IELTS vs. TOEFL: Which should you take?

All international students who want to study in an English-speaking country must show they have the required level of English. There are a few English language exams that are accepted by universities all over the world. We’re going to focus on two of these: IELTS and TOEFL.

Before we continue, let’s look at what these names mean. IELTS is the International English Language Testing System. TOEFL is the Test of English as a Foreign Language.

To apply to university you will need to take the IELTS Academic test or TOEFL iBT. These tests can be taken at test centres in your own country.

IELTS, for instance, is available across more than 3,000 test centres in over 60 countries, giving students options and flexibility unmatched by many other English language tests.

You can find your nearest test centre by following these links: IELTS and TOEFL. The cost of the tests is also set by the test centre in your country so contact them to find out the cost.

IELTS and TOEFL can also be taken from the comfort of your own home. Apart from paper-based and computer-based tests, students looking to take IELTS can opt for IELTS Online, a test format that allows candidates to choose where and when they take the test.

As for TOEFL, the TOEFL iBT Home Edition is tailored for students who wish to take their test without visiting a test centre. Available 24 hours a day, 4 days a week globally, the Home Edition format enables candidates to take the test from any location, as long as they meet the environment and equipment requirements for at-home testing.

Both tests are accepted by top universities in different countries all around the world but they are very different in terms of structure and question types. Read on to find out more about each of these tests to decide which one you should take and which one is better for you.

What is the difference between IELTS and TOEFL?

These two tests are owned by different testing organisations. IELTS is jointly owned by: the British Council, Cambridge Assessment English and IDP Australia (of which Hotcourses Abroad is an affiliate).

The test is written and administered by Cambridge Assessment English. It is the British Council and IDP Australia who run the test centres around the world.

TOEFL iBT is owned, written and administered by the Education Testing Service (ETS) an organisation in the USA.

Here's an overview of the main similarities and differences between the two tests:


	IELTS Academic	TOEFL iBT
Method	Paper-based, computer-based and online	Paper-based, computer-based and online
Length	Under 3 hours	Under 2 hours
Scores	0-9	0-120
Results	3-13 days	4-13 days
Marking	Human examiners and automated marking (machine marking)	Human examiners and automated marking (machine marking)
Accepted by	Over 11,000 organisations and institutions worldwide	Over 12,000 universities and institutions worldwide

Format of tests

Although they both test the four skills of listening, reading, writing and speaking, they do so in different ways:

	IELTS Academic	Questions	TOEFL iBT	Questions
Listening	30 mins	40	36 mins	28
Reading	60 mins	40	35 mins	20
Writing	60 mins	2 tasks	29 mins	2 tasks
Speaking	11-14 mins	3 parts	16 mins	4 tasks

Test Question types

IELTS has various question types. A mix of these will appear in the Listening and Reading tests:

Multiple choice
Matching
Plan/map/diagram labelling
Form/note/table/flow-chart/summary completion
Sentence completion
Summary completion
Short-answer questions
True/False/Not given
Yes/No/Not given

Single-answer multiple-choice questions (where you select one answer from options A, B, C or D) are the most common question type in TOEFL. Other question types involve matching and multiple-answer questions (where you select more than one answers from multiple options).

IELTS vs TOEFL – Listening

A common myth is that IELTS is British English and TOEFL is US English but the fact is that both tests have a range of English accents: North American, British, Australian and New Zealand accents.

There are four parts to the IELTS Listening test, with ten questions each. Parts 1 and 2 are in an everyday, social context. Parts 3 and 4 are in an educational and training context. Parts 1 and 3 involve more than one speaker whereas Parts 2 and 4 are monologues (only one person speaks).

There are 2 types of listening items in the TOEFL iBT test: lectures and conversations, both of which use the language you would be expected to hear and use at university. The test is made up of:

3 lectures with six questions each
2 conversations with two speakers with five questions per conversation

IELTS vs TOEFL – Reading

There are three passages (texts) in the IELTS Academic Reading test with a total of 2,150-2,750 words. Remember that these questions will cover a range of question types (see above).

The reading texts come from books, journals, magazines, newspapers or websites. You are not expected to know the subject matter well. You will be able to answer the questions based on the content of the text.

TOEFL iBT has two reading passages. Each passage is approximately 700 words long and has ten questions. As with IELTS, you aren’t expected to know the subject matter and will be able to answer the questions based on the content.

