colima	mx
90	Universidad Nacional del Litoral	ar
91	Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja	ec
92	Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires	ar
93	Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná	br
94	Universidad del Rosario	co
95	Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa	br
96	Universidad Central de Venezuela	ve
97	Universidad TecMilenio	mx
98	Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná	br
99	Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso	br
100	The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine	tt
101	Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana	co
102	Universidade Estadual do Ceará	br
103	Universidad Iberoamericana A.C.	mx
104	Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua, Managua	ni
105	Universidad de Guanajuato	mx
106	Universidad Interamericana para el Desarrollo	mx
107	Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata	ar
108	Universidad del Desarrollo	cl
109	Universidad Nacional	cr
110	Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán	mx
111	Universidad de El Salvador	sv
112	Universidad Politécnica Salesiana	ec
113	Universidade do Estado da Bahia	br
114	Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo	do
115	Universidad Tecnológica de Chile INACAP	cl
116	Universidad Católica Andres Bello	ve
117	Universidad San Francisco de Quito	ec
118	Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina	br
119	Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina	ar
120	Universidade Anhanguera de São Paulo	br
121	Universidad César Vallejo	pe
122	Universidade Nove de Julho	br
123	Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico	pr
124	Universidade Federal de Viçosa	br
125	Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro	mx
126	Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina	br
127	Universidad Anáhuac México Norte	mx
128	Universidad de La Habana	cu
129	Universidade Estadual da Paraíba	br
130	Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás	br
131	Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí	mx
132	Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto	br
133	Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras	hn
134	Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo	mx
135	Universidad Empresarial Siglo 21	ar
136	Universidad ESAN	pe
137	Instituto Tecnológico Autonómo de México	mx
138	Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas	pe
139	Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul	br
140	Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas	co
141	Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro	br
142	Universidade Federal de Alagoas	br
143	Universidad Andrés Bello	cl
144	Universidad de San Martín de Porres	pe
145	Universidad Popular Autonóma del Estado de Puebla	mx
146	Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei	br
147	Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez	mx
148	Universidad del Valle de México A.C.	mx
149	Universidad Nacional de San Martín, Argentina	ar
150	Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua	mx
151	Universidade Metodista de São Paulo	br
152	Universidad de La Sabana	co
153	Universidad Externado de Colombia	co
154	Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul	br
155	Universidad Privada del Norte	pe
156	Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María	cl
157	Universidad de Carabobo	ve
158	Universidad Austral	ar
159	Universidad de Talca	cl
160	Universidad Tecnológica de México	mx
161	Universidad Argentina de la Empresa	ar
162	Universidad Técnica de Ambato	ec
163	Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira	co
164	Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola	pe
165	Universidad de La Salle	co
166	Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador	ec
167	Universidade Federal do Rio Grande	br
168	Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes	mx
169	Universidad Católica del Norte	cl
170	Universidad de los Lagos	cl
171	Universidad Adolfo Ibañez	cl
172	Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia	co
173	University of the Virgin Islands	vi
174	Universidad de Pamplona	co
175	Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería	pe
176	Universidade Estadual do Piauí	br
177	Universidad ORT Uruguay	uy
178	Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais	br
179	Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná	br
180	Universidad del Bío-Bío	cl
181	Universidade de Caxias do Sul	br
182	Universidad Industrial de Santander	co
183	Universidad Santo Tomás	co
184	Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas	br
185	Universidade Federal do Tocantins	br
186	Universidad Nacional de La Pampa	ar
187	Universidade Federal de Sergipe	br
188	Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia	co
189	Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco	ar
190	Universidad de Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano	co
191	Universidad Nacional de San Luis	ar
192	Universidad Nacional de Tucumán	ar
193	Universidad de San Andrés	ar
194	Universidade Anhembi Morumbi	br
195	Universidad Católica del Uruguay	uy
196	Universidad Latinoamericana S.C.	mx
197	Universidade Federal do Cariri	br
198	Universidad Nacional de Misiones	ar
199	Universidad Central Marta Abreu de Las Villas	cu
200	Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa	pe

Top English-speaking Universities in the World/What are the most popular English-speaking Universities in the world? uniRank tries to answer this question by publishing the 2020 World University Ranking of the top 200 recognized English-speaking higher-education institutions in the world meeting the following uniRank selection criteria:

• being chartered, licensed and/or accredited by the appropriate higher education-related organization in each country
• offering at least four-year undergraduate degrees (bachelor degrees) or postgraduate degrees (master or doctoral degrees)
• delivering courses predominantly in a traditional, face-to-face, non-distance education format

Our aim is to provide a non-academic League Table of the top 200 English-speaking Universities in the world based on valid, unbiased and non-influenceable web metrics provided by independent web intelligence sources rather than data submitted by the Universities themselves.

