TOEFL VS IELTS, Which One Is Right For Me?

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

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 exam. The 4 parts are solved by computer and followed.
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 exam is evaluated from 0 to 30 points, with the final result being the sum of the 4 grades.
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%).

If you want to know in more detail what the TOEFL is like, I recommend you read the article in this link.

The IELTS Exam

It is a test 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 half-point ranges.
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 anticipated, our specialists have prepared a summary table based on objective data. All data have been extracted from reports published by ETS (the company that owns TOEFL) and IELTS.

Conclusions

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 who is required to have an IELTS 7.5 has nothing to do with a person applying for the Australian Working Holiday visa who is satisfied with a 4.5. The exam is the same but the complexity is very different.
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 on TOEFL than on IELTS. The difference in grades in the Writing is especially significant, where the TOEFL score improves on the IELTS score by 7.78 percentage points.
The TOEFL iBT Home Edition allows practically unlimited access to the exam since it is not conditioned to the capacity of an official center. If you add to this that IELTS needs 2 different dates to complete the test, the result is that TOEFL iBT is a faster test to complete.
Do not fall into the false myth of thinking that TOEFL is valid for the USA and IELTS for Europe. That’s a lie. As the comparative table shows, presence in 190 and 140 countries respectively. Both are global exams. However, always remember to check which exams the centre you want to apply for accepts.
As you can see, both are very similar. However, the TOEFL scores better and is faster to enroll in and complete the test than the IELTS test.

We hope this article has answered your questions. If you have any questions regarding your TOEFL preparation, give us a call and we will be happy to explain how EPIC PREP can help you achieve your goals. On the other hand, if you prefer to continue reading we leave you a link to our page of TOEFL courses.

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