IELTS vs TOEFL – Writing

There are two tasks in both the IELTS and TOEFL Writing tests.

Task one of the IELTS Academic Writing test has information presented in a graph, chart, table or diagram. You have 20 minutes to complete the task and to write a minimum of 150 words.

In task two, you have 40 minutes to write a minimum of 250 words responding to a point of view, argument or problem. Task two is worth double the marks of task one. If you’re taking the paper-based IELTS test, both tasks will have to be handwritten.

Task one of the TOEFL iBT test Writing section is very different. The task is integrated with both reading and listening. You have to read a short passage and listen to a short lecture. You then have to write a response based on what you have read and listened to.

Task two is writing an essay that states and supports an opinion in an online classroom discussion.

You have a total of 30 minutes to complete the TOEFL iBT test Writing section.

IELTS vs TOEFL – Speaking

The main difference between the IELTS and TOEFL speaking tests is that the IELTS Speaking test is done with an examiner either face-to-face or on a video call. The test is recorded for training and verification purposes. Your test is marked by the examiner and verified by other examiners if necessary.

In the TOEFL iBT test, you listen to questions, and you then speak your answers into a microphone. Your answers are marked by a combination of AI (computer-rated) and human reviewers.

The IELTS speaking test may or may not be taken on the same day as the other parts of the test whereas its TOEFL iBT counterpart is taken on the same day as the other parts.

IELTS Speaking has three parts. In part one, you give personal information and discuss everyday subjects. In part two, you are given a task in which you have one minute to prepare your answer. You then have two minutes to give your talk. The final part is a discussion with the examiner on a topic related to the one in part two.

Like the TOEFL iBT test Writing section, the Speaking section is integrated. Question one requires you to answer questions based on your own ideas, opinions and experiences. Questions two to four require you to listen and speak, or listen, read and speak. You have 15-30 seconds of preparation time before responding to each question.

IELTS vs TOEFL Scores

For IELTS, you are given a band score of between 0-9 for each of the skills. Then, you are given an overall band score. You can find more information on these bands and their descriptors on the IELTS website.

In TOEFL iBT, you are given a score range of 0 to 30 for each skill and a total score ranging from 0 to 120. You can find a more detailed breakdown of the TOEFL iBT scores for each of the skills and what they mean on the ETS website.

English language entry requirements vary with courses, degree levels, universities and the countries they are based in. However, the table below reflects the general minimum IELTS and TOEFL requirements for different course levels:

Degree level	IELTS	TOEFL iBT
Foundation	5	35-45
Undergraduate	6	60-78
Postgraduate	7	94-101

Here are how the scores compare:

IELTS band score	TOEFL iBT score
0-4	0-31
4.5	32-34
5	35-45
5.5	46-59
6	60-78
6.5	79-93
7	94-101
7.5	102-109
8	110-114
8.5	115-117
9	118-120

Frequently asked questions

Which test is easier?

This is an impossible question to answer as it depends on the experience of each person.

Some people prefer multiple-choice questions and find them easier. Some people prefer to speak to a person rather than a computer. Some people find it difficult to describe a graph while others may find having to read, listen and speak all at the same time quite challenging.

Which test is better for me?

You need to understand what kind of English language student you are and what types of questions and tests you prefer. Try taking practice tests for both IELTS and TOEFL and see which one suits you and your abilities better.

How long will it take for me to prepare for IELTS?

Another impossible question to answer as it depends on many factors. The most important factors are your current level of English and which band score you need to achieve.

If you are currently at a band score of 5 but need a band score of 6 to start your undergraduate course, you will need less time than if you were starting at a band score of 4.

Being realistic about your level of English now, what you need to achieve and by when is important. It will probably take you four to six weeks to do an IELTS preparation course, which will help you understand and practice the different question types and each skill test.

These preparation courses won’t improve your level of English but only your knowledge of the test. You will NOT improve your band score just by doing many tests over and over again. To improve your band score, you need to improve your general level of English too.

Is TOEFL mainly used for the USA?

The TOEFL iBT test is accepted by universities all around the world, just like the IELTS test.

Is the British Council IELTS test easier than the IDP IELTS test?

This is another common myth. The IELTS test is written by Cambridge Assessment English and sent to test centres all around the world. The level of the IELTS test at different centres around the world is exactly the same. No test is easier than any other.