2020 Top English-speaking Universities in the World

Rank	University	Country
1	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	us
2	Harvard University	us
3	Stanford University	us
4	University of California, Berkeley	us
5	Purdue University	us
6	Cornell University	us
7	University of Washington	us
8	Columbia University in the City of New York	us
9	University of Michigan	us
10	Penn State University	us
11	University of Minnesota	us
12	University of Wisconsin-Madison	us
13	University of California, Los Angeles	us
14	New York University	us
15	University of Pennsylvania	us
16	University of Toronto	ca
17	Yale University	us
18	The University of Texas at Austin	us
19	University of Oxford	gb
20	Princeton University	us
21	Carnegie Mellon University	us
22	University of Southern California	us
23	The University of British Columbia	ca
24	University of California, Irvine	us
25	University of Colorado Boulder	us
26	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	us
27	University of Cambridge	gb
28	Arizona State University	us
29	University of Chicago	us
30	Johns Hopkins University	us
31	University of California, San Diego	us
32	Michigan State University	us
33	The University of Arizona	us
34	University of Florida	us
35	Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey	us
36	Northwestern University	us
37	Texas A&M University	us
38	Duke University	us
39	Boston University	us
40	University of California, Davis	us
41	The University of Utah	us
42	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	us
43	University of Maryland	us
44	The University of Edinburgh	gb
45	The Ohio State University	us
46	University of Waterloo	ca
47	McGill University	ca
48	North Carolina State University	us
49	Georgia Institute of Technology	us
50	University of Virginia	us
51	University College London	gb
52	University of Pittsburgh	us
53	Simon Fraser University	ca
54	Washington University in St. Louis	us
55	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	us
56	Florida State University	us
57	Indiana University Bloomington	us
58	Iowa State University of Science and Technology	us
59	University of California, Santa Barbara	us
60	University of Massachusetts Amherst	us
61	The University of New South Wales	au
62	National University of Singapore	sg
63	Oregon State University	us
64	University of Alberta	ca
65	University of Houston	us
66	George Mason University	us
67	Georgetown University	us
68	Colorado State University	us
69	California Institute of Technology	us
70	Brigham Young University	us
71	Georgia State University	us
72	University of Nebraska-Lincoln	us
73	University of South Florida	us
74	Brown University	us
75	University of Georgia	us
76	The University of Sydney	au
77	Tufts University	us
78	University of Iowa	us
79	University of Delaware	us
80	The University of Melbourne	au
81	University of Oregon	us
82	George Washington University	us
83	The University of Manchester	gb
84	Dartmouth College	us
85	Washington State University	us
86	University of Rochester	us
87	University of Notre Dame	us
88	University of Calgary	ca
89	Vanderbilt University	us
90	University of California, Santa Cruz	us
91	University at Buffalo, State University of New York	us
92	York University	ca
93	The London School of Economics and Political Science	gb
94	University of Illinois at Chicago	us
95	University of Leeds	gb
96	Rice University	us
97	University of Glasgow	gb
98	Nanyang Technological University	sg
99	Temple University	us
100	Syracuse University	us
101	The University of Queensland	au
102	University of Central Florida	us
103	Queen’s University	ca
104	University of California, San Francisco	us
105	University of Kentucky	us
106	The University of Nottingham	gb
107	Australian National University	au
108	Emory University	us
109	University of Southampton	gb
110	Northeastern University	us
111	The University of Oklahoma	us
112	The University of Tennessee, Knoxville	us
113	University of California, Riverside	us
114	University of Kansas	us
115	Heriot-Watt University	gb
116	Louisiana State University	us
117	The University of Warwick	gb
118	Rochester Institute of Technology	us
119	San Diego State University	us
120	University of Connecticut	us
121	University of New Mexico	us
122	McMaster University	ca
123	Western University	ca
124	Monash University	au
125	Imperial College London	gb
126	University of Victoria	ca
127	University of South Carolina	us
128	University of Missouri	us
129	Virginia Commonwealth University	us
130	University of Miami	us
131	The University of Adelaide	au
132	Kent State University	us
133	University of Cincinnati	us
134	Florida International University	us
135	Université de Montréal	ca
136	Université Laval	ca
137	University of Pretoria	za
138	Ryerson University	ca
139	Boston College	us
140	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	us
141	Drexel University	us
142	San José State University	us
143	University of North Texas	us
144	Fordham University	us
145	University of Birmingham	gb
146	The University of Alabama	us
147	University of Auckland	nz
148	San Francisco State University	us
149	University of Vermont	us
150	University of Ottawa	ca
151	Carleton University	ca
152	Liberty University	us
153	The University of Texas at Dallas	us
154	Newcastle University	gb
155	Portland State University	us
156	The University of Tennessee at Martin	us
157	Concordia University	ca
158	King’s College London	gb
159	The University of Sheffield	gb
160	University of St Andrews	gb
161	Clemson University	us
162	Lancaster University	gb
163	West Virginia University	us
164	The University of York	gb
165	University of New Hampshire	us
166	RMIT University	au
167	American University	us
168	California State University, Northridge	us
169	University of Cape Town	za
170	Baylor University	us
171	California State University, Fullerton	us
172	Stony Brook University	us
173	University of Liverpool	gb
174	Deakin University	au
175	Case Western Reserve University	us
176	Wayne State University	us
177	University of Guelph	ca
178	Utah State University	us
179	Southern New Hampshire University	us
180	University of Delhi	in
181	University of Saskatchewan	ca
182	Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur	in
183	Michigan Technological University	us
184	Oklahoma State University	us
185	The University of Western Australia	au
186	Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin	ie
187	Auburn University	us
188	University of Technology Sydney	au
189	Macquarie University	au
190	Texas Tech University	us
191	DePaul University	us
192	University of Bristol	gb
193	University of Leicester	gb
194	Dalhousie University	ca
195	Queen Mary University of London	gb
196	Indian Institute of Technology Bombay	in
197	Indian Institute of Technology Delhi	in
198	Ohio University	us
199	Tulane University	us
200	University College Dublin	ie

