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TOEFL VS IELTS, WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR ME?

TOEFL and IELTS are the world’s leading tests for validating the use of English as a foreign language. Both are accepted in almost all countries. Thus, if you have decided to study abroad, apply for a master’s degree, etc. it is very likely that sooner or later you will have to ask yourself the million-dollar question: TOEFL or IELTS, which one is right for me? In this article we help you answer the question. To do so, we first introduce you to the 2 tests separately and then we bring you a comparison based on objective data about both tests like no one has ever done before

Table of Contents

The TOEFL iBT

  • It is a test that consists of 4 parts to validate the 4 language skills: Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. 
  • It is a 100% computer based test. The 4 parts are done on the computer and consecutively.
  • It can be taken in an official center or remotely (TOEFL iBT Home Edition).
  • The total score ranges from 0 to 120 points. In turn, each test is evaluated from 0 to 30 points, the final result being the sum of the 4 scores.
  • It is currently accepted by 11,500 institutions in 190 countries.
  • Grades are received 6 days after taking the exam.
  • The validity of the grade is 2 years.
  • Price of the exam $255 (in Spain)
  • Average scores according to ETS:
    • World: 83.01 points (If we express the score as a percentage it is 69,10%).
    • Spanish: 90.06 points (If we express the score as a percentage, it is 75.05%).

The IELTS Exam

  • It is an exam that consists of 4 parts to validate the 4 language skills: Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. 
  • It can be paper based or computer based. In both cases you must take it in 2 days. 
  • It must be done in an official center. Since the speaking is done on another date, you will have to go twice to the center where you take the exam.
  • The score ranges from 1 to 9 points. The oscillations are in ranges of half a point.
  • It is currently accepted by 11,000 institutions and 140 countries.
  • The validity of the score is 2 years.
  • Price of the exam 224€.
  • Average scores according to ETS:
    • World: 6.00 points (If we express the score as a percentage, it is 66.67%).
    • Spanish: 6.53 points (If we express the score as a percentage, it is 72.50%).
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The TOEFL and the IELTS Face-To-Face

As we mentioned before, our specialists have prepared a summary table based on objective data. All the data have been extracted from reports published by ETS (the company that owns TOEFL) and IELTS.
A table comparing the 8 main categories considered while deciding between taking the TOEFL and the IELTS.

Conclusions

  1. The level of demand of your preparation will always depend on the grade required by the center to which you want to apply. A student applying to a university that requires a 7.5 in IELTS has nothing to do with a person applying for a work and holiday visa in Australia, where a 4.5 is enough. The test is the same but the complexity and level are very different.
  2. When comparing one test with the other, TOEFL students obtain a higher average score than IELTS students. It can be said then that the average student scores higher in TOEFL than in IELTS. Particularly significant is the difference in Writing where the TOEFL score is 7.78 percentage points higher than the IELTS score.
  3. The TOEFL iBT Home Edition allows practically unlimited access to the exam since it does not have the capacity limitations of an official center. If you add this to the fact that IELTS requires 2 different dates to complete the test, the result is that TOEFL iBT is a faster test to complete.
  4. Do not fall into the false myth of thinking that TOEFL is valid for the USA and IELTS for Europe. This is a lie. As the comparison chart shows, it is present in 190 and 140 countries respectively. Both are global exams. However, always remember to check which exams are accepted by the center to which you want to apply.
  5. As you can see both are very similar. However, the TOEFL scores better and it is faster to enroll and complete the exam than the IELTS exam.

Hopefully this blog post has resolved all your doubts. However, if you have questions in regards to your TOEFL preparation, get in touch and we will let you know how EPIC PREP can help you achieve your goals. Differently, if you prefer to continue reading here is the link to our TOEFL courses page.

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