Top Arabic-speaking Universities in the World In 2020/What are the most popular Arabic-speaking Universities in the world? uniRank tries to answer this question by publishing the 2020 World University Ranking of the top 200 recognized Arabic-speaking higher-education institutions in the world meeting the following uniRank selection criteria:

• being chartered, licensed and/or accredited by the appropriate higher education-related organization in each country
• offering at least four-year undergraduate degrees (bachelor degrees) or postgraduate degrees (master or doctoral degrees)
• delivering courses predominantly in a traditional, face-to-face, non-distance education format

Our aim is to provide a non-academic League Table of the top 200 Arabic-speaking Universities in the world based on valid, unbiased and non-influenceable web metrics provided by independent web intelligence sources rather than data submitted by the Universities themselves.

2020 Top Arabic-speaking Universities in the World

Rank	University	Country
1	King Saud University	sa
2	King AbdulAziz University	sa
3	Qatar University	qa
4	King Faisal University	sa
5	American University of Beirut	lb
6	Cairo University	eg
7	Shaqra University	sa
8	Umm Al-Qura University	sa
9	The American University in Cairo	eg
10	King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals	sa
11	Sultan Qaboos University	om
12	The German University in Cairo	eg
13	United Arab Emirates University	ae
14	The Islamic University of Gaza	ps
15	University of Jordan	jo
16	King Khalid University	sa
17	Mansoura University	eg
18	University of Babylon	iq
19	Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University	sa
20	Higher Colleges of Technology	ae
21	University of Sharjah	ae
22	Kuwait University	kw
23	Université Abou Bekr Belkaid de Tlemcen	dz
24	Qassim University	sa
25	Université Abderrahmane Mira de Béjaia	dz
26	University of Bahrain	bh
27	Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University	sa
28	Université Kasdi Merbah de Ouargla	dz
29	An-Najah National University	ps
30	Université Frères Mentouri de Constantine 1	dz
31	Alexandria University	eg
32	Jordan University of Science and Technology	jo
33	Hamad Bin Khalifa University	qa
34	Lebanese American University	lb
35	Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University	sa
36	Taibah University	sa
37	King Abdullah University of Science and Technology	sa
38	Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University	sa
39	Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth	lb
40	Islamic University of Madinah	sa
41	Ain Shams University	eg
42	Institute of Public Administration, Saudi Arabia	sa
43	Zayed University	ae
44	University of Science and Technology	ye
45	Taif University	sa
46	Université Mohamed Khider de Biskra	dz
47	Université Mohammed V	ma
48	Université Mohamed Boudiaf de M’sila	dz
49	Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport	eg
50	Damascus University	sy
51	Université Ferhat Abbas Sétif 1	dz
52	Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediène	dz
53	Al-Azhar University	eg
54	Modern Sciences and Arts University	eg
55	Khalifa University	ae
56	American University of Sharjah	ae
57	Yarmouk University	jo
58	Birzeit University	ps
59	Benha University	eg
60	Université Libanaise	lb
61	Université Abdelhamid Ibn Badis de Mostaganem	dz
62	The Hashemite University	jo
63	Al Jouf University	sa
64	Beirut Arab University	lb
65	Jazan University	sa
66	Université Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah	ma
67	Al-Quds University	ps
68	New York University Abu Dhabi	ae
69	Assiut University	eg
70	Université Cadi Ayyad	ma
71	University of Tabuk	sa
72	Misr University for Science and Technology	eg
73	Philadelphia University	jo
74	King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences	sa
75	Université Ahmed Ben Bella d’Oran 1	dz
76	Zagazig University	eg
77	American University in Dubai	ae
78	Prince Sultan University	sa
79	Université Mouloud Maameri de Tizi Ouzou	dz
80	University of Jeddah	sa
81	Future University in Egypt	eg
82	Doha Institute for Graduate Studies	qa
83	University of Tripoli	ly
84	Al-Balqa’ Applied University	jo
85	Université Hadj Lakhder de Batna 1	dz
86	Université Benyoucef Benkhedda d’Alger 1	dz
87	Bethlehem University	ps
88	Ajman University	ae
89	University of Baghdad	iq
90	Tanta University	eg
91	Notre Dame University	lb
92	Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik	lb
93	Université des Sciences et de la Technologie d’Oran Mohamed Boudiaf	dz
94	University of Ha’il	sa
95	Université Hassiba Ben Bouali de Chlef	dz
96	Arab American University	ps
97	Helwan University	eg
98	Sohag university	eg
99	Majmaah University	sa
100	Université Larbi Ben Mhidi de Oum El Bouaghi	dz
101	The British University in Egypt	eg
102	Nile University	eg
103	Al al-Bayt University	jo
104	Université 8 Mai 1945 Guelma	dz
105	Université Tahar Moulay de Saida	dz
106	Libyan International Medical University	ly
107	Higher College of Technology	om
108	Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University	sa
109	Université Ibn Zohr	ma
110	Université Badji Mokhtar de Annaba	dz
111	South Valley University	eg
112	Northern Borders University	sa
113	University of Balamand	lb
114	Mutah university	jo
115	Misr International University	eg
116	Arab International University	sy
117	Abu Dhabi University	ae
118	Arabian Gulf University	bh
119	Université Ibn Tofail	ma
120	Najran University	sa
121	University of Petra	jo
122	Princess Sumaya University for Technology	jo
123	Pharos University in Alexandria	eg
124	Middle East College	om
125	Effat University	sa
126	Université M’hamed Bouguerra de Boumerdès	dz
127	Lebanese International University	lb
128	Al Baha University	sa
129	Zarqa University	jo
130	Middle East University, Jordan	jo
131	Nahda University	eg
132	University of Technology	iq
133	University of Kufa	iq
134	Palestine Polytechnic University	ps
135	Suez Canal University	eg
136	Université Al Akhawayn	ma
137	Université Abdelmalek Essadi	ma
138	Gulf University for Science and Technology	kw
139	October 6 University	eg
140	Aswan University	eg
141	University of Al-Qadisiyah	iq
142	Université Echahid Hamma Lakhdar d’El Oued	dz
143	Université Mohamed Seddik Ben Yahia de Jijel	dz
144	Al-Ahliyya Amman University	jo
145	Institute of Management Technology Dubai	ae
146	Université Hassan II de Casablanca	ma
147	The University of Mustansiriyah	iq
148	Al Ain University	ae
149	Université Larbi Tebessi de Tébessa	dz
150	University of Bisha	sa
151	Queen Arwa University	ye
152	Université de Sfax	tn
153	Université Djillali Liabès de Sidi-Bel-Abbès	dz
154	Minia University	eg
155	Alfaisal University	sa
156	Al Falah University	ae
157	Université Mohammed Premier	ma
158	Kafrelsheikh University	eg
159	Université Saad Dahlab de Blida 1	dz
160	Université Moulay Ismail	ma
161	Université Ziane Achour de Djelfa	dz
162	Sohar University	om
163	College of the North Atlantic – Qatar	qa
164	Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan	jo
165	Université 20 Août 1955 de Skikda	dz
166	American University of Ras Al Khaimah	ae
167	Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar	qa
168	The University of Nizwa	om
169	The British University in Dubai	ae
170	Nizwa College of Technology	om
171	Fayoum University	eg
172	University of Tikrit	iq
173	Université Mohamed Lamine Debaghine de Sétif 2	dz
174	Misurata University	ly
175	University of Mosul	iq
176	Université Centrale	tn
177	HEM Institut des Hautes Etudes de Management	ma
178	Menoufia University	eg
179	New Valley University	eg
180	École Nationale Supérieure Agronomique	dz
181	University of Diyala	iq
182	German Jordanian University	jo
183	Damietta University	eg
184	Australian College of Kuwait	kw
185	American University in the Emirates	ae
186	Al-Baath University	sy
187	The American University of Iraq, Sulaimani	iq
188	Applied Science Private University	jo
189	German University of Technology in Oman	om
190	Canadian University of Dubai	ae
191	Université Mohamed Ben Ahmed d’Oran 2	dz
192	Université Internationale de Rabat	ma
193	The University of Duhok	iq
194	University of Kerbala	iq
195	Université Hassan 1er	ma
196	Université Ibn Khaldoun de Tiaret	dz
197	Tishreen University	sy
198	Université Paris-Sorbonne Abou Dhabi	ae
199	Al Musanna College of Technology	om
200	Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology	eg

Top 200 Universities in North America 2020/What are the most popular Universities in North America? uniRank tries to answer this question by publishing the 2020 North American University Ranking of the top 200 recognized higher-education institutions in North America meeting the following uniRank selection criteria:

• being chartered, licensed and/or accredited by the appropriate higher education-related organization in each country
• offering at least four-year undergraduate degrees (bachelor degrees) or postgraduate degrees (master or doctoral degrees)
• delivering courses predominantly in a traditional, face-to-face, non-distance education format

Our aim is to provide a non-academic League Table of the top Universities in North America based on valid, unbiased and non-influenceable web metrics provided by independent web intelligence sources rather than data submitted by the Universities themselves.

2020 Top 200 Universities in North America

Rank	University	Country
1	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	us
2	Harvard University	us
3	Stanford University	us
4	University of California, Berkeley	us
5	Purdue University	us
6	Cornell University	us
7	University of Washington	us
8	Columbia University in the City of New York	us
9	University of Michigan	us
10	Penn State University	us
11	University of Minnesota	us
12	University of Wisconsin-Madison	us
13	University of California, Los Angeles	us
14	New York University	us
15	University of Pennsylvania	us
16	University of Toronto	ca
17	Yale University	us
18	The University of Texas at Austin	us
19	Princeton University	us
20	Carnegie Mellon University	us
21	University of Southern California	us
22	The University of British Columbia	ca
23	University of California, Irvine	us
24	University of Colorado Boulder	us
25	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	us
26	Arizona State University	us
27	University of Chicago	us
28	Johns Hopkins University	us
29	University of California, San Diego	us
30	Michigan State University	us
31	The University of Arizona	us
32	University of Florida	us
33	Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey	us
34	Northwestern University	us
35	Texas A&M University	us
36	Duke University	us
37	Boston University	us
38	University of California, Davis	us
39	The University of Utah	us
40	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	us
41	University of Maryland	us
42	The Ohio State University	us
43	University of Waterloo	ca
44	McGill University	ca
45	North Carolina State University	us
46	Georgia Institute of Technology	us
47	University of Virginia	us
48	University of Pittsburgh	us
49	Simon Fraser University	ca
50	Washington University in St. Louis	us
51	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	us
52	Florida State University	us
53	Indiana University Bloomington	us
54	Iowa State University of Science and Technology	us
55	University of California, Santa Barbara	us
56	University of Massachusetts Amherst	us
57	Oregon State University	us
58	University of Alberta	ca
59	University of Houston	us
60	George Mason University	us
61	Georgetown University	us
62	Colorado State University	us
63	California Institute of Technology	us
64	Brigham Young University	us
65	Georgia State University	us
66	University of Nebraska-Lincoln	us
67	University of South Florida	us
68	Brown University	us
69	University of Georgia	us
70	Tufts University	us
71	University of Iowa	us
72	University of Delaware	us
73	University of Oregon	us
74	George Washington University	us
75	Dartmouth College	us
76	Washington State University	us
77	University of Rochester	us
78	University of Notre Dame	us
79	University of Calgary	ca
80	Vanderbilt University	us
81	University of California, Santa Cruz	us
82	University at Buffalo, State University of New York	us
83	York University	ca
84	University of Illinois at Chicago	us
85	Rice University	us
86	Temple University	us
87	Syracuse University	us
88	University of Central Florida	us
89	Queen’s University	ca
90	University of California, San Francisco	us
91	University of Kentucky	us
92	Emory University	us
93	Northeastern University	us
94	The University of Oklahoma	us
95	The University of Tennessee, Knoxville	us
96	University of California, Riverside	us
97	University of Kansas	us
98	Louisiana State University	us
99	Rochester Institute of Technology	us
100	San Diego State University	us
101	University of Connecticut	us
102	University of New Mexico	us
103	McMaster University	ca
104	Western University	ca
105	University of Victoria	ca
106	University of South Carolina	us
107	University of Missouri	us
108	Virginia Commonwealth University	us
109	University of Miami	us
110	Kent State University	us
111	University of Cincinnati	us
112	Florida International University	us
113	Université de Montréal	ca
114	Université Laval	ca
115	Ryerson University	ca
116	Boston College	us
117	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	us
118	Drexel University	us
119	San José State University	us
120	University of North Texas	us
121	Fordham University	us
122	The University of Alabama	us
123	San Francisco State University	us
124	University of Vermont	us
125	University of Ottawa	ca
126	Carleton University	ca
127	Liberty University	us
128	The University of Texas at Dallas	us
129	Portland State University	us
130	The University of Tennessee at Martin	us
131	Concordia University	ca
132	Clemson University	us
133	West Virginia University	us
134	University of New Hampshire	us
135	American University	us
136	California State University, Northridge	us
137	Baylor University	us
138	California State University, Fullerton	us
139	Stony Brook University	us
140	Case Western Reserve University	us
141	Wayne State University	us
142	University of Guelph	ca
143	Utah State University	us
144	Southern New Hampshire University	us
145	University of Saskatchewan	ca
146	Michigan Technological University	us
147	Oklahoma State University	us
148	Auburn University	us
149	Texas Tech University	us
150	DePaul University	us
151	Dalhousie University	ca
152	Ohio University	us
153	Tulane University	us
154	University of Arkansas	us
155	University of Manitoba	ca
156	The New School	us
157	California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo	us
158	University at Albany, State University of New York	us
159	University of Alabama at Birmingham	us
160	Université du Québec à Montréal	ca
161	Western Michigan University	us
162	Memorial University of Newfoundland	ca
163	The University of Texas at Arlington	us
164	Loyola University Chicago	us
165	Montana State University	us
166	University of Denver	us
167	University of Maryland, Baltimore County	us
168	Grand Canyon University	us
169	Santa Clara University	us
170	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee	us
171	Northern Arizona University	us
172	Old Dominion University	us
173	New Mexico State University	us
174	Binghamton University, State University of New York	us
175	Southern Methodist University	us
176	Brandeis University	us
177	College of William & Mary	us
178	University of Nevada, Reno	us
179	Mississippi State University	us
180	University of Nevada, Las Vegas	us
181	Carleton College	us
182	California State University, Long Beach	us
183	Kansas State University	us
184	University of Rhode Island	us
185	University of North Carolina at Charlotte	us
186	University of Idaho	us
187	Florida Atlantic University	us
188	Nova Southeastern University	us
189	Marquette University	us
190	Lamar University	us
191	Northern Illinois University	us
192	University of Akron	us
193	Worcester Polytechnic Institute	us
194	Kennesaw State University	us
195	University of Louisville	us
196	Illinois Institute of Technology	us
197	University of Colorado Denver	us
198	Lehigh University	us
199	Grand Valley State University	us
200	James Madison University	us